IPMA Certification

IPMA Certification

International Project Management Association

IPMA®

IPMA® (International Project Management Association) was founded in 1965 and is the world’s first professional project management association. It is a Federation of 73 Member Associations (MAs) from the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe.

IPMA® plays a leading role in the development and promotion of the project management profession, providing standards and guidelines for the work of a wide range of project management talent through the IPMA® Competence Baseline (IPMA ICB®).

The IPMA® competency-based Four-Level Certification System for programme and project managers is unique in the world, and widely recognised for its quality.

Through the Institute, Ireland plays a very active role in the affairs of IPMA® taking up roles on both the executive and specialist sub-boards, hosting international council meetings and active contribution to standards development.

5,000 IPMA Certified Professionals in Ireland

In excess of 5,000 IPMA® Certified Professionals are currently registered in Ireland and the numbers continue to grow strongly each year. Obtaining your IPMA® Certification can go a long way toward enhancing your employment and/or project assignment responsibilities and getting you recognised in the workplace. The Institute of Project Management Ireland is responsible for the administration of IPMA's 4 level certification system through its national certification body PMI Certification.

A Unique Certification

The uniqueness of IPMA® Certification:

Assessment made by professional assessors
Consideration of behavioural and contextual competences, not just technical competences
Personal, professional career development
Four role - targeted levels of certification
No language barriers - English or native tongue
Independent from specific training courses

PMI-Cert Irish Certification Body for IPMA

The mission and purpose of PMI-Cert (Irish Certification Body) are to implement and maintain the IPMA® 4-Level Certification System in the Republic of Ireland.

This section summarises some of its key features and associated regulations. The intended audiences are:

IPMA® certification applicants and candidates;
External bodies and organisations attracted by the IPMA® certification process.

The certification system is managed by the IPMA® Certification and Validation Management Board (CVMB). It is applied within each country by the domestic Certification Body (CB), e.g.: PMI Cert, in Ireland.

It is based on ISO/IEC 17024:2012 (Conformity Assessment – General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons).

The certification scheme:

Defines the frame of reference for competences to be assessed using the IPMA Individual Competence Baseline®, Version 4 (ICB4);
Conforms to the regulatory framework of the IPMA International Certification Regulations®.

The candidate needs to provide evidence of competence, the level of which is evaluated by assessors. There is no mandatory requirement for a candidate to undertake formal training prior to applying for certification.

Certification Bodies are validated every three years by IPMA® under the terms of their agreement in order to check compliance and to exchange good practice.

Re-certification is required after a five-year period for all IPMA® levels and is based on evidence of continuing involvement in the discipline at the appropriate level and evidence of continuing professional development.

PMI Cert is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in certification and to ensuring that candidates with a disability are provided with reasonable adjustments in relation to certification. Candidates for certification should contact the Certification Manager for further information.

Certification Guidelines

Requirements for each IPMA® Certification Level

IPMA Level A® — Certified Project Director

Role Description

• Acting on a strategic level within a very complex project
environment.
• Responsible for a very complex project which has a strategic
impact on the organisation.

Eligibility

A minimum of 5 years’ experience as a project manager in a
responsible leadership function in very complex projects of which
at least 3 years were at a strategic level. All experience for
Level A must have been obtained within the last 12 years.

IPMA Level B® — Certified Senior Project Manager

Role Description

• Acting in a complex project environment.
• Responsible for a complex project programme within an
organisation.

Eligibility

A minimum of 5 years’ experience as a project manager of which
at least 3 years were in a responsible leadership function
managing complex projects. All experience for Level B must have
been obtained within the last 8 years. The evidence timescale can
be extended by 4 years with justification.

IPMA Level C® — Certified Project Manager

Role Description

• Acting in a moderate complex environment.
• Responsible in a project management role with moderate
complexity within an organisation.

Eligibility

Minimum of 3 years’ experience as a project manager within
projects of moderate complexity.
OR
Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a responsible project
management role assisting the project manager in complex
projects. All experience for Level C must have been obtained
within the last 6 years. The evidence timescale can be extended
by 4 years with justification.

IPMA Level D® — Certified Project Manager Associate

Role Description

• Knowledge in Competence Elements related to project
management.
• Has broad project management knowledge and may work in a
project team.

Eligibility

No experience required.

Recertification

The ongoing educational and professional development of individuals who have attained the IPMA® certification is mandatory.

Candidates are required to engage in a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities to:

Enhance ongoing professional development;
Encourage and recognise individualised learning opportunities;
Provide a vehicle for attaining and recording professional development activities;
Maintain the value and recognition of your IPMA certification.

In order to satisfy the CPD activities and maintain an active certification status, one must accrue and report a minimum of 35 hours evidence of CPD per annum (175 hours over five-years).

Re-Certifty Now

Please see Section 3 of the Certification Handbook for further details.

Fees

IPMA Certification in Ireland

Candidate

IPMA Certification Level

New Candidates

€2,150

€1,850

€1,300

€800

Become Certified >

Re-certifing Candidates *

€600

€500

€400

Re-Certify Now >

Re-scheduling Exams

Re-schedule exam with 1-14 days notice

€150

Re-schedule exam after failing to show on the day of the exam

€200

Appeals

Exam Re-check

€150

Assessment Review

€350

Search IPMA® Register in Ireland:

Complaints, Appeals and Code of Ethics

PMI-Cert process to deal with complaints and appeals ensures that they are dealt with in a fair, impartial, confidential and constructive manner.

Complaints: Complaints are handled in all instances, in so far as is possible, in a co-operative rather than an adversarial way. Towards this end every effort will be made in each instance to arrive at a solution by consensus among the relevant parties. Complaints are at all times handled in a sensitive and confidential manner, with due recognition of the personal implications of those involved. Applicants for certification will not be disadvantaged because they make a complaint. The Certification Manager will decide how to treat complaints on a case-by-case basis.

A copy of the complaints form can be obtained from IPMA Cert by contacting the Certification Manager.

Appeals: An appeal is a formal request for reconsiderations or review of a decision made by PMI Cert. Appeals shall come from certification Applicants and Candidates (appellant) only. Contact the PMI Cert Certification Manager for information and fees in relation to appeals for IPMA Levels A, B, C and D. There is a time line for submitting and dealing with appeals.

Each applicant receives an information pack outlining the process to deal with complaints and appeals in a fair, impartial, confidential and constructive manner. A copy of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct is also provided to each applicant.

PMI-Cert has also adopted the IPMA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct® . Signing the IPMA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct® demonstrates adherence to fundamental principles that must guide all our professional conduct and practice.