We often talk with organisations and PMO professionals about the importance of developing portfolio-level capability. It’s the point where strategy meets delivery, where the PMO shifts from supporting projects to helping shape what the organisation invests in and why.
Portfolio management sits at the centre of effective decision-making. It helps leaders focus on the initiatives that bring the greatest value, ensuring time and resources are spent in the right places. For PMO professionals, understanding portfolio management is what turns day-to-day coordination into strategic influence.
Why Portfolio Training Matters for Today’s PMOs
Many PMOs find themselves supporting more initiatives than ever before, often with competing priorities and limited resources. Portfolio management provides a structured way to see the bigger picture and how all those projects and programmes contribute to organisational goals.
It gives teams a shared framework for prioritising, balancing, and sequencing work. Without that view, projects can become disconnected from strategy, and success can be measured in outputs rather than outcomes.
Portfolio-level training builds the capability to bring that clarity and alignment. It equips PMOs to have informed, confident conversations with senior leaders about investment, performance, and value.
The Management of Portfolios (MoP®) Certifications
The Management of Portfolios (MoP®) training, accredited by PeopleCert, provides a complete learning journey for those looking to understand and apply portfolio management effectively within their organisation. The training is offered at two levels, MoP® Foundation and MoP® Practitioner, allowing professionals to progress from building foundational knowledge to confidently applying MoP principles in practice.
MoP® Foundation
The MoP® Foundation course introduces the key principles, practices, and terminology of portfolio management. It provides a strong grounding in how portfolios support strategic alignment, resource optimisation, and benefits realisation. Participants gain a clear understanding of the portfolio definition and delivery cycles, and how these help organisations make better investment and prioritisation decisions.
This level is designed for:
- Individuals who are new to portfolio management or who work in organisations that are beginning to adopt portfolio-level approaches.
- Those who want to organise their portfolio of projects and programmes.
- Those involved in portfolio-related roles such as investment decision-making, project and programme delivery, and benefits management.
- Members of Management Boards and Directors of Change, Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), Portfolio, Programme, Project, Business Change and Benefits Managers, and business case writers or project appraisers.
For PMO practitioners with limited experience in portfolio management, the Foundation course provides the essential starting point. It equips you with the understanding required to participate meaningfully in portfolio discussions and support effective decision-making across projects and programmes.
MoP® Practitioner
The MoP® Practitioner course builds directly on the Foundation level and focuses on the practical application of MoP® guidance in real-world environments. It helps participants understand how to tailor and embed portfolio management principles within their organisation to support ongoing success and measurable value delivery.
This level is designed for:
- Professionals leading or managing a portfolio function or portfolio office.
- Those involved in investment decision-making, governance, benefits realisation, or senior-level reporting and assurance.
- Members of Management Boards, Directors of Change, Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), Portfolio, Programme, Project, Business Change and Benefits Managers, and business case writers or appraisers.
To attend the MoP Practitioner course, you must already have passed the MoP® Foundation exam.
MoP® Manual
When you book your MoP® Foundation course with PMO Learning, you will also receive access to the official MoP® Manual eBook as part of your course package. The manual supports the course content and serves as an essential reference for applying MoP® principles in your role. To purchase the hard-copy of the MoP® manual click here.
How MoP® Complements Other Portfolio-Level Learning
MoP® fits naturally alongside other portfolio-level and leadership development courses. Many professionals choose to continue their learning with:
- Essentials for PMO Managers – which focuses on the leadership, management, and operational aspects of running a PMO.
- P3O® Certifications – which provide a broader understanding of how project, programme, and portfolio offices work together across an organisation.
- Project, Programme & Portfolio Governance Professional – a P3GQA-accredited course that focuses on building strong governance frameworks across all levels of change.
Building Portfolio Capability Across the Organisation
As organisations continue to deliver complex change, the ability to manage portfolios effectively becomes essential. Portfolio capability ensures that resources are used wisely, investments are prioritised based on value, and outcomes remain aligned to business strategy.
A PMO equipped with portfolio-level knowledge can provide valuable insights, support confident decision-making, and help senior leaders maintain a clear view of where change activity is delivering the most impact.
Portfolio management gives structure and transparency to organisational change, helping teams and executives alike to make better choices about what to do next.
Talk to Us About Portfolio-Level Training
If you are interested in developing portfolio capability for yourself or your PMO team, we would be happy to help you explore the right training options. You can get in touch with us here to find out more.
We will also be attending and exhibiting at the PMO Conference in Edinburgh on the 12th of November, where you can speak with us directly about portfolio-level training and professional development.
The MoP® courses on this page are offered by PMO Learning. MoP® is a registered trademark of the PeopleCert group. Used under licence from PeopleCert. All rights reserved.
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