Automata Levels

There are 8 levels in our career progression framework. Level 1 → entry / early career Level 8 → C-Suite.

The definition of scope, responsibility, impact and autonomy remains consistent across all roles in the company.

So a level 4 in Engineering should be owning and delivering their work in a way that is similar to a level 4 in Customer Success, or Sales etc.

In the table below, you can see the 6 consistent categories we measure in our company-wide level framework and how these behaviours and skills scale as you progress.

Each Department then has role-specific progression frameworks to help guide your career growth conversations even further. You can find these below.

	Contributor	Self Starter	Self Starter	Change Maker	Change Maker	Change Leader	Company Leader	Company Leader
Level	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
IC	X	X	X	X	X	X
Manager				X	X	X	X	X
Scope & Autonomy	Takes on well defined tasks that support the success of their team. Receives plenty of support from their manager. Focused on tactical delivery only	Solid understanding of role and wider teams systems/processes & principles. Technical and tactical delivery. Applies new skills to problem solving, executes tasks while being guided by team and manager	Good ownership of their role, clear responsibilities, solves more complex problems independently, no decision-making, knows when to escalate problems	Plans schedules & monitors own work to meet deadlines, has defined area of responsibility, might take on specific part of project, no specific management of other people but may supervise or review work of junior ad-hoc	Subject matter expert in one or more key areas. Able to scope and deliver projects of strategic importance. Might supervise day to day team delivery, empowered to make decisions/calls to reach team targets, accountable for own tech/project responsibility - maybe some line management if not IC	SME in one or more key areas. Freedom to decide mid term objectives for a team, empowered to scope and deliver strategically important projects. Line manager for small number of individual contributors. IC - highly experienced in their area, mentors juniors, works on the most complex/high level problems in the function	Empowered to make decision affecting the org within the scope of predefined biz strategy, sets mid-long term objectives for a department, significant management experience, line manages other managers.Provides overarching vision and strategic direction for the department, ensuring alignment with company-wide goals.	Report to board, accountable for success of the organisation, uses their experience and abilities to create solutiions to our most challenging problems. sets organisational strategy and direction. Holds the ultimate decision-making authority for the company, particularly in areas of strategy, resource allocation, and high-impact initiatives. Ensures decisions align with the company’s long-term goals and shareholder interests.
Initiative	Asks lots of questions without being prompted - pushes for clarity unasked	Offers fresh perspectives through insightful questioning.	Identifies improvement opportunities through collaborative partnerships.	Drives cross-functional initiatives through proactive collaboration, and is continuously improving personal and team efficiency.	Drives team/departmental change through data-driven initiatives and strong entrepreneurial spirit.	Leverages data and insights to drive team/departmental change. Exhibits strong self-starter and entrepreneurial mindset.	Identifies critical business needs, develops improvement plans, and drives organizational change. Possesses a comprehensive business acumen.	Drives significant organizational improvement through collaborative leadership, inspiring change and process optimisation.
Drives innovation and explores new opportunities for growth, ensuring the company remains competitive and adaptable in a changing market. Leads the company through transformational changes when necessary.
Communication & Collaboration	Communicates clearly and concisely with teammates.Asks lots of questions, and proactively seeks to build knowledge.Incorporates feedback quickly.	Communicates effectively with people outside of their immediate team.Proactively shares information to keep a flow of relevant context high across their stakeholders.Requests feedback on their work and seeks to improve. Gives feedback to peers to help them improve.	Provides high levels of visibility across their work with relevant stakeholders. Accepts and provides frequent, thoughtful and constructive feedback. Starting to take nuance and use it to initiate discussions and solutions.	Can take a variety of diverse inputs and synthesise these into actionable insights. Knows how to facilitate discussions within a multidisciplinary team, managing different perspectives. Provides frequent, timely, thoughtful and detailed feedback.	Knows how to manage stakeholders' expectations and facilitate discussions that involve high risk and complexity. Listens and guides discussions to help teams reach productive outcomes. They set the standard for giving and responding to feedback at a team level.	Their communication style builds clarity and understanding for everyone they interact with. Addresses tensions and navigates uncomfortable situations gracefully. Sets clear expectations at a team level. They continuously improve collaboration across multiple teams or departments with the quality of their feedback.	Their communication is strategic, assertive and compassionate. Addresses tensions and navigates uncomfortable situations gracefully. Sets clear expectations at a Department or Company level. They continuously improve collaboration across multiple teams or departments with the quality of their feedback.	Communicates a company-level vision, accessible to anyone in the business. Represents the company to key stakeholders, including shareholders, board members, customers, and partners. Communicate the company’s performance, strategy, and vision effectively to gain buy-in and support.
Driving Vision & Results				Actively contributes to direction and objectives for their discipline and area of expertise	Understands the strategic goals, and OKRs of their department. Assembles, inspires, motivates and helps thier team members to set and achieve their goals. Leads the delivery of projects or business as usual activities within their team and promotes a 'show don't tell' culture	Inspires, motovates and helps their team members to set and achieve their goals. Oversees the delivery of multiple projects. Drives Broad organisational efforts around culture, teams and values.	Inspires motivates and helps team members to set and achieve their goals. Provides coaching and counsel to leadership Enabling everyone below you to be better mentors and coaches	Sets vision & Results - clearly communicates to the business. Inspiring and motivating workforce. Enabling everyone below you to be be better mentors and coaches
Coaching & Mentoring				Provides foundational support and guidance to junior team members.	Offers individualized coaching to enhance employee performance and development.	Builds coaching capabilities within the team and drives development initiatives.	Delivers advanced coaching and mentorship across the organization.	Shapes the organization's coaching culture and strategy.
People Management & Leadership				Manages specific projects or programs within a function. May lead a small team or coordinate the activities of other personnel within a defined scope.Takes responsibility for delivering assigned projects, ensuring timelines and objectives are met. Collaborates with team members to achieve project goals and begins developing basic leadership and decision-making skillsManages junior person or people (maximum 3)	Manages a larger team or multiple small teams, typically including other managers. Takes charge of significant projects or programs that may have a broader impact across the organization.Independently determines approaches and methods for new or complex assignments. Leads large-scale projects with enterprise-wide implications. Supervises and mentors other managers, fostering growth and ensuring high performance across their team.	Manages senior managers, multiple teams, or large, complex functions within the organization. Responsible for setting the direction and strategy for significant programs or initiatives.Leads large-scale projects with substantial impact across the organization. Effectively delegates responsibilities and collaborates across functions to achieve strategic goals. Develops and implements strategies for program execution, aligning with organizational objectives and driving cross-functional collaboration.	Leads an entire department, overseeing multiple disciplines and the most senior personnel within the organization. Ensures the company maintains a strong, positive culture that aligns with its core values.Inspires and mentors senior leaders, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous development. Acts as a key advocate for the department’s needs and achievements, both internally and externally, driving the company’s success through strategic leadership and innovation.	Ensures the company maintains a strong, positive culture that aligns with its core values. Champions the company’s brand, reputation, and ethical standards, both internally and externally.Works closely with other C-Suite members (e.g., CEO, CFO, COO, CMO) to coordinate strategic initiatives, manage risks, and drive business performance. Provides leadership and mentorship to senior executives, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.