Chapter 9 - Core competency framework
Appendices
- Core competency framework (not currently available)
- National indicative standards (not currently available)
- This chapter sets out the policy and procedures for the use of the Core Competency Framework (CCF) in the CPS for the staff below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The CCF has been modified and updated since its introduction in 1997. The changes take account of developments within the CPS especially in connection with Equal Opportunities, Diversity Management and leadership issues.
- The main purpose of the CCF is:
- to promote greater consistency and provide a more objective basis against which individuals may be assessed;
- to enable individuals to understand the qualities, skills and attributes identified as being important for performing a job well;
- to ensure that those selected through recruitment, progression, promotions or trawls are those best equipped to carry out the relevant key tasks;
- to enable appraisal and development activities to be focused on helping equip people to deliver CPS business needs;
- to ensure everyone is clear what is expected of them; and
- to ensure individuals can make informed, focused decisions about the competencies they may need to develop for their future careers.
- Competencies are qualities, skills and attributes identified as being important for performing a job well. The CPS CCF identifies the essential qualities, skills and attributes necessary for the Service to deliver the core business to the standard required.
- The elements that define the competencies, the descriptors, give an indication of how satisfactory performance is demonstrated. The descriptors used illustrate the aspects that the CPS considers important and are used when assessing proficiency against each required competency and to refresh our memory, so we all have a common understanding of each competency definition.
- The competencies identify the common standards an organisation requires and are used for various aspects of performance management including the following:
- selection;
- job profiling;
- demonstrating the standards required;
- Performance Appraisal Reports;
- objective setting;
- identifying training needs.
- The aim of the CCF is to promote greater consistency and provide a more objective basis against which individuals may be assessed.
- The core competency framework is designed to be open and fair. It is intended that the process is open and transparent. The introduction of generic national standards should assist in ensuring the process is both transparent and consistent. Within the selection process the standards required for each post will be detailed within the job advert and are cross-referenced with the core competency framework.
- Job Holder (JH): job holders must have a clear understanding of the standard of work expected of them and the qualities, skills and attributes identified as being important for performing a job well. Individuals should take an active part in the standard setting and objective setting processes to ensure that they understand what is expected of them and to assist further development.
- Reporting Officer (RO): All reporting officers should be involved in upholding the national standard setting for their Area/HQ Directorate through consultation and communication, to enable appraisal activities to be focused on helping to equip people to deliver CPS business needs.
- Countersigning Officer (CSO): The countersigning officer is responsible for upholding national standards and ensuring that performance appraisal is carried out fairly, openly and accurately. The countersigning officer is responsible for promoting greater consistency and providing a more objective basis against which individuals may be assessed. The CSO is also responsible for approving variations from the national standards for particular posts.
- Personnel Directorate is responsible for:
- Core Competency Framework policy and generic national standards;
- providing advice and guidance to Areas/HQ Directorates on the operation of the core competency framework and generic national standards; and
- compiling national statistics for use in monitoring performance assessment.
- Service Centres are responsible for:
- providing advice and guidance to Area staff on the core competency framework and generic national standards.
- The CPS core competency framework (Appendix 1) identifies the skills, attitudes and behaviours required for the various jobs in the CPS in Levels A-E.
- There are three groups of competencies:
- personal contribution;
- management and communication; and
- direction.
- All staff will demonstrate competencies in the personal contribution group and the management and communication group and direction group to at least Standard 1.
- All eight core competencies apply to all posts in the CPS.
- Within the eight core competencies there are definitions of standards of performance. There are four standards in Leadership, Achieving Results, Planning and Organising, Communication and Negotiation and Reasoning and Decision Making, and three standards in Diversity Awareness and Management, Continuous Self-Development and Specialised Skills and Knowledge.
- Each standard comprises of a number of different examples of behaviour. These illustrate the expected standard of performance. The standards are cumulative: to achieve a Standard 3, Standards 1 and 2 inclusive must be demonstrated.
- The standards required in each core competency have been agreed nationally. However it is the responsibility of both the CSO and RO to ensure all job holders are aware of the standards required.
- There may be occasions where the standards of competency in particular posts vary from the national indicative standards, the individual's forward job plan should clearly show that the variation from the national indicative framework has been recorded and discussed by the job holder and the reporting officer. The CSO is responsible for agreeing any such variations.
- In agreeing any variation from the national indicative standards CSOs will take account of the balance between behaviours expected at each standard of the relevant core competency and the frequency to which behaviour at a particular standard would need to be demonstrated in a particular post. The national indicative standards framework (Appendix 2) sets out the agreed standards for posts in each pay band and for certain generic job roles. These standards apply from 1 April 2001.
- The forward job plan (see Chapter 10 Appendix 2) has been designed to be used as a working document and as such is separate from the PAR. It is attached to the Personal Development Plan so that the job holder's main areas of responsibility and objectives can be linked to their development requirements.
- Objectives provide the means by which staff are able to demonstrate the key competencies for their post, at the appropriate standard. Every job holder must have a set of meaningful objectives against which performance can be assessed throughout the reporting period.
- Individuals should be set at least one objective for each main area of responsibility as detailed on their FJP. The CCF forms one element that can contribute to objective setting for the forward job plan. The objectives set should reflect the individual's need to reach the standard for their post. For new members of staff and for those staff who may not be achieving the required standard of performance the CCF is used to clarify exactly the standard that has to be achieved. The agreed standard for each competency should be recorded on the FJP.
- Objective setting should be a joint exercise between the job holder and line manager and the objectives should form a link to the key targets for the output in the year ahead. Objectives should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound).
- Initially the line manager should have some objectives in mind and prepared ready for discussion when agreeing the Forward Job Plan. Experienced staff may also take the opportunity to set their own objectives in agreement with their line manager to achieve the necessary outputs (see Chapter 10 paragraph 33 of this Volume).
- Under the "Dramatic Improvement in Diversity" strand of the Civil Service Reform Agenda the CPS is to:
- "include diversity objectives, with measurable outcomes, in forward job plans and job frameworks".
- The introduction of Diversity Awareness and Management as a core competency is a key facilitator in meeting this important action.
- Each individual is required to have a Diversity objective within their forward job plan. It is important that the Diversity objectives are integral to the job holder's role and will improve the CPS' overall performance in the diversity area.
- Diversity focuses on the uniqueness of an individual, and recognises that an organisation needs to respond to individual's needs and aspirations. Diversity welcomes these differences rather than trying to eliminate them, and it is only through developing a culture where a diverse workforce is valued that there can be real equality.
- Job holders and line managers use the competency framework to identify specific areas for improvement and development by assessing current performance against the required standard. Details and agreed action and progress are recorded on a PDP (see Chapter 10 Appendix 2). The core competency framework and personal development plan can also be used to identify areas where individuals might develop their level of competency beyond that required for their current job, for example to assist their progress or for future jobs at a different level.
Introduction
Principles
What are competencies?
Why use competencies?
Transparency
Roles and responsibilities
Procedures
The CPS core competency framework
Each group of competencies builds on the other. The personal contribution group forms the foundation block. The management and communication group form the next level, and direction competencies form the final level.
