Corporate accreditation through the Association for Project Management (APM) provides a framework for competencies, qualifications, continuing professional development, and accountability for project managers. Network Rail has undertaken an accreditation process through APM to develop its project, program, and portfolio management (P3M) capabilities. This involves supporting the five dimensions of professionalism - breadth, depth, achievement, commitment, and accountability. Network Rail's accreditation helps retain talent, demonstrate competencies to stakeholders, and align with good practice as the company works to more efficiently deliver its capital program.

1. Mary-Jane Boughton
Membership Development Manager
APM Corporate
Accreditation

2. Topics to be covered
 What is Corporate accreditation?
 Application process
 Benefits of Corporate accreditation

3. Corporate Accreditation

4. The core components
A framework or methodology which defines the
processes and practices for an individual or a
community
A competence framework to map levels of
knowledge and experience at appropriate levels
Qualifications to provide developmental
opportunities and recognition of competence at
appropriate levels
A continuing professional development scheme that
broadens horizons and builds understanding
through sharing of good practice
Recognition that true professionals should be
accountable for their actions and adhere to a code
of ethics and professional conduct

5. Application process
 Registration of interest
 Membership Development Manager assigned
 Completion of application form
 External assessment
 Assessment decision
 Annual review

6. Benefits
 Helps to retain and attract the best project managers
 Key stakeholders know – right people, right level of
competency
 APM logo
 Case study
 Assessor report

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Network Rail’s P3M development journey
Toby Robins – P3M discipline manager

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Content
► Introduction
► Context
► P3M development programme – people
► APM assessment:
• Breadth
• Depth
• Achievement
• Commitment
• Accountability
► Why accreditation is important to Network Rail
► Questions

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Introduction
► Toby Robins MAPM
► Network Rail – Infrastructure Projects
► Discipline Manager – P3M
►Professional experience - change management

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Context
► Network Rail deliver portfolios, programmes and projects
► Entering ‘control period 5’ – efficiency challenges
► Circa £4 billion CAPEX per year on infrastructure works
► Mature / embedded project delivery practices
• High competence levels
• GRIP (Governance for Rail Infrastructure Projects) lifecycle used by rail industry
• World class systems
► Portfolios practices are less mature
► Matrix (discipline) management approach to developing people – 2009
► Circa 2,500 P3M employees in Network Rail
► Devolution – 2012
► P3M development programme (strategy agreed with Executive community)
• People: APM accreditation (2013)
• Process: P3M3 assessments (2014)
• Systems: develop programme and portfolio

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► Pan Infrastructure Projects senior leadership group
► APM assessment (5 dimensions or professionalism):
• Breadth
• Depth
• Achievement
• Commitment
• Accountability
P3M development programme – people

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Supporting breadth
Sharepoint includes:
► APM’s Body of Knowledge (version 6)
► Other publications
► The PM Channel learning management system

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Supporting depth
► Competence framework
► APM’s technical competences
► Internal competences (safety, environmental,
collaborative working and quality)
► Annual assessment

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Supporting achievement

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Supporting commitment
Community SharePoint Site
PM Channel
CPD Events
Webinars

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Supporting accountability
► Corporate membership of APM since 1994
► Supportive policy for individual professional subscription

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Why accreditation is important to Network Rail
► Network Rail is constantly evolving – provides assurance to our people that
their professional development is consistent with good practice
► Efficiency challenges – enables us to assure key funders that we are
developing our people to deliver the requirements
► We work with a number of suppliers – it helps us to demonstrate the level of
professionalism we aspire to and expect

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Next stage of the journey
People:
► Increase level of individual memberships
► Individuals own their development – training & development framework
► Core level of Registered Project Professionals
► Capability modelling – targeted developments and science behind the demand
► Internal webinars
Process
► Programme and portfolio lifecycles
► Business improvements from P3M3 (portfolio, programme and project
management maturity modelling)

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20. Next steps
 Recording of this presentation will be
available on YouTube by Friday – a link
and survey will be sent out.
 Further information:
mary-jane.boughton@apm.org.uk
 Thank you for your time