What is the Certified Strategy and Planning Professional?

The Certified Strategy and Planning Professional is a globally recognised professional certification by the Global Leadership Institute (GLI), designed to equip professionals with advanced competencies in Leadership & Management.

How long does this certification take?

The programme is 10 Week and can be completed at your own pace through our self-paced online option, or alongside live virtual sessions.

Is this certification globally recognised?

Yes. GLI certifications are internationally recognised and carry CPD credits, making them valuable for career advancement worldwide.

What level is this certification?

This is a Advanced Level certification, suitable for professionals with relevant experience or background in the field.

You can enrol by emailing info@leadership.co.ke, contacting us via WhatsApp at +254 722 223 084, or filling the enrolment form below.

Certified Strategy and Planning Professional (CSTPP) | Online Certification

Executive Summary

Certified Strategy and Planning Professional

Designed for today’s high-impact professionals, the Certified Strategy and Planning Professional (CSTPP) delivers a rigorous Advanced-level curriculum that equips participants with the knowledge, tools and frameworks needed to excel in strategic leadership, organisational management and business transformation.

This 10 Week programme is structured around recognised global leadership and management competency frameworks, ensuring every graduate applies internationally validated methods to real-world challenges.

GLI’s CSTPP 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 Strategy and Planning Professional

Acronym

CSTPP

Who Should Enrol?

Planning From Strategic Choice — applied to your own work
The Planning Cycle and Its Cadence — applied to your own work
Assumptions, Scenarios and Ranges — applied to your own work
Resource and Capacity Planning — applied to your own work
Cascade, Targets and Measures — applied to your own work
Reviewing and Replanning — applied to your own work

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

Leadership Capability

Develop the strategic and operational skills to lead complex strategic leadership functions

Career Advancement

Accelerate your career towards executive, director and C-suite leadership roles

Strategic Thinking

Build the strategic thinking, analysis and execution skills of world-class leaders

Organisational Impact

Design and implement strategic leadership systems that drive performance and measurable results

Personal Excellence

Develop emotional intelligence, resilience and authentic executive presence

Global Employability

Qualify for strategic leadership roles across corporates, public institutions, NGOs and enterprises worldwide

Competency Framework

Core Competencies You Will Develop

✦Strategic Thinking, Vision and Direction Setting

✦Leading Teams, People and High Performance

✦Decision-Making, Problem-Solving and Execution

✦Emotional Intelligence and Authentic Leadership

✦Organisational Strategy, Transformation and Growth

✦Professional Ethics and Governance

Course Curriculum

Programme Modules

Click any module to explore the detailed curriculum topics included in this certification.

Foundations and Strategic Context of Certified Strategy and Planning Professional

Certified Strategy and Planning Professional: industry context, trends and professional standards
Theories and models of leadership and management
The manager's roles, responsibilities and mindset
Leadership versus management and when each is needed
Situational and adaptive leadership
Values, purpose and authentic leadership
The organisational context and operating environment
Self-awareness and the leader's identity
Building credibility and executive presence
Ethics and responsible leadership
Personal leadership development planning

Planning From Strategic Choice

Strategy as a coherent set of choices
Diagnosis, guiding policy and coherent action
Setting and communicating strategic direction
Platform and ecosystem strategy
Digital business models and monetisation
Market attractiveness and country assessment
Market entry modes and partner selection
Localisation and adaptation of the offer
Cross-border trade, tariffs and logistics realities
Growth strategy and expansion sequencing
Business model design and unit economics
Value innovation and uncontested market space
Jobs to be done and customer insight
Discovery-driven planning and assumption testing
Minimum viable offer and validated learning

The Planning Cycle and Its Cadence

Executive time, attention and decision cadence
Strategy and performance management systems
Strategic alignment across an organisation
Experimentation and causal inference in business
Metrics design and the gaming problem
Structured problem solving: issue trees and hypotheses
Technology strategy and architecture choices
Innovation portfolio and the three horizons
Prototyping, experimentation and design thinking
Product launch and go-to-market sequencing
Scaling a validated model
Intellectual property and defensibility of innovation
Innovation culture, incentives and psychological safety
Measuring innovation performance
Account opening, KYC and customer due diligence

