Virtual Workshop
Apr 6 - Apr 9, 2026
The Program and Portfolio Management Advanced Certification (PPMC)®- 32 PDUs
Program & Portfolio Management Certification
PPMC® | 32 PDUs | Experiential Training and Certification
The Program and Portfolio Management Advanced Certification (PPMC)® is an advanced, experiential program and portfolio management certification designed for experienced project leaders, program and portfolio managers, PMO and EPMO leaders, and directors responsible for enterprise-level execution.
The PPMC® develops the skills and systems required to translate strategy into results by teaching how programs and portfolios are designed, governed, and executed at the enterprise level. Participants learn to align initiatives to strategic objectives, establish effective governance, and manage competing priorities using proven, real-world frameworks.
Delivered as an immersive, hands-on workshop, the PPMC® places participants in realistic program and portfolio scenarios where they actively apply proven tools, techniques, and decision frameworks under expert guidance. Through experiential simulation, real-world case studies, and coaching, participants gain practical experience and confidence to apply what they learn within their organization immediately.
What Makes PPMC® Different
System-level focus: Learn how programs and portfolios are designed, governed, and aligned to strategy.
Experiential format: Build and manage a realistic program and portfolio through hands-on simulation, not lectures or exams.
Execution-first outcomes: Gain practical experience and confidence to apply what you learn immediately within your organization.
Who This Certification Is For
The PPMC® is designed for professionals responsible for leading and coordinating complex initiatives across teams, functions, and strategic priorities.
Typical participants include:
- Program managers
- Portfolio managers
- Senior project managers transitioning into program leadership
- PMO and EMPO Leaders
- Directors and managers accountable for portfolio-level execution and governance
Participants range from leaders refining established practices to those stepping into broader program and portfolio responsibilities and seeking a strong structured foundation for enterprise execution.
What You Will Learn
During this four-day experiential workshop, participants develop the capability to design and manage programs and portfolios that support strategic execution and organizational value.
Key outcomes include:
Program and Portfolio Design
- Translate strategy into executable programs and portfolios
- Link initiatives to enterprise goals and business value
- Balance and prioritize work across competing demands
Governance & Decision Support
- Establish intake, prioritization, and stage-gating processes
- Design and facilitate effective governance committees
- Apply decision frameworks to manage risk, trade-offs, and complexity
Execution and Visibility
- Manage interdependencies across projects and programs
- Monitor portfolio health, capacity, and performance
- Communicate outcomes using executive-level dashboards and reporting
Detailed Topics & Tools Covered
The PPMC® provides hands-on experience with a comprehensive set of program and portfolio management tools, techniques, and decision-support frameworks used to design, govern, and execute enterprise portfolios.
- Establish an executive vision for program and portfolio management excellence
- Define a strategic roadmap for implementing portfolio management within an organization
- Take a holistic, enterprise-level approach to managing programs and portfolios
- Inventory current projects and programs and link them directly to strategic objectives
- Identify maturity gaps across project, program, and portfolio practices and develop plans to close them
- Design program structures and schedules to support strategic execution
- Design structured project and program intake processes
- Establish portfolio prioritization models that balance strategic value, risk, and complexity
- Optimize and balance portfolios across competing initiatives and limited resources
- Apply decision-support techniques to evaluate trade-offs at the portfolio level
- Create visible portfolio roadmaps that clearly communicate priorities and sequencing
- Design and implement effective governance structures and committees
- Establish stage-gating processes for projects and programs
- Define roles, decision rights, and escalation paths across the portfolio
- Apply governance tools that enable transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making
- Facilitate governance discussions that focus on value, risk, and strategic outcomes
- Identify and manage interfaces and interdependencies across projects and programs
- Establish processes to surface and manage portfolio-level risks
- Manage resource demand and resolve conflicts across initiatives
- Lead program managers through execution challenges using proven control mechanisms
- Apply the Magic Eight™ decision-support tools to mitigate the primary causes of project and program failure
- Establish and manage an effective benefits realization process
- Measure and communicate portfolio value using executive-level metrics
- Develop and use portfolio dashboards, stoplight reports, and status reporting standards
- Track performance, outcomes, and ROI at the portfolio level
- Provide leadership with clear, accurate, and actionable portfolio visibility
Participants gain hands-on experience with — and leave with — practical, proven tools, including:
- Program Business Case
- Program Charter
- Program Communication Plan
- Program Risk Assessment
- Magic Eight™ Toolkit- a set of practical and proven project decision support templates that when applied, mitigate the primary
causes of project and program failure - Project, Program, and Portfolio Gap Analysis Checklist
- Portfolio Prioritization Decision-Support Tool (Strategic Value vs. Complexity)
- Governance Committee Charter Template
- Executive Dashboards and Reporting Examples
- Stoplight Reports and Reporting Guidelines
- Benefits Realization Templates and Processes
- Program and Portfolio Status Reports
These tools are actively used during the workshop and are designed for immediate application within your organization.
Experiential, Immersive Learning
The PPMC® is not a lecture-based or exam-driven certification.
Participants work through a complete program and portfolio simulation that mirrors enterprise-level complexity, allowing them to see how decisions impact priorities, resources, risk and strategic outcomes in real time This experiential format enables participants to test approaches, refine judgement, and build execution confidence in a safe, guided environment.
About the Instructor
The Advanced Program & Portfolio Management Certification (PPMC)® is led by Bill Stewart, Founder and CEO of Project Management Leadership Group (PMLG). A recognized thought leader in project, program and portfolio management, Bill was the architect of the PMO concept and Strategic Execution Office (SEO)®. With over 40 years of experience building high-performance execution organizations, Bill has trained and mentored more than 80,000 professionals worldwide.
The program includes expert instruction and post-course coaching to support successful real-world application.
What Participants Say
“The PPMC program was a truly powerful and transformative experience. It went far beyond traditional PMO training, immersing us in real-world challenges that truly reshaped how I lead. I left feeling equipped to drive alignment between business and IT at a strategic level.”
— PMO Director, Fortune 100 Pharmaceutical
Questions, Enterprise Options, or Group Enrollment?
PPMC® is delivered both to individual professionals and to organizations looking to strengthen enterprise execution, governance, and portfolio alignment.
If you’re evaluating the certification for your organization, exploring group enrollment, or have questions about fit, scheduling, or outcomes, our team is happy to help.