Newcrest Lihir is one of, if not the first Papua New Guinean corporate member of the International Association for Contract and Commercial Management (IACCM).
Three Papua New Guinean employees from Lihir’s Contracts Management Process (CMP) team have obtained ‘Contract and Commercial Management Associate’ status (CCMA) from IACCM. Contracts Services & Compliance Superintendent Alplena Waho and Senior Advisors Alphonse Norrie and Sharon Ignas are the first in Lihir to achieve this status.
IACCM is a world leader in responding to the demands of global networked markets. It enables professionals to achieve world class standards in their contracting and relationship management process and skills. There are over 55,000 members across 177 countries and 20,408 corporations.
“Newcrest’s standardised contractor management process comprises five distinct phases: Plan, Select, Mobilise, Perform and Close. IACCM Fundamentals is an excellent world-class program that provides members with an opportunity to learn about existing contracts and commercial management processes world-wide and opportunities for improvement,” Ignas said.
As part of in-house upskilling and professional development, a selected number of Lihir CMP employees are undertaking the same program to achieve ‘Associate’ status. There is potential to upskill to Practitioner, Advanced Practitioner or Expert status depending on work level requirements and individual development plans.
The first intake of employees commenced in July 2018. They have committed to two-hour group study sessions outside of working hours before individually taking on modules. Waho, Norrie and Ignas completed all requirements to become IACCM Associates in January this year.
A gratified Ignas added that she learnt a lot from this international standard program. She is confident that IACCM has set a benchmark that will enable her team to review and improve the current contractor management process in Lihir.
“Being part of a highly recognised and qualified organisation enables the Lihir CMP to provide world-class training to our staff. The significance of this is that those who have successfully been elevated to CCMA are possibly the first in Papua New Guinea,” said Stephan Grobler, Superintendent Contractor Management.
(Newcrest Lihir employees Aplena Waho, Alphonse Norrie and Sharon Ignas cheerfully showing their IACCM accreditations)