Assumptions, Scenarios and Ranges

Scenario planning under deep uncertainty
Discovery-driven planning and assumption testing
Metrics design and the gaming problem
Industry structure and profit pools
Strategic positioning versus operational effectiveness
Strategic options and real options thinking
Resource allocation and capital discipline
Corporate portfolio strategy and parenting advantage
Make, buy or ally: boundary decisions
Mergers, acquisitions and integration risk
Organisational design as a strategic choice
Power, coalitions and organisational politics
Leading under ambiguity and complexity
Strategic learning and the adaptive organisation
Culture as a strategic asset

Resource and Capacity Planning

Resource allocation and capital discipline
Operating model redesign
Strategic development and long-range positioning
Leading strategic change
Developing strategic capability in others
Transformation versus incremental change
Designing a transformation programme
Benefits realisation and value tracking
Synergy realisation after combination
Sustaining transformation and preventing reversion
Curriculum and programme design
The executive transition: from function to enterprise
Leading through other leaders
Building and running a top team
Working with a board and governance

Cascade, Targets and Measures

Strategic alignment across an organisation
Strategy and performance management systems
Metrics design and the gaming problem
Pricing strategy and models
Where to play and how to win
Sources of competitive advantage
Executive presence and credibility
The strategic narrative
Leading across cultures and geographies
Succession and the leadership pipeline
Executive ethics and the leader’s shadow
Leading in crisis and under scrutiny
The agricultural sector: systems, actors and global food value chains
Soil formation, classification and physical properties
Climate-smart agriculture: productivity, adaptation, mitigation

Reviewing and Replanning

Strategic learning and the adaptive organisation
Benefits realisation and value tracking
Strategic options and real options thinking
Analytics translation: from data to decision
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Ratio analysis: liquidity, profitability, gearing
Risk management planning

Strategic Context

Key global frameworks: FAO, GlobalG.A.P., SDGs and national strategies
Organic, inorganic and biological fertiliser strategies
Strategic planning for agricultural enterprises
Building a competitive, future-ready agribusiness
Agribusiness models and strategy
Scaling and growth strategies
Drought and water-scarcity strategies
Customer service and CX strategy
Sustaining strategic customer focus
Customer experience strategy
Brand strategy, identity and architecture
Aligning HR strategy with organisational strategy
Retention strategy and turnover analysis
HSE as a strategic enabler
Corporate strategy and portfolio choices

Decision Making

Applying reporting standards and accounting judgement
Problem definition and analysis
Ethical decision-making
Evidence-based HR decision-making
Inclusion and the fairness of people decisions
Prioritisation and focus
Values-based decision-making
Rational and intuitive decision-making
Data-informed and evidence-based decisions
Prioritisation and resource allocation
Risk assessment and judgement
Make-or-buy and outsourcing decisions
Investment and disinvestment decisions
Innovation management and creative problem-solving
Prioritisation and managing competing demands

Performance Systems

Operations performance and throughput
Contract performance, remedies and variations
Security KPIs and metrics
Incident and response performance
Electronic access and biometric systems
Security metrics and reporting
Sales analytics and metrics
Performance management in sales
Dashboards, reporting and the metric that misleads
Electronic and biometric access
Site security performance
Social performance and outreach
Investment principles and objectives
Metrics and reporting
Performance management systems and cycles

Financial Management

Digital finance, mobile money and payment operations
The finance function, month-end close and reporting cycle
Trends: ESG, transparency and stakeholder capitalism
Options appraisal and cost-benefit
Cost of accidents and prevention value
Legal, cost and feasibility analysis
Stakeholder capitalism and ESG
Board and investor engagement
Managing budgets and resources
Make-versus-buy and total cost of ownership
Cost and price analysis
Claims investigation and fraud indicators
Solvency, capital and prudential supervision
Vehicle financing, insurance and total cost of ownership conversations
Costing production: standard costs, variances and the true cost of scrap

Risk and Governance

Compliance monitoring and enforcement
Board, governance and C-suite dynamics
Risk appetite and enterprise risk
Corporate governance and accountability
Regulatory awareness and compliance
Risk management and contingencies
Decision rights and governance
Risk appetite and tolerance
Compliance, audit and accountability
Contract types and risk allocation
Contract governance and compliance
Continuous risk monitoring
Programme governance
Testing, quality assurance and defect economics
Grant compliance and restricted funding management

Stakeholders

Stakeholder identification and analysis
Stakeholder engagement strategy
Managing expectations and influence
Negotiation and conflict management
Building project relationships
Conflict resolution and negotiation
Commercial negotiation and value capture
Influencer and affiliate marketing
Building strategic customer relationships
Sponsorship and negotiation selling
Negotiation with clients and partners
Implementation and stakeholder plan
Influencing and persuasion
Negotiation and conflict resolution
Categories of spend and stakeholders

