The Profession Map
The Profession Map is a tool to help you to navigate your professional journey.
Use it to understand your current professional competence levels, to inform your CPD planning, and to make your career aspirations a reality.
Uses domain and/or industry-specific knowledge to ensure effective implementation of governance, assurance and improvement
You can identify your organisation’s sector and who its customers and stakeholders are
You know how the organisation creates value for its customers
You understand the organisation’s sector and marketplace and how these influence its direction and performance
You understand how customer and stakeholder needs are identified and how they are addressed within the organisation’s strategies , policies and plans
You can translate sector and marketplace information into knowledge that can be used to affect quality
You can assess the impact of decisions and actions on customers and stakeholders
You can lead, develop or advise on approaches used to review, scan and forecast for sector trends , changes, risks and opportunities
You can lead, develop or advise on methods for using knowledge of customers and the marketplace to sustain and improve quality
You can identify the key standards and regulations that apply to the organisation
You can articulate the importance and value of regulations and quality standards
You can understand the implications of non-compliance
You can interpret and apply standards and regulations using the frameworks established within the organisation
You can advise others to understand the relevance of standards and regulations to their work
You can use the established frameworks to identify, assess , prioritise and address risks and opportunities relating to standards and regulations
You can guide the formulation of strategies , policies and plans to address the requirements of standards and regulations
You can influence stakeholders and build commitment for maintaining compliance with standards and regulations
You can assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of the approaches used to manage risks and opportunities in relation to compliance
You can lead, develop or advise on which standards and regulations are applied and establish responsibilities for fulfilling their requirements
You can develop or lead a culture that welcomes openness, learning and improvement in relation to compliance
You can lead, develop or advise on risk management activities relating to achieving the requirements of standards and regulations
You can identify the organisation’s key partners and suppliers , and the products and services they provide which add value for the organisation and its customers
You can identify the key societal stakeholders impacted by the organisation’s activities
You can contribute to supply chain quality management activities that are established within the organisation. These could include selection, defining requirements , performance measurement and improvement
You can understand the requirements of societal stakeholders and participate in building and maintaining effective relationships
You can evaluate and improve methods for supply chain quality management
You can build relationships with societal stakeholders and promote the benefits of these relationships
You can lead, develop or advise on the activities undertaken to select, manage, measure and improve supply chain quality management in order to meet the requirements of the organisation, customers and stakeholders
You can lead, develop or advise on the activities undertaken to identify, analyse and understand societal requirements , and use the information to sustain and improve quality
You understand what the mission , vision , values , culture and ethics of the organisation are
You can articulate the organisation’s key goals and objectives
You understand the purpose of and significance of quality to the organisation
You understand the concepts of risk and opportunity and know how to escalate any risks and opportunities identified
You can co-ordinate quality management activities with the organisation’s mission , vision , values , culture and ethics
You can align quality plans and activities with the organisation’s goals and objectives
You can recognise and address opportunities to build competence for quality within the team or function
You can understand and use the frameworks established within the organisation to identify, assess and prioritise risks and opportunities
You can assess the effectiveness of the organisation’s structure and identity
You can contribute to developing strategies , policies and plans to achieve the key goals and objectives of the organisation
You can identify and address opportunities to build competence for quality a cross multiple business areas
You can assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation’s risk management approach
You can lead, develop or advise on elements of the organisation’s structure and identity
You can lead, develop or advise on the organisation’s strategies , policies , plans , and the establishment of goals and objectives
You can lead, develop or advise on the competences required for quality at organisation level
You can lead, develop or advise on the frameworks used to manage risk
Ensures that all organisation requirements are reflected in operational frameworks, policies and plans, and that these meet all stakeholder requirements.
