Senior Manager CV examples

Writing a CV isn’t about listing responsibilities (if it was, this’d be too easy for you). It’s about clearly showing where you’ve made an impact and how you’ve driven meaningful change.

This guide will help position you as a senior leader worth investing in – presenting your experience, leadership strengths, and outcomes in a way that’s sharp and tailored to executive expectations.

If your layout looks like a scrambled org chart, don’t expect anyone to read past line one. Your approach of planning, prioritising, and executing effectively should apply to your CV. A clear structure helps employers grasp your journey and the scale of your contributions with minimal effort. A CV which is already too hard to read really isn’t worth a recruiters’ effort: so make sure they stick around.

Here’s the structure to follow:

• Name and contact details – Place this personal info at the top so employers can get in touch easily.
• Profile – Give a brief overview of your leadership background, focus areas, and sector experience.
• Core skills – Write a concise list of your key strengths and strategic abilities.
• Work experience – List your previous roles in reverse chronological order, with your most recent first.
• Education & certifications – Go through the academic history which underpins your expertise, like degrees and training courses.
• Additional info –This optional section can include professional memberships, awards, or hobbies and interests that showcase your fit for the role.

Start by dividing your CV into clearly labelled sections so the reader can navigate with ease – think of it like setting a clear agenda for a board meeting. Use a professional, legible font to maintain a polished, business-ready look, and break down your content into concise bullet points to avoid overwhelming the page. 

Aim for a maximum of two pages, allowing you the length to showcase your leadership history without losing focus. This format which makes use of these tips will reinforce your ability to communicate effectively – something every great senior manager needs to demonstrate from the first glance.

Your CV profile is your executive summary. It should introduce you as an experienced leader with a proven track record and a strategic mindset. Whether you’ve overseen departments, projects, or whole business units, make it clear what kind of leader you are and what kind of value you bring.

Here’s what to include in your CV profile:

• Where you’ve worked – Mention industries or companies that give context to your experience.
• Your top qualifications – Note leadership training, advanced degrees, or specialist knowledge.
• Essential skills – Include the type of oversight you’ve provided – people, budgets, strategy.
• Leadership focus – Highlight what you specialise in: growth, restructuring, stakeholder management, etc.
• Impact – Give a sense of scale – whether it’s the size of your team or the revenue you influenced.

At this level, your skills aren’t just tools – they’re the reason the whole machine keeps running. This section lets recruiters instantly see the strengths you bring to senior roles. Focus on leadership capabilities and operational insights relevant to your target roles.

Make sure your skills reflect the seniority of the position – think beyond daily tasks and highlight what sets your leadership apart. And remember: it’s not about quantity, it’s about relevance.

At senior level, employers don’t just want to see where you’ve worked – they want to understand your leadership style, your approach to challenges, and your track record of delivering genuine value. Use this section to outline what you were responsible for and your impressive achievements.

List your work experience in reverse chronological order. For each role, include your job title, company, and dates. Then break it down into bullet points showing the teams you led, budgets you managed, strategic goals you set, and improvements you delivered.

• Outline – Describe the organisation, your level of responsibility, and the business context.
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “led,” “delivered,” “restructured,” or “accelerated” to describe how you drove performance.
• Achievements – Back up your impact with results: “Increased operational efficiency by 22%,” “Delivered £1.3m cost savings through supply chain overhaul,” or “Grew team from 15 to 45 to support national expansion.”

Senior managers are expected to have both experience and a strong foundation of formal training. Use this section to list degrees, industry certifications, and leadership development programmes. That said, your education section should be kept pretty brief: the priority is heavily on your experience and the value you’ve delivered.

Include postgraduate qualifications (e.g. MBAs), strategy or finance training, and any CPD that shows your commitment to growing as a leader. Executive programmes from recognised institutions are especially worth highlighting.