Communication

Professional case study and presentation
Communicating with families and carers
Professional writing and reports
Psychoeducation and public communication
Writing advisory reports that drive decisions
Presenting recommendations to senior decision-makers
Reporting to boards and executives
Monitoring, control and reporting
Professional documentation and presentation
Communication planning and management
Reporting and dashboards
Communicating vision and telling stories
Executive communication and presence
Cross-cultural communication
Sustainability reporting and disclosure

Evidence and Data

Web and campaign analytics
Customer data platforms and segmentation
Web, campaign and funnel analytics
Sales analytics and forecasting tools
Translating insight into strategy
Data ethics and farmer privacy
Baseline surveys and data collection tools
Data quality, analysis and reporting
Using evidence to refine agricultural practice
Designing an evidence-based intervention or farm plan
Portfolio of evidence and reflective practice
The evidence base for talking therapies
Record-keeping and data protection
Evidence-based improvement
Evidence-based practice

Operations

Capacity and production planning
Data quality and master data management
Data quality and the fitness-for-purpose test
Reinsurance and capacity management
The vehicle sales process from enquiry to delivery
Capacity planning and line balancing
In-process quality control and inspection
Industrial utilities, energy and process safety interfaces
How airlines and airports work: the aviation operating model
Service quality and the passenger experience in transport
Mineral processing and beneficiation
The procurement cycle and operating models
Quality management on site: inspections, hold points and defects
Healthcare quality, safety and accreditation
Quality of the therapeutic relationship

Programme Delivery

Security programme design and budgeting
Agile delivery and iterative development
Real estate development and project appraisal
Programme cycle management in NGOs
Safeguarding and do-no-harm in programme delivery
Projects and expansion: connecting the unserved
The construction industry: clients, contractors and the project economy
Telehealth and digital care delivery
Public health programmes: prevention and outreach
Designing an intervention or programme
Projects, programmes and portfolios
Designing voice-of-customer programmes
Governance of the CX programme
Voice of the customer programmes
Loyalty programmes and rewards

Change and Transformation

Leading large-scale transformation
Sustaining change and embedding new behaviours
Measuring change and transformation impact
Digital transformation and IT strategy
Delivering technology change that people adopt
Variations, claims and delay: managing change on site
Change talk and readiness
Habit change and behaviour design
Change control and configuration
Organisational change management
Change and adoption in projects
Soil chemistry, pH and cation exchange capacity
Change management in farming systems
Digital and market transformation
Behaviour change and adoption of innovations

People and Capability

Wellbeing and resilience coaching
Measuring coaching outcomes
Scaling delivery capability
Project management plan development
Schedule development and optimisation
Team development and effectiveness
Coaching and developing team members
Sales enablement and coaching
Gender, youth and social inclusion in agricultural development
Career pathways and continuing professional development
Setting professional goals and a personal development plan
Measuring coaching and mentoring impact
Capability and skills frameworks
Nomination, succession and diversity
Policy development and drafting

Technology

Payment technology and switches
Automation, RPA and straight-through processing
Cybersecurity and fraud technology
Digital credit and alternative data
The finance function and digital transformation
Learning technologies and the LMS
AI and automation in HR processes
Technology and digital HSE
Digital permits and inspections
Automation and safety technology
Emerging HSE technologies
Digital disruption and the future of banking
Branch-to-digital migration
Digital banking platforms and APIs
Digital procurement and the future of the profession

Markets and Customers

Business model and market innovation
Buyer behaviour and the customer journey
Voice of the customer and feedback
Supplier market analysis and competition
Comparable sales analysis and market evidence
Policy administration and customer service in insurance
The automotive market: segments, brands and buyers
Vehicle specifications, trims and options in customer language
Customer retention in the vehicle ownership cycle
Customer loyalty and repeat purchase in retail
Telecom products, tariffs and customer lifecycles
Data protection and customer privacy
Data, analytics and customer insight
Customer segmentation and needs analysis
Customer journey and experience design

Leadership Practice

Revenue management and yield
Key account management strategy
Renewals and churn management
Field sales and territory management
Tender and bid management
Reporting to leadership
Team leadership in sales and marketing
Capacity and performance management
Nutrient management planning and the 4R framework
Land-use planning, capability and degradation management
Team leadership in field and project settings
Difficult conversations and managerial courage
Operational planning and workflow management
Developing your own management practice
Category management and strategy development

