What if our definition of career success is outdated?
“What’s the next step for you?”
It’s a question we regularly ask candidates during interviews, and over the past several years, a clear trend has emerged.
Many experienced professionals with 5, 10, 15, or even 20 years of experience tell us:
“I don’t want to manage people.”
For some, this realization is recent. For others, it stems from a management experience they have no desire to repeat.
Yet their answer is often followed by a concern:
“But if I don’t become a manager, can I still progress in my career? Won’t my career path be perceived as stagnant?”
This question reveals a belief that is still deeply rooted in many organizations: professional growth is often seen as synonymous with moving into management.
However, this view no longer reflects the aspirations of a growing number of professionals.
1. Does career growth mean becoming a Manager?
Historically, career paths were relatively linear. High-performing employees would become team leaders, then managers, then directors, and sometimes even members of the executive committee.
Management was seen as the natural reward for expertise. A promotion typically meant taking responsibility for more people. This mindset remains deeply rooted in many organizations today.
How many professionals have already heard questions such as:
“When are you going to become a manager?”
“You still don’t have a team reporting to you?”
“Do you really want to stay in an operational role for your entire career?”
As if a professional’s value could be measured by the number of people appearing beneath their name on an organizational chart.
Yet an increasing number of professionals, particularly since the post-COVID period, have begun to challenge these assumptions and move beyond traditional expectations by prioritizing what genuinely motivates them. Rather than pursuing management positions, they choose to deepen their technical expertise and focus on delivering value through specialized knowledge.
At the same time, many of the highest-performing organizations have been questioning this traditional model for years.
2. The new critical roles shaping 2026
Our market monitoring and our close relationships with executive leadership teams show that the real pressure is not only on data scientists, but on rare hybrid profiles such as:
- AI Risk Manager: able to assess model risks while understanding regulatory and operational constraints.
- Next-generation Model Validator: expert in algorithmic bias, explainability, and the robustness of AI systems.
- AI-oriented Data Governance Lead: guarantor of data quality, traceability, and ethics.
- AI Compliance Officer: a key interface between technical teams, business units, and regulators.
- Data / Generative AI Architect: the bridge between data, AI, and business teams to ensure the design and deployment of generative solutions that are effective, reliable, and aligned with business needs.
- Data/AI RAG Developer: building an internal ChatGPT-like system accessible to all business teams.
These profiles are currently difficult to identify, and even harder to attract — and this is precisely where our expertise as headhunters takes on its full meaning.
➠Do you work in niche areas such as Actuarial science, Underwriting, Quantitative finance, Audit, Risk, & Compliance, Data & AI?
For over 15 years, we have collaborated with leading financial institutions and insurance firms. As market leaders in France, we are entering a phase of acceleration, with ambitious projects planned over the next three years. Our goal is to solidify our presence in France while expanding primarily into Germany and Luxembourg to strengthen our position across Europe. Explore our open positions or contact us if you are currently recruiting in our niches.
3. Being excellent at your job doesn't automatically make you a good Manager
This is probably one of the greatest misconceptions in the professional world.
An outstanding actuary will not automatically become an outstanding actuarial manager. Likewise, a highly respected compliance expert will not necessarily make an effective team leader. Management is a profession in its own right.
Expertise is built on skills such as:
Technical mastery
Analytical thinking
Problem-solving
Deep industry and business knowledge
Management, on the other hand, requires:
Active listening
Conflict resolution
Communication
The ability to develop and empower others
Making difficult people-related decisions
These are two distinct career paths and two different sets of competencies.
Neither is inherently superior to the other.
4. The trend has accelerated since COVID-19.
Since the pandemic, we have observed a significant shift in candidates’ expectations and career priorities.
The relationship people have with work has changed. So have their priorities.
Today, many professionals are looking for:
Greater autonomy
Better work-life balance
More intellectually stimulating work
Meaningful impact
Recognition of their expertise
Not necessarily more hierarchical responsibility.
