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👥 Human Resources  ·  Advanced

Certified Performance Development Specialist

Online Certification  ·  10 Weeks  ·  Globally Recognised  ·  (CPDS)

✅ 2026 Edition 🎓 CPD Accredited 🌍 100+ Countries 📜 Digital + Physical Certificate 100% Online
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Executive Summary

Certified Performance Development Specialist

Designed for today’s high-impact professionals, the Certified Performance Development Specialist (CPDS) delivers a rigorous Advanced-level curriculum that equips participants with the knowledge, tools and frameworks needed to excel in human resource management, talent development and organisational effectiveness.

This 10 Weeks programme is structured around SHRM, CIPD and ILO Labour Standards, ensuring every graduate applies internationally validated methods to real-world challenges.

GLI’s CPDS holders are recognised by leading organisations across Africa, the Gulf, Europe and the Americas as qualified, results-driven professionals. Whether you are advancing your current career or transitioning into new responsibilities, this certification provides the competitive edge you need in 2026 and beyond.

Programme Overview

Certification at a Glance

Certification
Certified Performance Development Specialist
Acronym
CPDS
Category
Human Resources
Level
Advanced
Duration
10 Weeks
Delivery Mode
100% Online
Assessment
Online Examination
Certificate
Digital + Physical
CPD Eligibility
CPD Accredited
Alumni Benefits
GLI Network Access
Self-Paced
USD 449
Live Virtual
USD 649
Target Audience

Who Should Enrol?

  • HR Managers and Directors
  • HR Business Partners
  • Learning and Development Managers
  • Employee Relations and OD Specialists
Programme Inclusions

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

  • All study materials and study guide
  • Access to GLI online learning portal
  • Online examination and assessment
  • Digital certificate and digital badge
  • Physical certificate (shipped to you)
  • CPD credits for professional bodies
  • GLI alumni network membership
  • Facilitator and tutor support
  • Resource downloads and reference library
  • Automatic enrolment confirmation
Certification Benefits

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Career Advancement
Accelerate your career towards CHRO and senior people-management roles
Professional Recognition
Credential aligned with SHRM, CIPD and ILO Labour Standards
Leadership Capability
Develop the strategic and operational skills to lead complex human resource management functions
Organisational Impact
Design and implement human resource management systems that drive performance and measurable results
Compliance Readiness
Master the standards, compliance and ethical governance central to human resource management
Global Employability
Qualify for human resource management roles across multinationals, NGOs and international organisations worldwide
Competency Framework

Core Competencies You Will Develop

✦Individual Performance Baselines
✦Development Goal Structures
✦Performance Coaching Interfaces
✦Performance Feedback Systems
✦Development Milestones
✦Performance Sustainability
Course Curriculum

Programme Modules

The full programme, module by module.

Core CurriculumModules 1–20 · specific to Certified Performance Development Specialist · module 20 is the capstone
1
Performance Development Foundations
Software delivery: requirements, iteration and technical quality · The HR function: roles, operating models and value creation · Aligning HR strategy with organisational strategy
2
Individual Performance Baselines
Banking regulation, capital and supervisory expectations · Organisational design and development interventions · Career development and internal mobility
3
Development-Oriented Performance Reviews
Management control systems and the review rhythm · Career development and internal mobility · Knowledge management and capability building
4
Performance Potential Assessment
Security assessment, vulnerability management and remediation · Knowledge management and capability building · Learning technologies and the LMS
5
Development Goal Structures
Operating models: how an organisation actually gets work done · Learning technologies and the LMS · Continuous feedback and performance conversations
6
Individual Development Plans
Talent development, careers and capability building · Continuous feedback and performance conversations · Appraisal, calibration and managing underperformance
7
Competency Improvement Pathways
Organisational maturity, assessment and improvement programmes · Appraisal, calibration and managing underperformance · Pay structures, benchmarking and market pricing
8
Performance Coaching Interfaces
Coaching, mentoring and developing people at work · Team leadership within HR · Stakeholder engagement and risk management
9
Development Assignment Systems
Supervision: daily oversight, standards and correction · Talent review and succession in practice · Attrition, engagement and productivity analytics
10
Career Performance Mapping
Data engineering: models, pipelines and the quality problem · Competitive bidding processes · Financial inclusion strategy
11
Performance Feedback Systems
Leadership assessment, feedback and continuous self-review · Employee relations, discipline and fair process · The HR operating model and business partnering
12
Skill Development Through Work
Coaching, mentoring and developing people at work · Executive communication and presence · Cross-cultural communication
13
Performance Improvement Plans
Performance management that is worth the time it takes · Culture change and behaviour embedding · Continuous improvement and lean HR
14
Development Milestones
Technology projects: why they fail and what changes the odds · People analytics and HR measurement · HR metrics, KPIs and the HR scorecard
15
Performance Progress Monitoring
Security operations: monitoring, incident response and recovery · Cost of workforce and ROI of HR interventions · Business case, cost and impact analysis
16
Development Metrics
Marketing measurement, analytics and return · Employment compliance and the HR risk agenda · Corporate governance and HR’s role
17
Performance Sustainability
Leadership continuity, legacy and handover · Partnership building and multi-stakeholder platforms · Service analytics and dashboards
18
High-Performer Development
Software delivery: requirements, iteration and technical quality · Digital procurement and the future of the profession · Security governance and management systems
19
Performance Development Reviews
Management control systems and the review rhythm · Ethics and integrity in banking · Professional ethics and banking conduct
20
Performance Development Framework
Software delivery: requirements, iteration and technical quality · Self-service and digital support · Data-driven and personalised banking
Professional ElectivesModules 21–30 · common to all GLI certifications · broaden your professional range
21
Strategic Communication and Executive Presentation
Audience-centred communication and message structure · Presentation design: architecture, visuals and data · Public speaking: rhetoric, delivery and managing anxiety
22
Leadership and Team Effectiveness
Leadership and management: two jobs, one role · Building teams: roles, norms and re-forming after change · Delegation levels and the authority-accountability match
23
Analytical Thinking and Evidence-Based Reasoning
Structuring information: patterns, comparison and synthesis · Evidence, sources and the correlation trap · Reasoning with data: statistics, metrics and misleading figures
24
Professional Decision-Making
Decision quality: criteria, alternatives and trade-offs · Decision frameworks: criteria, weighting and trade-offs · Decision governance: authority, documentation and review
25
Negotiation, Influence and Stakeholder Management
Negotiation: preparation, interests and value creation · Influence and persuasion: credibility, framing and ethics · Deadlock, difficult counterparts and negotiation ethics
26
Project and Execution Management
Project start-up: mobilisation in the first ninety days · Change adoption: making a strategy stick in practice · Planning, scheduling and personal workflow systems
27
Financial Literacy for Professionals
Reading the numbers: what financial statements tell a manager · Budgets, costs and the money conversation · Strategic finance: cash, capital structure and value creation
28
Digital Skills, AI and Technology for Professionals
Working with AI tools professionally · Working with data: quality, interpretation and honest presentation · Everyday security: information, devices and social engineering
29
Ethics, Governance and Professional Accountability
Values, ethical judgement and tolerated behaviour · Governance and accountability for the professional · Accountability, initiative and professional reputation
30
Personal Effectiveness, Productivity and Career Growth
Priority: outcomes, importance and the urgency trap · Attention, focus and the cost of interruption · Career development, adaptability and personal reinvention

