Professional standard
Project delivery capability framework
Learn about roles in project delivery
View all project delivery career pathways
Understand a role profile by selecting a role
Develop your career plan by comparing two roles
The ‘Project delivery capability framework’ (PDCF) describes the roles and competencies for all project delivery professionals and aspiring professionals across government.
It gives you a common language to describe job roles, skills and behaviours needed to perform project work across all grades. It will help you understand how to develop and progress your career as a project delivery professional.
The framework covers roles in projects, programmes and portfolios alike, other than where explicitly stated.
How do I use it?
Using the framework, you can align yourself to your current project delivery role or one that you aspire to. Each job role lists the required competencies and competence levels and it is recommended that you assess yourself against these to identify areas of strength and development.
It is particularly useful to do this as you discuss your objectives, performance and personal development with your line manager throughout the year.
Using the PDCF is the first step in the Government Project Delivery Accreditation process. It also sets out the typical qualifications you should gain as you progress your career. This may help with your own development planning towards the next level or a different area of expertise.
Career pathways and roles
The PDCF is a common language to describe job roles, skills and behaviours needed to perform project work across all grades.
A career pathway is series of defined and connected job roles which often feature at different levels.
You can identify what is expected for each role at each level and how you can progress or develop through different job roles and levels.
As you can see below, this progression can happen in the same role or a different one. You can use compare your current role and your aspired role to see which responsibilities and competencies you should concentrate on.
| Role family | Role pathway | Role profile by Civil Service grade | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership | Head of Profession | SCS 1-3 | |||||||
| Chief Project Delivery Officer | SCS 1-3 | ||||||||
| Senior Responsible Owner | G6 | SCS 1-3 | |||||||
| Portfolio Manager/Director | G7 | G6 | SCS 1 | SCS 2 | |||||
| Programme Manager/Director | SEO | G7 | G6 | SCS 1 | SCS 2 | SCS 3 | |||
| Project Manager/Director | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | SCS 1 | SCS 2 | SCS 3 | ||
| Project Management Office (PMO) Manager/Director | G7 | G6 | SCS 1 | ||||||
| Project delivery specialists | Portfolio Analyst | HEO | SEO | ||||||
| Planner | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Resource Manager | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | |||||
| Business Case Manager | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Assurance Manager | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Configuration Manager | EO | HEO | |||||||
| Project Support Officer | EO | HEO | SEO | ||||||
| Risks and Issues Manager | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Governance and Reporting Manager | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Estimator | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Advisor | SCS 1 | SCS 2 | |||||||
| Business analysis and change specialist | Stakeholder Manager | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | |||
| Benefits Manager | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Change Manager | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
| Business Analyst | EO | HEO | SEO | G7 | G6 | ||||
Updates
5 March 2026
Subtitle and meta description added.