At the same time, the role of the manager has become significantly more complex. Employee expectations have evolved, and newer generations place greater importance on:
Purpose and meaning
Flexibility
Personal and professional development
Quality of leadership
Transparency
The modern manager is expected to be a leader, coach, mediator, communicator, facilitator, and sometimes even a counselor.
As a result, many professionals who have held management positions tell us today:
“I’ve managed teams. I enjoyed the experience. But it’s no longer what I’m looking for.”
And that’s perfectly legitimate.
Choosing not to pursue a management role does not reflect a lack of ambition. In many cases, it reflects a clearer understanding of one’s strengths, motivations, and preferred way of creating value.
5. New paths for career growth
The most mature organizations have recognized that a one-size-fits-all approach to career progression no longer meets the needs of today’s workforce.
As a result, many companies now offer multiple career paths, allowing professionals to grow in ways that align with their strengths and aspirations.
Becoming a Senior Expert or Subject-Matter Authority
In many organizations, career advancement no longer requires moving into management.
Companies are increasingly creating dedicated expert career tracks that enable professionals to continue developing their technical and functional expertise while gaining recognition, influence, and responsibility.
These individuals become trusted internal references and key contributors to the organization. They are often involved in strategic decisions, not because they manage teams, but because their knowledge, experience, and ability to solve complex challenges make their perspective invaluable.
Their influence is built on expertise rather than hierarchy, demonstrating that leadership and impact can take many forms.
Taking on a Cross-Functional Role
Today, many positions offer significant impact, visibility, and strategic influence without requiring direct people management responsibilities.
These roles often involve:
- Coordinating complex projects
- Leading cross-functional initiatives and working groups
- Influencing a wide range of stakeholders
- Driving organizational change and transformation
In these positions, authority is not derived from hierarchy but from credibility, expertise, and the ability to bring people together around shared objectives.
Professionals who excel in cross-functional roles often become key contributors to business success, shaping decisions and driving outcomes through influence rather than formal managerial authoritTaking on a Cross-Functional Roley.
Taking on a Cross-Functional Role
Today, many positions offer significant impact, visibility, and strategic influence without requiring direct people management responsibilities.
These roles often involve:
- Coordinating complex projects
- Leading cross-functional initiatives and working groups
- Influencing a wide range of stakeholders
- Driving organizational change and transformation
In these positions, authority is not derived from hierarchy but from credibility, expertise, and the ability to bring people together around shared objectives.
Professionals who excel in cross-functional roles often become key contributors to business success, shaping decisions and driving outcomes through influence rather than formal managerial authority.
Becoming a Subject-Matter Expert or Thought Leader
In the banking and insurance sectors, we are seeing growing demand for professionals who can provide strategic expertise and shape the direction of their field.
These individuals regularly engage with:
Senior leadership teams
Operational teams
Regulatory bodies
Clients and external stakeholders
Their role extends beyond technical execution. They help define best practices, guide decision-making, anticipate industry developments, and provide expert insight on complex issues.
As trusted authorities within their area of expertise, their influence often reaches far beyond what a traditional management scope would allow.
Their impact is measured not by the size of a team they manage, but by the value of their knowledge, the quality of their recommendations, and their ability to shape business outcomes.
Moving into Strategic Roles Without Managing People
There are also many highly visible and influential positions that do not require managing large teams—or any team at all.
These roles provide opportunities to contribute to the organization’s strategic direction, participate in key decision-making processes, and lead high-impact initiatives that shape the future of the business.
Professionals in these positions are valued for their expertise, judgment, and ability to influence outcomes across the organization.
In this context, influence becomes more important than formal authority. Success is defined not by the number of direct reports, but by the ability to drive change, align stakeholders, and contribute to critical business decisions.
As organizations become more complex, the ability to create impact through expertise and influence is increasingly recognized as a leadership skill in its own right.
6. What Companies need to understand
Organizations that continue to view management as the only path to career advancement are taking a significant risk.
