Diploma competencies in detail

AKAM Key Account Manager Diploma (by experience) competencies in detail

The competencies detailed are those required by key account managers, i.e. people who manage a key account, or who aspire to managing a key account. Wherever the customer is mentioned in these competencies, it refers to a key customer. There are 13 competencies, from which you submit evidence of having acquired 12 of them in order to gain a Diploma in Key Account Management.

For each competency a document must be submitted presenting how the competency has been demonstrated, which may include a variety of evidence, including some knowledge of underlying theory and how it has been applied. This can be a shorter document if accompanied by specific examples/relevant materials (e.g. strategic account plan, annotated customer organogram, reports, analyses) and indicates how these materials, which must be the work of the candidate, support the competency. Up to a point, where actual practice was not right at the time, an explanation of what should have been done and why may be accepted, together with reflections on why it was different.

Each required competency is specified here together with why the competency is needed by key account managers; the scope of the requirement; an indication of what kind of evidence you may include; and a list of sources of theory and practice (these are by no means comprehensive lists, but are sources broadly aligned with AKAM’s definition of KAM). If you find other valuable sources, particularly in languages other than English, please contact AKAM so they can be added to the lists.

Submission documents should be ‘signed off’ by the line manager or other senior manager as being factually true, according to their observations: by so doing they are not being asked to judge whether the submission will pass the competency, which is the role of AKAM’s Qualifications Board. If the candidate’s experience relates to an earlier employment and has not been tested in the current employment, or if for any other reason the current manager cannot sign off the submission, please contact AKAM for guidance on validation.