North Ayrshire Council's Competency Framework
Introduction to the Framework
North Ayrshire Council's Competency Framework is used throughout the organisation for all posts, grades 1 to 17. The Competency Framework defines the behaviours in terms of how North Ayrshire Council employees should go about our jobs, grouped together under nine Competency Headings. Eight of these competencies apply to all employees, with the exception being People Management, which only applies if relevant to the role, i.e. if the role involves managing a team or managing projects.
Further information on the Competency Framework can be found in Introduction to the Competency Framework (PDF 36Kb)
The Competency Framework and Recruitment
North Ayrshire Council uses a Competency Based recruitment process, using the Competency Framework at the following stages:
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Application stage – The majority of our vacancies will explore a selection of the competencies in the application form – the vacancy advert will advise which competencies are being explored, and the Role Profile attached to the advert will detail the level of behaviour appropriate to that role. In the application form, you would be expected to explain example situations from your past that you feel demonstrate the behaviours required. Further information is available in Competencies – Explaining Examples (PDF 32Kb).
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Interview stage – Competency Based Interviews will be held which will explore a selection of competencies further. It may be the same competencies as at application stage, or additional competencies – the letter inviting you to interview will detail which will be explored. As at the application stage, you should be prepared to explain situations which you feel demonstrate the behaviours required. Further information is available in Competency Based Interviews (PDF 30Kb).
Competency Framework Extracts
The documents below detail the nine competencies and behaviour required at each level:
Managing Self
Planning, Organising and Decision Making (PDF 30Kb)
Self Development (PDF 27Kb)
Change (PDF 31Kb)
Achieving Performance
Customer Focus (PDF 31Kb)
Delivering Results (PDF 29Kb)
Continuous Improvement (PDF 30Kb)
Working with Others
Effective Working Relationships (PDF 29Kb)
Communication (PDF 30Kb)
People Management (PDF 36Kb)
Other uses of the Competency Framework
In addition to recruitment, the Council's Competency Framework is used within the employee performance management procedure, Performance and Personal Development. This procedure is a development-focused procedure, aiming to identify and progress development that will assist employees in their role.
Each employee has – at a minimum – an annual discussion with their manager, the aim of which is to reflect on performance for the previous year and agree the focus of work and development required for the forthcoming year. During this discussion, the employee and manager will reflect on how each of the competencies has been demonstrated. In addition, the focus of the following year's work is agreed and development needs and solutions to these is identified and progressed.