They risk losing their most valuable experts. Or, even worse, they risk promoting professionals into management roles when they neither have the desire nor the skills required to lead people effectively.
Not every high performer wants to become a manager—and not every high performer should.
Forward-thinking organizations recognize that success can take many forms. By offering multiple career paths and valuing expertise as much as leadership, they create an environment where different types of talent can thrive.
Companies that embrace this approach are better positioned to:
Retain top talent
Strengthen internal expertise
Create more attractive and sustainable career paths
Meet the evolving expectations of today’s workforce and future generations
Ultimately, organizations perform best when they stop forcing employees into a single model of success and instead allow them to grow in ways that align with their strengths, ambitions, and potential.
7. What senior Experts who choose not to manage should be prepared for
Choosing an expert career path over a management track can be highly rewarding, but it also comes with its own challenges and responsibilities.
Accepting a Non-Linear Hierarchy
Professionals who remain on an expert track may find themselves reporting to managers who are younger or have fewer years of experience.
This requires a high level of professional maturity and the ability to detach status from traditional notions of seniority or hierarchy.
The key question shifts from “Who has the most experience?” to “Who is responsible for leading and coordinating the team?”
Recognizing and respecting this distinction is essential for maintaining effective working relationships.
Navigating the Risk of a Perceived Career Ceiling
Even when the choice not to pursue management is intentional, some organizations still equate career progression with leadership responsibilities.
As a result, there can be a disconnect between the career path an individual has chosen and the way success is perceived internally.
Senior experts may therefore need to communicate their ambitions differently, highlighting their impact, influence, and growing expertise rather than traditional managerial milestones.
Committing to Continuous Learning
Without the structured progression that often accompanies management roles, career growth relies heavily on continuous development.
Senior experts must actively invest in:
Expanding their technical knowledge
Staying informed about industry trends and regulatory changes
Developing new areas of expertise
Sharing knowledge and mentoring others
Strengthening their influence across the organization
Their value is built on their ability to remain relevant, insightful, and ahead of evolving business and industry challenges.
In many ways, the expert path requires the same level of ambition and commitment as the management path—just expressed differently.
Our Perspective
At Émérique & Partners, we witness the evolution of professional aspirations every day.
The market is showing us a simple reality: success can no longer be measured solely by the number of people someone manages.
It is also measured by the expertise they develop, the impact they create, the projects they lead, and the value they bring to their organization.
Management is one path to career growth.
But it is no longer the only one.
And it is certainly not an obligation.
The most successful careers are often those built in alignment with an individual’s genuine aspirations, strengths, and motivations—not according to career models inherited from a different era.
As organizations continue to evolve, the challenge is no longer to fit every professional into the same mold, but to recognize and value the many ways in which talent can contribute, grow, and succeed.
➠ Discover the career opportunities available with our prestigious clients.
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Auteur : Emerique Opou
Funder and CEO of Emérique & Partners
London, United Kingdom
Named to Staffing Industry Analysts’ Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list in 2022, Emérique brings over 15 years of expertise in recruiting highly specialized talent across banking, insurance, and asset management.
Her extensive pan-European experience has allowed her to build a robust network of professionals, particularly in actuarial science, quantitative finance, risk, audit, and compliance.
Under her leadership, Emérique & Partners has achieved remarkable industry recognition:
- Finalist, ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, Recruiter Awards, London 2024
- Finalist, SME National Business Awards – ‘Business Woman of the Year’, UK 2024
- Winner, Agency Recruitment Team of the Year (<20 employees), 2025
- HBC Woman Leader Award (Diamond), 2025
Emérique Opou focuses exclusively on executive and senior management recruitment, delivering tailored solutions for permanent and freelance positions.
Every quarter, Emérique analyses key trends in the French and European banking and insurance markets, ensuring her clients stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
If you operate in the banking or insurance sector and are looking for niche permanent or contract talent, reach out to Emérique & Partners :
