Competencies are the behaviors, capabilities, understanding, and expertise that contribute to professional growth and development within a classification. Specifically:

Behavior is the observable reaction of an individual to a certain situation.
Capability is an innate potential to perform mental and physical actions or tasks.
Understanding is information developed or learned through experience, study, or investigation.
Expertise is the result of repeatedly applying understanding or capability.

Employees are hired with a clear understanding of the minimum qualifications to perform their position but may not know how or what actions can be taken to increase their proficiency in their current position. Competencies are tangible and enable and encourage employees to have a clear roadmap for progression.

Supervisors will select five (5) competencies for each framework.

Professional Category (P1 to P7):
For positions with a job template that are in the Professional Category (P1 to P7), supervisors will select five (5) competencies from the Professional Competencies category. The competencies should be related to the job specification and/or specific discipline for the position.

Manager Category (M5-M8):
For positions with a job template that are in a Manager Category (M5-M8), supervisors will select four (4) competencies from the Professional Competencies category and one (1) competency from the Manager Competencies. Manager Competencies should be related to the employee's role of providing a combination of supervisor/management over a department charged with providing a variety of cross-disciplinary services.

Competency Library:
Human Resources has developed broad definitions of each competency and measurable and observable competency statements for each competency across all three ranks. These should be used to aid in the development of drafting the competency statements, to generate thought about how the competency can be displayed within a position, and/or assist in describing the various behaviors, capabilities, understanding, and/or expertise required for the classification. These are intended to be useful as a reference and are not an exhaustive list. The competencies and competency statements can be found on the Competency Library.

If there are other competencies important to your specific job/role, you should discuss them with your supervisor and determine the best approach for incorporating them into your overall career progression framework. However, Supervisors make the final determination of the Additional Professional or Manager Competencies that are related to an employee’s job specification and/or specific discipline for their classification.

Development activities are various activities that an employee engage in to increase their behaviors, capabilities, understanding and/or expertise in real-world situations within that competency. Activities include but are not limited to: formal training or education, reading/studying, coaching/mentoring, completing or leading special projects, or participating in activities of a professional organization.

Application

To be eligible for promotion to a new rank, employees must meet the following criteria after their supervisor has evaluated and confirmed their achievement of all required competencies for that rank:

An up-to-date and approved Job Specification on file with Human Resources.

1. An approved Career Progression Framework on file with Human Resources.
2. Received an overall rating of Good or better on their most recent performance evaluation.
3. Successfully completed their initial probationary period.
4. Served at least one year in the same position and job template at the rank of Proficient before applying to move to Advanced.
5. Served at least two years in the same position and job template at the rank of Advanced before applying to move to Expert.

Please note: Eligibility is one step in the application process. As stated above, supervisors will make the determination for employees through observation and measurement if the employee has demonstrated achievement of all competencies for the specified rank.

Employees are hired at the Proficient rank.

Eligibility will be based on years in current position as of March 1st and September 1st, respectively.

Employees return to the Proficient rank if their position is reclassified to a higher level or if they accept a new position. Lateral moves in the same job template within a unit retain their current rank.

Lateral reclassifications to a new job template will be reviewed on a case by case for determination if rank will be retained.

No, employees can only apply to progress from Proficient to Advanced and from Advanced to Expert. Employees cannot apply to progress from Proficient to Expert. 

The Career Progression Program has two application periods per year when employees can submit their nomination:

Career Progression Applications that are approved by Human Resources will be effective on the opening date of the application period they were fully approved in (which includes fiscal approval), March 1^st or September 1^st respectively. 

Salary

When moving from Proficient to Advanced, $1,000 will be added to the employee’s base salary. When moving from Advanced to Expert, $1,500 will be added to the employee’s base salary.

No, the increase cannot result a full-time annual salary that exceeds the pay band maximum for that employee. In those cases where the resulting increase would be outside the pay band maximum, the $1,000 or $1,500 will be paid out in a one-time lump sum payment.

The increase is funded by the department and are subject to fiscal constraints.

Framework

The Career Progression Framework outlines the behaviors, capabilities, understanding, and/or expertise for each competency at each rank for the employee’s position.

The Career Progression Framework will:

• List all competencies that are required for the employee's classification;
• Provide a competency statement for each rank within each competency, detailing what is required to achieve that rank; and
• Provide a clear and defined path of progression from Proficient, to Advanced, to Expert within that position.

Yes, Supervisors are required to submit a Framework for each position and must be submitted and approved by Human Resources before an employee can be nominated for Career Progression. Supervisors are also required to review the Framework with the employee once approved.

First read the definition of each competency and the key behaviors, capabilities, understanding and/or expertise that describe how employees may demonstrate that competency. You will now want to consider ways that you can demonstrate that competency through development activities. Human Resources has provided several examples under each competency in the Competency Library for reference.

Yes, As work evolves, HR fully anticipates and encourages the changes to a Framework as necessary.