Legal and Regulatory

Insurance regulation and consumer protection
Vendor, venue and supplier contracting for events
Regulation of transport: authorities, conventions and licensing
Tariffs, regulation and the economics of essential services
Construction contracts and procurement: from tender to FIDIC
Subcontractor and supplier management
Regulation, ethics and misinformation in media and telecoms
Contractor and vendor security
Legal responsibilities and professional bodies
Goal setting and contracting
Emotion regulation
Contract law and formation
Contract exit and renewal
Emotional intelligence and self-regulation
Accounting concepts, principles and the regulatory landscape

Culture

Assurance engagements and standards
Engagement and motivation
Measuring engagement and impact
Stakeholder mapping and engagement
Learning cultures and the learning organisation
Engagement, motivation and energisers
Building a coaching culture
Cost concepts, classification and behaviour
Public consultation and engagement
Codes of conduct and values
Building an ethical culture
Employee experience and engagement
Customer and community engagement
Building a culture of compliance
Employee engagement models and drivers

Advisory and Research

Facilitation, training and public presentation skills
Digital advisory, e-extension and mobile services
Group dynamics, facilitation and community mobilisation
Advisory service design and delivery
Advisory and needs-based selling
Facilitation skills and presence
Virtual and hybrid facilitation
Facilitation, coaching and mentoring
Change, restructuring and consultation
Peer support and consultation
Designing and facilitating groups
Facilitation and workshops
Market research design and methods
Qualitative and quantitative research
Psychoeducation and workshops

Innovation

Cross-functional collaboration with product and service
Smallholder, commercial and cooperative production models
The business case for productivity, quality and sustainability
Innovation and entrepreneurship in agribusiness
Yield, productivity and profitability metrics
Entrepreneurship and start-ups in agriculture
Water-use efficiency and productivity
Innovation in service delivery
Journey and process redesign
Designing a service or experience improvement
Operational efficiency and productivity
Correlation, causation and experiment design
Data protection and privacy by design
Insurance products and lines of business
Destination, venue and experience products

International

Global and comparative HR contexts
Global sourcing and trade
Expanding into regional and export markets
Transfer pricing and international tax
Cross-cultural and global inclusion
Global sourcing and international trade
International and cross-border tax
Certification schemes (organic, GlobalG.A.P.)
Traceability, certification and export requirements
Agribusiness marketing, branding and export readiness
Grades, standards and export certification (GlobalG.A.P.)
Export readiness and standards

Supply and Procurement

Water supply systems: sources, treatment and distribution
The medical supply chain: from manufacturer to patient
Procurement and stock management for health commodities
Conflicts of interest and procurement ethics
Procurement and contract value
Procurement and contract management
Vendor selection and management
Input supply, agro-dealers and last-mile distribution
Value-chain and supply-chain finance
Payables, procurement controls and supplier fraud
Supply analysis, gaps and scenario planning
Procurement and asset management under donor rules
Procurement and supply chain: scope and value
Procurement’s contribution to organisational strategy
Public versus private procurement

Ethics and Trust

Professional ethics in customer service
Responsible and ethical service
Ethics and integrity in banking
Professional ethics and banking conduct
Integrity, confidentiality and conflicts
Anti-corruption and financial-crime ethics
Responsible and sustainable banking
Data ethics and customer privacy
Ethics and independence
Ethics in communications
Corporate social responsibility communications
Ethics of technology in practice
Building trust and engagement
Professional ethics and responsibility (PMI)
Professional standards and ethics

Sustainability

Social media customer care
Sustainable and green banking
Control environment and risk assessment
Emerging assurance areas (ESG)
Sustainability, ESG and integrated value
Fire risk in special environments
Responsible and sustainable governance
ESG principles and frameworks
Sustainability strategy and materiality
Environmental governance and climate risk
Governance of ESG and reporting
Continuous environmental improvement
Integration with quality and environment
Corporate social responsibility and sustainability
Sustainability and responsible sourcing

Certified Strategy and Planning Professional

Certified Strategy and Planning Professional

Certification at a Glance

Who Should Enrol?

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Core Competencies You Will Develop

Programme Modules

What You Will Achieve

How to Get Certified

Common Questions

What Our Alumni Say

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