In today’s fast-evolving and increasingly complex business environment, project professionals are expected to go beyond managing scope, schedule, and cost to demonstrate leadership, effective stakeholder engagement, governance awareness, and strong alignment with organizational strategy. Yet, despite the growing reliance on projects as vehicles for change and value creation, more than 70% of projects fail or fall short of their original objectives due to gaps in project management capability, limited resources, competitive pressures, and accelerated delivery expectations.

As a result, project management has become a critical organizational discipline—one that enables leaders and teams to integrate business strategy, delivery, operations, and sustainability considerations into coherent, value-driven initiatives.

The certificate is aligned with the most recent PMI – PMBOK Guide Editions and Exam Content Outline.

This certificate offers participants the opportunity to:

• Build strategic project leadership capabilities: Strengthen the ability to lead projects and teams by integrating business, leadership, and delivery competencies required in today’s dynamic environments.
• Master stakeholder and governance management: Enhance proficiency in navigating stakeholder relationships and governance structures, while effectively addressing engagements, resolving conflicts, and empowering teams to deliver high-performing outcomes.
• Strengthen core technical project management skills: Develop confidence in managing key project dimensions such as scope, schedule, cost, risk, resources, and stakeholders within structured project environments, while keeping value delivery at the center.
• Apply learning to real organizational contexts: Benefit from real-world examples and project-based exercises that demonstrate strategic alignment, new ways of working, and improved value realization.
• Improve integration between projects and business strategy: Bridge projects, governance, and organizational strategy to strengthen accountability, benefit realization, and enterprise-wide coherence.
• Advance professional maturity and career readiness: Build the foundation for higher levels of project planning, management maturity, and performance oversight, supporting professional growth and enhanced client and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Prepare for globally recognized certification: Gain structured preparation aligned with the PMP® Certification, the PMBOK® Guide, the PMI Exam Content Outline, and current global project management standards.

The mission of this certificate is to equip participants with efficient and effective knowledge to successfully lead and manage projects, programs, and outcomes-focused initiatives, with a strong emphasis on value creation and strategic alignment. It aims to strengthen participants’ ability to translate organizational objectives into well-planned, well-governed initiatives that deliver measurable and sustainable results.

By integrating both technical and leadership dimensions of project management, the certificate supports the development of professionals capable of delivering value consistently while navigating organizational complexity and change.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Apply foundational project management principles, including managing scope, schedule, finance, risk, resources, and stakeholders, while maintaining value delivery as a core outcome.
• Develop the capabilities required to drive projects and initiatives to higher levels of planning, management, and maturity, supporting career advancement and improved professional effectiveness.
• Plan, monitor, and control the delivery of results to increase benefits realization and enhance client and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Manage stakeholder engagements effectively, address conflicts constructively, and empower team members to contribute to high-performing outcomes.
• Apply governance frameworks, project roadmaps, and structured plans to support disciplined execution and accountability.
• Adopt new ways of working that strengthen alignment with organizational strategy and enhance value delivery across projects and initiatives.
• Improve coordination and stewardship across business, technical, and delivery functions to support effective execution in complex operating environments.
• Demonstrate readiness for professional certification through alignment with the PMP® Certification, the PMBOK® Guide – Eighth Edition, the PMI Exam Content Outline, and current global standards.

This program is designed for a diverse group of professionals seeking to strengthen project management and results delivery capabilities:

• Project Management Professionals: Project managers, PMO members, specialists, coordinators, and team leaders preparing for the PMP® certification.
• Executives, Business Leaders, and Functional Managers: Division heads, senior managers, and portfolio or program leaders strengthening strategic oversight and governance.
• Technical and Industrial Specialists: Engineers, operational leaders, and domain experts transitioning into broader PPM responsibilities.
• Entrepreneurs and Business Owners: Professionals seeking to formalize project management practices to better structure, scale, and sustain initiatives.
• Certified Practitioners: CAPM® and PMP®-certified professionals pursuing PDUs and staying current with the latest PMBOK® Guide Edition.

1. Technical Project Management Competencies

• Project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure
• PMI value delivery system and PMBOK® Guide – Eighth Edition application
• Project governance structures and controls
• Scope, schedule, and change management
• Project cost estimation, budgeting, and control
• Risk and opportunity management
• Resource planning and optimization
• Stakeholder identification and engagement
• Quality management and continuous improvement
• Procurement and vendor management
• Benefits realization and performance tracking

2. Business and Strategic Competencies

• Strategic alignment of projects with organizational objectives
• Integration of projects within enterprise value delivery systems
• Business and financial awareness for project decisions
• Portfolio and program-level thinking
• Sustainability and value-driven delivery
• Organizational awareness (EEFs and OPAs)
• Cross-functional coordination and alignment

3. Behavioural, Leadership, and Professional Competencies

• Accountable project leadership
• Team empowerment and collaboration
• Stakeholder communication and engagement
• Conflict management and resolution
• Adaptive leadership and change enablement
• Results orientation and accountability
• Knowledge sharing and organizational learning
• Professional ethics and responsibility

The certificate extends over a total of 35 contact hours, delivered online across evening sessions scheduled outside normal working hours. The program is conducted over approximately four weeks, with three sessions held weekly on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Each session has a duration of three hours, starting at 6:30 PM.

The certificate is delivered through interactive instructor-led sessions, incorporating discussions, case studies, and applied exercises to support practical learning and professional engagement.

• Participant learning is assessed through pre- and post-course online assessments, each consisting of 60 multiple-choice questions.
• Participants are required to achieve a minimum score of 70% in the post-assessment to successfully complete the course.
• Participants who do not meet the minimum passing requirement will be required to retake the post-assessment.
• The course provides preparation for the PMP® Certification. The PMP® examination is administered independently by PMI and is offered at approved Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide or through online proctored delivery, in accordance with PMI policies.
• Upon successful completion of the course and assessment requirements, participants will be awarded the Project Management Professional Certificate.

Grace Najjar

• Executive advisor, project management consultant, and lecturer with 30 years of international experience.
• Former Regional Managing Director, Project Management Institute (PMI) – MENA.
• Expert in project, program, and portfolio management, governance, and value delivery.
• Founder and CEO of Align Management Solutions (established in 2010).
• Visiting lecturer at ESA Business School, SKEMA Business School, London Metropolitan College, Saint Joseph University.
• Recognized among Arabian Business Top 50 Inspiring Women Business Leaders 2024.
• Holds Master’s degrees from Saint Joseph University and Télécom Paris; PMP®, PgMP®, DASM®, SAFe® certified.