Developing Individual Competencies for Humanitarian Logistics

Abstract

The continuing incidence of natural disasters, complex emergencies and their associated challenges has increased the demand for humanitarian logisticians. However, there is, as yet, a dearth of research on the essential competencies for those working in this role. This chapter therefore proposes a Humanitarian Logistics Competency Framework (HLCF) to assist in the professional development of humanitarian logisticians. The resultant framework can be used both as a way of enabling individual humanitarian logisticians to develop the necessary competencies to be successful at their current and future career levels, but also to enable humanitarian organisations to map their own competency frameworks to a common standard. This will, in turn, assist in workforce mobility and support the overall concept of a Certified Humanitarian Logistics Professional.