You can understand the structure of the management system and how it is used
You can explain how your role contributes to the achievement of quality strategies , policies and plans
You can interpret reported information to understand performance and progress
You can recognise and escalate risks or opportunities affecting the achievement of plans
You can share key information about quality strategies , policies and plans with your colleagues
You can develop and maintain the organisation’s management system and its contents
You can focus efforts to achieve quality strategies , policies and plans , and support others to do so
You can plan , measure, manage, monitor and report on achievement of the organisation’s quality strategies , policies and plans
You can identify, assess and prioritise risks that relate to developing and delivering strategies , policies and plans , using established frameworks
You can champion quality strategies , policies and plans among colleagues and stakeholders
You can assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of the management system , and implement improvements
You can translate goals and objectives into actionable strategies , policies and plans
You can assess the validity of performance measures
You can assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of the approaches used to manage risks and opportunities that relate to achieving strategies , policies and plans
You can influence stakeholders and build commitment for achieving strategies , policies and plans
You can lead, develop or advise on the organisation’s management system and associated responsibilities and accountabilities
You can lead, develop or advise on quality strategies , policies and plans which align with the organisation’s goals and objectives
You can lead, develop or advise on establishing clear targets, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and performance measures, aligned with the expectations of all stakeholders
You can lead, develop or advise on risk management activities relating to the development and delivery of strategies , policies and plans
You can develop or lead a culture that welcomes openness, learning and improvement in relation to quality performance
You understand the concept and value of building quality in to products and services
You can recognise and escalate risks or opportunities affecting products and services and their delivery
You know what customers and stakeholders require from the organisation’s products and services and the methods used to monitor and measure satisfaction
You can represent quality and the requirements of customers and stakeholders in product and service development, and you can translate requirements into measurable performance objectives
You can identify, assess and prioritise risks and opportunities which relate to the use, quality and reliability of products and services , using established frameworks
You can analyse and use customer and stakeholder feedback and performance information to identify improvement opportunities
You can champion the importance of addressing the requirements of all stakeholders as well as standards and regulations in designing, developing and delivering products and services and guide how this is done
You can assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of approaches used to manage risks and opportunities relating to the use, quality and reliability of products and services
You can assess the methods used to deliver products and services and how these are monitored and measured.
You can lead, develop or advise on the quality measures for products and services , aligned with the expectations of the organisation, customers and stakeholders
You can lead, develop or advise on risk management activities relating to the development and consistent delivery of products and services
You can lead, develop or advise on the design of methods for monitoring and assuring product and service quality
You can construct a simple flowchart to represent the current state process
You can identify waste in a process
You can understand the impact of variation on processes and process results
You can understand the importance of placing the customer at the centre of process design
You can understand the principles of project management and how they are applied within the organisation
You can recognise and escalate risks or opportunities affecting processes and projects
You can construct current state process maps and facilitate process mapping activities
You can analyse a process to identify opportunities to remove waste and improve its flow
You can identify and quantify process variation
You can construct future state processes which address customer and stakeholder requirements
You can understand and apply the project management frameworks established within the organisation to manage a project
You can use established frameworks to identify, assess and prioritise risks relating to process and project delivery
You can provide guidance and support for mapping complex processes
You can advise on process efficiency and flow
You can guide and advise on the development of future state processes
You can determine and design for process capability
You can assess the efficiency and effectiveness of project management approaches
You can assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of approaches used to manage risks and opportunities relating to process and project delivery
You can lead, develop or advise on methods used for process mapping
You can lead, encourage and inspire senior management to take an end-to-end process view of the organisation rather than a functional view
You can lead, develop or advise on process capability
You can lead, develop or advise on the design of future state processes and the establishment of associated responsibilities and accountabilities
You can lead, develop or advise on governance structures for project management and the project management frameworks used by the organisation
You can lead, develop or advise on risk management activities relating to the development and delivery of processes and projects
Embeds a culture of assurance to ensure that policies, processes and plans are effectively implemented, and that all outputs (both internal and deliverable) are consistent with requirements.
You can understand the concept of and importance of prevention and how this is applied within the organisation’s processes and system of controls
You can identify and assist with the range of assurance approaches that are used within the organisation (which may include tests, inspections , audits , assessments , self-assessment etc)
You can understand the the relationship between risk and assurance
You can understand, and help others to understand that everyone in the organisation has a responsibility for assuring quality
You can apply the controls that are established within the organisation's system and contribute to the development of the controls
You can apply and assist in developing the assurance approaches established within the organisation
You can articulate the role of assurance in mitigating and managing risk and contribute to risk assessment activities as required by your role
You can support colleagues from a variety of functions to understand their role in assuring quality
You can guide the formulation of controls and the system of controls used within the organisation, considering a range of factors, including risk and innovation
You can develop , managed and evaluate the organisation’s assurance approaches
You can manage risk assessment activities and assess the impact and effectiveness of assurance methods in relation to risk
You can influence stakeholders and colleagues from multiple business areas about the purpose and value of assurance and their role in assuring quality and developing a culture of openness and trust
You can lead, develop , innovate or advise on the design of the organisation’s system of controls and prevention activities
You can lead, develop or advise on assurance approaches that are aligned with the organisation’ structure and identity
You can lead, develop or advise on risk assessment activity and align assurance approaches with risk appetite , and risk management methods and frameworks
You can define and establish responsibility, accountability and ownership for assurance at organisation level and lead, develop or advise on culture of openness and trust
You can collect data for measurement and analysis
You can review and interpret graphical displays of data and deliver simple analysis outputs
You can understand the methods used to compare performance and the benefits of comparison
