IPMA Level A: Certified Project Director
An IPMA certification at Level A for project management requires that the candidate has acted in a very complex project environment that has a strategic impact on the organisation.
Eligibility criteria: within the last 12 years, the candidate needs to have a minimum of five years’ experience as a project manager in a responsible leadership function in very complex projects of which at least three years were at a strategic level. The evidence timescale cannot be extended.
IPMA Level A: Certified Programme Director
An IPMA certification at Level A for programme management requires that the candidate has acted in a very complex programme environment that has a strategic impact on the organisation.
Eligibility criteria: within the last 12 years, the candidate needs to have a minimum of five years’ experience as a programme manager in a responsible leadership function in very complex programmes at a strategic level, or a minimum of four years’ experience as a programme manager in a responsible leadership function in very complex programmes and a minimum of three years’ experience as a project manager in a responsible leadership function managing very complex projects at a strategic level. The evidence timescale cannot be extended.
IPMA Level A: Certified Portfolio Director
An IPMA certification at Level A for portfolio management requires that the candidate has acted in a very complex portfolio environment that has a strategic impact on the organisation.
Eligibility criteria: within the last 12 years, the candidate needs to have a minimumof five years’ experience as a portfolio manager in a responsible leadership function in very complex portfolios at a strategic level or a minimum of four years of experience as a portfolio manager in a responsible leadership function in very complex portfolios and a minimum of three years’ experience as a project or programme manager in a responsible leadership function managing very complex projects or programmes at a strategic level. The evidence timescale cannot be extended.
Complexity of projects, programmes and portfolios
Project, programme and portfolio complexity is evaluated based on the requirements of eligibility for each certification level, and candidates use suitable examples of evidence for their application to meet the complexity criteria. The evaluation of complexity of each project, programme or portfolio covers:
Capability-based indicators
Context-based indicators
Management and leadership based complexity indicators
Complexity is measured against that of similar projects, programmes or portfolios for the level applied for in its profile environment and each complexity indicator is scored. When more than one project, programme or portfolio is provided by the candidate, each is independently assessed by the assessors who only accept competence evidence from projects, programmes or portfolios that meet the minimum complexity requirements for the level at which the candidate has applied.
Competence baseline for assessment
The frame of reference during the assessment process is the IPMA ICB and its component CEs. It is the IPMA standard for certification and is used for the assessment of candidates by each CB. The IPMA ICB has a number of CEs, each of which has a number of Key Competence Indicators (KCIs). The assessment of a candidate is undertaken at the CE level using the KCIs to support the assessment. The IPMA ICB definition of individual competence is the ‘application of knowledge, skills and abilities in order to achieve the desired results in a work environment’. The assessment of an A-level candidate is based on the demonstration of the CE applied in a very complex project, programme or portfolio environment.
Exam questions, interview questions and simulation case studies used for level A (where appropriate) are formulated such that they allow candidates to demonstrate the application of knowledge, skills and abilities across the various assessment methods used.
To achieve Level A, candidates must demonstrate sufficient evidence of 80% of the domain CEs defined in the IPMA ICB, in a very complex environment. To demonstrate sufficient evidence against a specific CE, candidates need to demonstrate a minimum of 50% of the KCIs.
Progress payments for the certification fees may be made using our Level A Certification Form (Members) and Level-A Certification Online Payment Form (Non-Members).
455 boulevard de la Gappe, Suite 201
Gatineau, Québec
Canada, J8T 0E1
Phone: (819) 410-0427
Box 58043, Rosslynn RPO
Oshawa, Ontario
Canada L1J 8L6