The Directorate of Professional Development consists of four sections, each responsible for selected Professional Development (PD) programmes or functions with CF common PD: Officer Professional Development, NCM Professional Development, Language Programs, and Validation. Each is under the direction of a Senior Staff Officer. In addition there is a coordinating staff, under the SSO PD which is responsible for: PD records and course loading; short courses and seminars; business planning; finance and travel; and, special projects.

Officer, NCM and Language Program staffs define courses including content, learning, methodology and student criteria based on general specifications defined by NDHQ and on other national level direction. Staffs consult with ECS PD staffs and other stakeholders during the definition process. Once courses are in operation, CDA PD staffs conduct period reviews including on-site Staff Assistance Visits to ensure that courses are being conducted along the lines necessary to ensure that the outcomes identified by national requirements are being achieved.

The Validation staff conduct formal validation surveys based on graduate and supervisor inputs to further ensure that the requirements defined for each course are being met.