OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Assignment Briefs 2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
QUALIFICATION OBJECTIVES.............................................................................................3 
QUALITY, STANDARDS AND RECOGNITIONS...................................................................3 
REGULATORY INFORMATION.............................................................................................3 
EQUIVALENCES....................................................................................................................3 
QUALIFICATION STRUCTURE.............................................................................................4 
DEFINITIONS.........................................................................................................................4 
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS..................................................................................................... 5 
PROGRESSION.....................................................................................................................5 
DELIVERY OF OTHM QUALIFICATIONS............................................................................. 5 
ASSESSMENT AND VERIFICATION.................................................................................... 5 
OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS TO PASS.....................................................................6 
RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT.............................................6 
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY.................................................................................................6 
UNIT SPECIFICATIONS........................................................................................................ 7 
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT.............................................................................................8 
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP..............................................................................................13 
STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT....................................................... 16 
ADVANCED BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS...........................................................21 
STRATEGIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.......................................................................25 
SUPPLY CHAIN AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT....................................................29 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION.................................................................... 33 
GLOBALISATION AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE...................................................38 
STRATEGIC CHANGE MANAGEMENT.......................................................................... 42 
STRATEGIC MARKETING............................................................................................... 45 
IMPORTANT NOTE..............................................................................................................50

QUALIFICATION OBJECTIVE

The objective of the OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership qualification is to develop strategic management and leadership skills for managers who have the authority and personal attributes to translate organisational strategy into effective operational performance. This qualification reflects current practice in Strategic Management and Leadership and allows learners to develop and expand their high-level understanding of strategic management and leadership in the workplace. This qualification is suitable for mature learners with a background in academic study or industry. The qualification has a clear work-related emphasis on practical skills development alongside theoretical fundamentals. 
 
Successful completion of the Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership qualification will equip learners with the key skills and capabilities to become an effective strategic manager. The qualification also allows learners to progress into or within employment and/or continue their study towards an MBA with advanced standing.

QUALITY, STANDARDS AND RECOGNITIONS 

OTHM qualifications are approved and regulated by Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation). Visit the register of Regulated Qualifications. 
 
OTHM has progression arrangement with many UK and overseas universities that acknowledges the ability of learners after studying Level 3-7 qualifications to be considered for advanced entry into corresponding degree year/top-up and Master’s/top-up programmes

QUALIFICATION STRUCTURE

The OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership consists of 4 mandatory units and 2 optional units, making a combined total of 120 credits, 1200 hours Total Qualification Time (TQT) and 600 Guided Learning Hours (GLH) for the completed qualification. 
 
To achieve the OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership, learners must achieve a minimum of 120 credits; 80 credits must be achieved from the mandatory units in Group A, plus a minimum of 40 credits from the optional units in Group B. 

DELIVERY OF OTHM QUALIFICATIONS

OTHM do not specify the mode of delivery for its qualifications, therefore OTHM Centres are free to deliver this qualification using any mode of delivery that meets the needs of their Learners. However, OTHM Centres should consider the Learners’ complete learning experience when designing the delivery of programmes. 
 
OTHM Centres must ensure that the chosen mode of delivery does not unlawfully or unfairly discriminate, whether directly or indirectly, and that equality of opportunity is promoted. Where it is reasonable and practicable to do so, it will take steps to address identified inequalities or barriers that may arise. 
 
Guided Learning Hours (GLH) which are listed in each unit gives the Centres the number of hours of teacher-supervised or direct study time likely to be required to teach that unit.

ASSESSMENT AND VERIFICATION

All units within this qualification are internally assessed by the centre and externally verified by OTHM. The qualifications are criterion referenced, based on the achievement of all the specified learning outcomes.  
 
To achieve a ‘pass’ for a unit, learners must provide evidence to demonstrate that they have fulfilled all the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified by all assessment criteria. Judgement that the learners have successfully fulfilled the assessment criteria is made by the Assessor. 
 
The Assessor should provide an audit trail showing how the judgement of the learners’ overall achievement has been arrived at. 
 
Specific assessment guidance and relevant marking criteria for each unit are made available in the Assignment Brief document. These are made available to centres immediately after registration of one or more learners.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS TO PASS

Centres are responsible for managing learners who have not achieved a Pass for the qualification having completed the assessment. However, OTHM expects at a minimum, that centres must have in place a clear feedback mechanism to learners by which they can effectively retrain the learner in all the areas required before re-assessing the learner.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a method of assessment that considers whether learners can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge, understanding or skills they already possess and do not need to develop through a course of learning. 
 
RPL policies and procedures have been developed over time, which has led to the use of a number of terms to describe the process. Among the most common are:  
●    Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)  
●    Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)  
●    Accreditation of Prior Achievement (APA)  
●    Accreditation of Prior Learning and Achievement (APLA)

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

OTHM provides equality and diversity training to staff and consultants. This makes clear that staff and consultants must comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, and all other related equality and diversity legislation, in relation to our qualifications.  
 
We develop and revise our qualifications to avoid, where possible, any feature that might disadvantage learners because of their age, disability, gender, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation. 
 
If a specific qualification requires a feature that might disadvantage a particular group (e.g. a legal requirement regarding health and safety in the workplace), we will clarify this explicitly in the qualification specification.

UNIT SPECIFICATIONS

Strategic Management 

Unit Aims 

The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ understanding of strategic and change management models, as well as the ability to review strategic plans, to propose strategic options, to create implementation plans and to lead organisational changes.

Learning Outcomes, Assessment Criteria and Indicative Content