You can articulate the basic concept of the Cost of Quality
You can develop data collection plans and lead data collection activities
You can analyse data using appropriate tools and techniques
You can apply quality benchmarks and performance comparisons to put performance into context
You can use data to quantify aspects of the Cost of Quality
You can guide and advise on the methods used for monitoring and measurement
You can select and apply statistical methods for analysis and support others to do so
You can determine and apply appropriate internal and external performance comparisons
You can evaluate the Cost of Quality
You can lead, develop or advise on the design and use of tools , techniques and technologies for monitoring and measurement and build capability and understanding in the organisation
You can lead, develop or advise on data analytics and how the outputs are used by the organisation
You can lead, develop or advise on systems for comparing and contextualising performance
You can lead, develop or advise on the use of Cost of Quality measures to make decisions
You can understand the purpose and benefits of auditing, assessment and assurance activities
You can assist in planning and conducting audit, assessment and assurance activities
You can articulate the importance of personal conduct and the impact this has on the effectiveness of assurance activities
You can advocate the benefits of auditing, assessments and assurance activities for the organisation, its customers and stakeholders
You can plan , conduct , report and follow up an audit
You can demonstrate effective communication skills to build trust when carrying out audit, assessment and assurance activities
You can develop the organisation’s understanding of auditing, assessment and assurance activities and build confidence in the approaches used
You can plan and manage the overall assurance scheme and assess its effectiveness
You can supervise, coach and develop those involved in audit, assessment and assurance activities
You can motivate and engage senior management in auditing, assessment and assurance processes
You can develop a framework of assurance activities that is appropriate to the scale and complexity of the organisation and its risks
You can identify and address issues which compromise the objectivity of auditing, assessment and assurance activities
You know how to identify and control or contain elements of performance that do not meet requirements
You can convey the findings from assurance activities clearly
You can identify improvement opportunities
You can identify, investigate and contain non-conformances
You can present the outputs of assurance activities factually, backed by evidence
You can support the development of improvement plans to address the findings of assurance activities
You can guide the actions taken to prevent recurrence of non-conformances
You can assess the effectiveness of approaches used to address assurance findings
You can make recommendations and support the organisation to address assurance finding
You can develop or lead a blame free , learning culture
You can explain the implications of assurance outcomes for the organisation, its customers and stakeholders
You can lead, develop or advise on the translation of assurance outcomes into decisions and actions
Facilitates a culture of evaluation (both qualitative and quantitative), learning and improvement which drives more effective, efficient and agile ways of working to support business strategy, enhance reputation and increase profitability.
You can define problems, performance gaps and improvement opportunities clearly
You can contribute to problem-solving or improvement activities
You can apply improvement tools and techniques as part of an improvement team
You understand the principles and benefits of teamwork and can work in a team
You can understand the elements that create a continuous improvement culture
You can create the case for an improvement by linking it with the organisation's goals and objectives , strategies , policies and plans
You can facilitate improvement projects
You can select and apply appropriate tools and techniques to improve quality performance
You can plan , manage and monitor an improvement project
You can apply and encourage others to apply the elements that create a continuous improvement culture
You can apply selection criteria to prioritise improvement opportunities
You can guide and advise on the methods used to address improvement opportunities and assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of methods used
You can forecast and track the costs and benefits of improvement activities
You can lead a team to deliver a complex project or programme
You can assess the organisation’s maturity in continuous improvement
You can lead, develop or advise on the selection and prioritisation of improvements and the criteria used
You can sponsor improvement activities and programmes
You can lead, develop or advise on the improvement frameworks and methodologies used by the organisation
You can coach and mentor project, programme or portfolio teams and their leaders
You can lead, develop or advise on approaches and methods that enable continuous improvement
You can understand the concept of change management and the reasons for change that is taking place in the organisation
You can contribute to change management activities when required
You understand the concepts of acceptance for change and resistance to change
You can adopt new practices after a change has been implemented
You can understand how organisational change can create risk and opportunity , and escalate risks and opportunities identified
You understand the internal and external drivers for change and can help colleagues understand the vision for change
You can apply change management tools and approaches within a team
You can manage stakeholders to build acceptance for change
You can support others to adopt new practices after a change has been implemented
You can identify, assess , prioritise and manage risks and opportunities which relate to the management of change
You can establish a clear vision for change and how processes and ways of working will need to be adjusted after implementation
You can adopt a structured and systematic approach to change management
You can assess responses to change and manage resistance that is overt, implicit or immediate
You can establish methods for monitoring and controlling new practices to sustain the benefits of change
You can assess the impact , efficiency and effectiveness of approaches used to manage risks and opportunities relating to the management of change
You can lead, develop or advise on the direction of change
You can lead, develop or advise on change management methods
You can manage resistance that is covert , implicit or deferred
You can reinforce change, address implications of change and encourage continuous improvement to ensure the benefits of change are sustained
You can lead, develop or advise on risk management activities relating to change management , and develop solutions
You can understand the concept of innovation and the importance of ideas and innovation to the organisation
You can contribute ideas and opportunitiesfor innovation within the team
You can understand the principles of agility and resilience and how they relate to improvement and innovation
You can understand the relationship between innovation and risk
You can encourage colleagues to innovate and build trust and enthusiasm for creativity and innovation
You can generate ideas, solutions and innovative approaches and encourage and involve others in doing so
You can apply the principles of agility and resilience as part of the improvement approach
You can use the frameworks established within the organisation to identify, assess and prioritise risks in relation to new ideas, solutions and innovative approaches that are being developed
You can create opportunities for widespread engagement with innovation
You can guide the formulation of pilot studies and experiments to test ideas and innovations
You can lead teams using the principles of agility and resilience
You can analyse and evaluate new concepts and associated risks
You can lead, develop or advise on approaches and methods that enable innovation and the creation of opportunities
You can develop or lead a culture of experimentation and learning in relation to new concepts and innovations
You can lead, develop or advise on business agility and resilience
You can lead, develop or advise on risk management activities relating to innovation
Uses leadership behaviours to maximise influence and develop a culture of evaluation and improvement.