Every module opens in the learning portal with its full lesson set, worked examples, further reading and video masterclasses. 30 modules · 150 lessons.

Learning Outcomes

What You Will Achieve

  • Individual Performance Baselines — applied to your own work
  • Development-Oriented Performance Reviews — applied to your own work
  • Performance Potential Assessment — applied to your own work
  • Development Goal Structures — applied to your own work
  • Individual Development Plans — applied to your own work
  • Competency Improvement Pathways — applied to your own work
Enrolment Process

How to Get Certified

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Step 3: Study in the GLI Learning Portal
Work through 30 structured modules and 150 lessons at your own pace, with downloadable resources and expert-designed content — all inside the LMS.
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Step 4: Pass, Get Certified & Verified
Sit your final examination online, earn your certificate instantly, and receive a globally verifiable Certificate ID — plus GLI Alumni Network access.
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Secure checkout · Instant LMS access · Globally verifiable certificate
Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

What is the CPDS certification?

The Certified Performance Development Specialist is a professional certification awarded by the Global Leadership Institute. It covers 20 core modules specific to Performance Development Specialist, culminating in the capstone “Performance Development Framework”, plus 10 professional elective modules common to all GLI certifications. Candidates study through the online portal, submit the capstone project and sit a final examination; those who pass receive a verifiable certificate carrying a unique certificate ID.

Who should enrol in the CPDS?

This certification is ideal for HR Managers and Directors, HR Business Partners, Learning and Development Managers and Employee Relations and OD Specialists, and other professionals seeking to formalise their expertise in human resource management, talent development and organisational effectiveness with a globally recognised credential.

How long does the CPDS certification take to complete?

The programme is structured over 10 Weeks and offers flexible learning modes. Self-paced learners can progress at their own schedule, while live virtual participants follow a structured cohort schedule with facilitator-led sessions.

Is the CPDS internationally recognised?

Yes. GLI certifications are recognised across 100+ countries and are aligned with SHRM, CIPD and ILO Labour Standards. Graduates receive a digital certificate, a physical certificate and CPD credits recognised by employers worldwide.

What is the cost of the CPDS certification?

The Certified Performance Development Specialist is offered in two formats: Self-Paced at USD 449 and Live Virtual at USD 649. Corporate group rates are available for organisations enrolling 5 or more participants. Contact GLI for a bespoke corporate training quotation.

What does the CPDS certification include?

Enrolment includes all study materials and study guides, access to GLI's online learning portal, online examination, digital certificate and badge, physical certificate (posted), CPD credits, GLI alumni network membership, and ongoing facilitator support.

What is the assessment format for the CPDS?

The Certified Performance Development Specialist is assessed through an online examination consisting of multiple-choice questions, case study analysis, and practical application assignments. The assessment is designed to evaluate real-world competency, not just theoretical recall.

What CPD credits do I earn from the CPDS?

The Certified Performance Development Specialist carries Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits, which can be applied towards professional body requirements including recognised international professional associations.

Can I study the CPDS while working full-time?

Absolutely. The self-paced option is designed for busy working professionals and allows you to study when and where it suits you. Live virtual sessions are typically scheduled in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate professional commitments.

What career outcomes can I expect from the CPDS?

Graduates progress towards CHRO and senior people-management roles. The CPDS strengthens your expertise in human resource management, talent development and organisational effectiveness and positions you for advancement across multinationals, NGOs and international organisations.

Graduate Voices

What Our Alumni Say

“

The curriculum was directly applicable to my daily work. I immediately applied what I learned and saw results within weeks of completing the programme.

HR Director
Private Sector
“

GLI's certification is the most practical professional programme I have attended. The international frameworks gave me credibility with my employer and clients.

People Manager
NGO Sector
“

I earned my CPDS while working full-time. The self-paced format made it possible, and the quality of the content is genuinely world-class.

Talent Lead
Government
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