Position/Competency Profiles

Description

• An overview of job responsibilities and skills requirements for key positions or categories of personnel within the proposed new organisational model.  These profiles reflect responsibilities for core processes as well as management activities.
• Position/Competency Profiles expand upon the Delineation of Roles/Responsibilities established in the previous phase and provide a foundation for the subsequent development of detailed job descriptions or job “fact sheets”, as required for job evaluation / salary determination purposes.  They also provide the foundation for the development of job posters for recruitment/hiring purposes.

Business Value

• Position/Competency Profiles define accountability for the redesigned work processes and help to reduce the potential for overlapping job functions.  These profiles summarize the skills and qualifications required to perform the job effectively.  They also incorporate the desired work habits and attitudes that are expected of employees as part of the changes to the organisational culture.

Approach

The development of Position/Competency Profiles  is an iterative process that usually involves a number of text revisions.  A “strawman” (rough draft) version of each Position/Competency Profile is developed and reviewed by a representative of the core project team for accuracy (i.e. alignment with the “To-Be” process).

1. Review the Delineation of Roles and Responsibilities chart.
2. Review detailed descriptions of the To-Be processes to identify skills, experience and educational requirements.
3. Obtain and review work description benchmarks for various categories of personnel. (Benchmarking)
4. Break down the Delineation of Roles/Responsibilities into discrete positions and identify the key competencies, experience and education requirements for each position.
5. Review all draft profiles with a member of the core project team to ensure duties are in line with the redesigned “To-Be” process.  As required, consult with unit supervisors (if these have been appointed) as well as with the organisation’s HR specialists.
6. Review all draft Position/Competency Profiles to identify and eliminate inadvertent gaps and overlapping duties.
7. Obtain management feedback and approval.

Guidelines

Problems/Solutions

• Position/Competency Profiles  should serve to reinforce desired work habits, as well as the Shared Values and Guiding Principles identified at the outset of the project.  As an example, “flexibility” (performing duties outside one’s job description) could be defined as an integral part of the new jobs.

Tactics/Helpful Hints

• Responsibilities/skills requirements must be directly linked to the “To-Be” Processes.  They must not be linked to “existing” staff competencies, experience levels, etc.
• Individuals currently acting in the position may be interviewed, as appropriate, if clarification of details is required (applicable only in cases where entirely new jobs are not being designed).
• Care must be taken to align the job duties of related positions within and across organizational units so as to avoid overlap and duplication.
• Position/Competency Profiles should be succinct (1-2 pages).

Resources/Timing

• Human Resources specialists (either internal or external to the company) are generally charged with developing Position/Competency Profiles and job descriptions because of their close links to sensitive topics such as salary/job classifications, employment equity, collective bargaining agreements, etc.