You act as a champion for quality within your team, speaking up about quality issues and opportunities with clarity and conviction .
You consider and support the interests of customers and stakeholders in your work.
You value and explore improvements, new concepts and ideas.
You champion quality within your team and functional areas, making quality goals meaningful and relevant to others in your network.
You advocate for the interests of customers and stakeholders and encourage others to do so.
You participate in and promote improvement and change.
You enable an appreciation of the relevance and importance of quality in others and the organisation, creating an environment that encourages open discussion about quality issues and opportunities.
You raise awareness of customer and stakeholder needs, advocating their representation in strategies , policies and plans .
You act as a champion for learning, improvement and change across multiple business areas.
You act as an ambassador for quality and the quality profession, building advocates among others.
You act as a champion for customers and stakeholders ensuring that strategies , polices and plans are shaped to prioritise their needs and requirements
You champion and prioritise customer and stakeholder advocacy
You promote learning, improvement and innovation across the organisation and with its customers and partners
You recognise the organisation as a system and appreciate the evolving role of quality within that system .
You recognise the value of information and knowledge, using these to develop your understanding and make decisions.
You plan and prepare, in order to achieve successful outcomes.
You apply systems thinking when planning and taking action in your role.
You use facts, information, critical thinking and objectivity as a guide to decision making, and encourage others to do so
You consider future needs, issues, risks and opportunities and lessons learned when planning.
You apply systems thinking to support effective quality outcomes for the organisation as a whole and encourage others to do the same.
You apply and are an advocate for fact-based thinking, and a balanced, holistic approach to decision making.
You seek to prevent failure by “ building quality in ”, considering medium and long-term implications and uncertainties within your plans and those of others
You advocate and role model systems thinking , working across the functions and hierarchies of the organisation to establish quality from end to end.
You promote fact-based thinking across the organisation, creating a culture where everyone is encouraged to use factual evidence, questioning, critical thinking and good judgement.
You set and adjust goals for building-in quality, endorsing a culture of planning and preparedness.
You recognise the value of sharing knowledge and learning.
You are motivated by doing quality work and increasing motivation for quality.
You respect, support and work collaboratively with team members.
You willingly share knowledge and learning with others in your team and functional area, welcoming feedback and coaching.
You use your skills and talents to increase motivation for quality and encourage others in your team and functional area to do the same.
You participate in, instigate and facilitate all aspects of good collaborative working.
You share knowledge and learning and enable growth in others through coaching and feedback.
You motivate others to take accountability for (and be proud of) achieving quality goals and improving performance.
You create opportunities for effective collaborative working, and visibly lead this across the organisation and with its stakeholders
You promote and enable learning, knowledge sharing, coaching and feedback across the organisation.
You create opportunities and the environment for people to willingly contribute to quality and continuous improvement .
You are self aware and understand your capabilities, seeking to grow and develop in your role, and engaging ethically with team members, customers and stakeholders .
You apply professionalism and demonstrate respect in all aspects of your work and encourage others to work to high standards of professionalism , seeking to develop and advance your skills, knowledge and behaviours.
You are recognised for your professionalism and seek to help others develop their professional behaviours, skills and knowledge.
You set the standard for those around you to apply honesty and authenticity to all aspects of their work, and create an environment which enables this, providing support, feedback and coaching to others.
Introducing the Quality Learning Hub, with over 90 courses to choose from.