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.

Procurement and Supply Chain

Description:

  • Focus is on meeting needs for infrastructure-related services, goods, and equipment from outside the organization.
  • Encompasses procurement specialist, supply chain specialist, contract analyst and administrator, supplier management, strategic sourcing and similar roles in the organization.
  • Typically embedded in corporate purchasing and/or corporate services departments and/or the departments they support.

Key AM Responsibilities:

  • Develop strategies and plans to resource AM teams, projects and activities (with contractors and external service-providers).
  • Support and manage resourcing of AM (with contractors and external service-providers).
  • Support development of AM culture (in contractors and external service-providers).
  • Support the development of AM capabilities (in and with contractors and external service-providers).
  • Support the management of life cycle activities (with contractors and external service-providers).
  • Integrate AM into procurement and supply chain practices.

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.

AM Role
Procurement and Supply Chain Specialist

Description

  • An intermediate supporting or advisory role, either as part of a team or alone.
  • Provides general procurement and/or supply chain support for AM.
  • May be in an AM department or may be embedded in an infrastructure-related department or may be part of a dedicated procurement or supply chain department in the organization.

Key AM Responsibilities

  • Develop strategies and plans to resource AM teams, projects and activities (with equipment, materials, contractors, and external service-providers).
  • Support and manage resourcing of AM (with equipment, materials, contractors and external service-providers).
  • Support development of AM culture by ensuring organizational AM principles, policies and standards are met by qualified AM contractors and external service-providers with the necessary AM Competency proficiency.
  • Assess and support the development of AM capabilities in contractors and external service-providers where gaps exist.
  • Support the development of internal AM capabilities by engaging qualified AM contractors and external service-providers for AM training and development activities.
  • Support the management of AM life cycle activities (with appropriate equipment, materials, contractors and external service-providers).
  • Integrate AM into procurement and supply chain practices, particularly AM-aligned quality and performance management, full life cycle cost assessments, holistic and service-focused cost-benefit analyses, AM information and system’s needs, etc.

Expected AM Competency Proficiency

AM Competency

Expected Proficiency

Leading Others

1 – Basic

Collaboration

2 – Intermediate

Contextual Analysis

1 – Basic

Holistic Thinking

1 – Basic

Decision Making

2 – Intermediate

Risk Analysis

1 – Basic

Information Management

1 – Basic

Financial Analysis

2 – Intermediate

AM Expertise

1 – Basic

Service Focus

1 – Basic

Infrastructure Management

2 – Intermediate

Continuous Improvement

2 – Intermediate

AM-Adjacent Roles:

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.

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