AM Competency Framework (AMCF)

The Canadian Network of Asset Managers (CNAM) has taken its Asset Management Competency Framework for Canadian Communities (AMCF) and expanded it into this comprehensive online resource for improving the AM capacity of public sector organizations in Canada and enhancing the capabilities of AM practitioners in those organizations.

Planning

Description:

  • Focus is on the rules of developing land and the strategic planning of land use, and the associated infrastructure, with a focus up meeting current and future community needs and aspirations.
  • Encompasses planner (Registered Professional Planners and equivalent positions) roles in the organization, including development, zoning, land use, community, master, long-range planning and other planning for parks, recreation, social, cultural, housing, etc.
  • Typically, in development services and planning departments.

Key AM Responsibilities:

  • Lead and/or support contextual analysis and stakeholder, indigenous, and community engagement.
  • Support development of AM strategies and plans, the AM management system, and levels of service.
  • Manage planning-related AM life cycle activities.
  • Support AM decision-making and analysis.
  • Integrate demand and growth management into AM.
  • Integrate AM into planning and operations practices.
  • Lead and/or support external engagement and communications.
  • Inform the AM process with community guidance and sentiment

AM Roles:

As described previously, the generalist AM Roles described in the General AM functional area are focused on the whole of AM. The roles making up this and other AM Functional Areas would be specialist AM roles. These specialist AM Roles would be focused on only a portion of AM, as represented by the functional area they are found in. Generally, these roles would include subject matter experts in that functional area, often with backgrounds, skillsets, and experience in the related domain.

As mentioned, the roles are described in the form of a competency profile, including a title, description, key responsibilities, and expected competency proficiency in each of the AM Competencies. Expected competency proficiency is defined utilizing the AMCF Proficiency Scale. These generic roles can be used to assist in describing and assessing some of your organization’s own AM practitioner positions. Use the AM Competency Profile Template to create a customized competency profile with your organization’s AM position’s details.

Remember that these AM Roles might encompass a person’s entire job, or only a portion of that job. Several different people may have a piece of their job devoted to one or more of the AM Roles across one or more AM Functional Areas. Additionally, remember that any of the AM Functional Areas or AM Roles described can be delivered by external service providers or consultants as well.L

AM Role
Long-Term Planning Specialist

Description

  • An intermediate supporting or advisory role, either as part of a team or alone.

  • Provides long-term, strategic-level planning support for AM, particularly community contextual analysis.

  • May be in an AM department or may be embedded in an infrastructure-related department or may be part of a planning department in the organization

Key AM Responsibilities

  • Integrate AM policy and strategy into the long-term, strategic community planning practice, including the development of community visioning, organizational strategic plans, and community plans, and similar.

  • Advise on the development of the infrastructure capital projects decision making framework from the planning (community and growth) perspective.

  • Advise on the development of the infrastructure project identification and assessment framework (Business Cases) from the planning perspective.

  • Integrate LOS targets into planning practice.

  • Support and/or conduct AM contextual analysis, including analysis of community demographics, resources, and other contextual factors with AM analytical tools, forecasts, and scenarios for future community needs to assist in infrastructure service identification, demand analysis, valuation, and community and customer Levels of Service.

  • Incorporate AM contextual factors and infrastructure service needs in long term strategies and policies for community vision, land use, community services, economic development, transportation, and infrastructure needs.

  • Lead and/or support external engagement and communication on AM-related matters.

Expected AM Competency Proficiency

AM Competency

Expected Proficiency

Leading Others

2 – Intermediate

Collaboration

2 – Intermediate

Contextual Analysis

4 – Expert

Holistic Thinking

3 – Advanced

Decision Making

3 – Advanced

Risk Analysis

2 – Intermediate

Information Management

2 – Intermediate

Financial Analysis

2 – Intermediate

AM Expertise

2 – Intermediate

Service Focus

2 – Intermediate

Infrastructure Management

1 – Basic

Continuous Improvement

1 – Basic

AM Role
Current Planning Specialist

Description

  • An intermediate supporting or advisory role, either as part of a team or alone.
  • Provides near-term, tactical, project-level planning support for AM.
  • May be in an AM department or may be embedded in an infrastructure-related department or may be part of a planning department in the organization.

Key AM Responsibilities

  • Integrate AM concepts, principles, context, policies, strategies, and decision-frameworks into land-use planning, development and redevelopment planning (i.e., master planning and urban revitalization planning), and infrastructure and transportation planning and vice versa.
  • Advise on the development of the infrastructure capital projects decision making framework from the planning/community perspective.
  • Advise on the development of the infrastructure project identification and assessment framework (business cases) from the planning/community perspective.
  • Integrate LOS targets into planning practice.
  • Input infrastructure needs into the infrastructure project identification and assessment process (business cases) from master planning outputs.
  • Lead and/or support external engagement and communication on AM-related matters.

Expected AM Competency Proficiency

AM Competency

Expected Proficiency

Leading Others

2 – Intermediate

Collaboration

2 – Intermediate

Contextual Analysis

4 – Expert

Holistic Thinking

3 – Advanced

Decision Making

3 – Advanced

Risk Analysis

2 – Intermediate

Information Management

2 – Intermediate

Financial Analysis

2 – Intermediate

AM Expertise

2 – Intermediate

Service Focus

2 – Intermediate

Infrastructure Management

1 – Basic

Continuous Improvement

1 – Basic

The roles we describe here are comprised of related, but AM-adjacent, responsibilities. While they would strictly fall outside the scope of the AMCF, they have been included to provide some additional context and contrast to the AM Roles. Remember, individuals fulfilling these roles would still be expected to apply fundamental AM principles and concepts and provide an appropriate level of support to AM practitioners, using their general competence in AM, as described by the AM Fundamentals competency. These AM-adjacent roles will often involve providing practical advice or support to others as to the interaction of the functional area with AM issues and situations. See Who Does the AMCF Apply to? For additional details.

AM-Adjacent Role
Senior Planning Expert

Description

  • Provides subject matter support and advice to the AM program.

Key AM Responsibilities

  • Advises on development of best practices for AM-Planning integration.
  • Advises on AM policies and strategies from a planning/community perspective.
  • Advises on organizational strategic alignment of AM decision-making and risk frameworks.
  • Reinforces, communicates, and supports AM and AM culture in the planning functions of the organization.

Expected AM Competency Proficiency

AM Competency

Expected Proficiency

AM Fundamentals

3 – Advanced

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