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Career Path Template
A career path template mapping levels, expectations, and growth criteria across IC and management tracks so employees can see how to progress.
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What you get
- Dual-track ladders for individual contributors and managers
- Level-by-level scope, impact, and competency expectations
- Promotion criteria and readiness signals
- A personal growth map employees can plot themselves on
Template preview
A preview of the structure. Download the PDF or CSV for the complete, ready-to-use version.
Employee growth snapshot
- Employee name
- Current track— IC or management
- Current level
- Target next level
Individual contributor (IC) track
Growth through deepening expertise and widening impact — no people management required.
| Level | Title | Scope | Typical impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC1 | Associate | Defined tasks with guidance | Own task / feature |
| IC2 | Professional | Owns projects independently | Own project / area |
| IC3 | Senior | Leads complex, ambiguous work | Influences team direction |
| IC4 | Staff / Principal | Sets technical or functional strategy | Influences org / company |
Management track
Growth through scaling people and outcomes. Often branches from senior IC level.
| Level | Title | Scope | Typical impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Team Lead / Manager | Leads a single team | Team delivery & development |
| M2 | Senior Manager | Leads multiple teams or a function | Function-level outcomes |
| M3 | Director | Leads a department | Org strategy & results |
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How to use this template
- 1
Define your tracks
Set up parallel IC and management tracks so people don't have to manage to grow.
- 2
Describe each level
For every level, spell out scope of work, expected impact, and the competencies required.
- 3
Set promotion criteria
Make the bar for the next level explicit, including the signals that show readiness.
- 4
Use it in growth conversations
Have employees self-locate, then agree the gaps to close in their development plan.
Frequently asked questions
Should we have separate IC and management tracks?
Yes. Forcing strong specialists into management to progress loses you great experts and creates reluctant managers. Parallel tracks with equal status let people grow in the direction that fits.
How often should employees be promoted?
There's no schedule. Promotion should recognise that someone is already operating at the next level consistently. Time-in-role is an input, not a trigger.
How does a career path relate to a development plan?
The career path shows the destination and the bar; the individual development plan is the route. Employees self-locate on the path, then build a plan to close the gap to the next level.