Career Progression is the implementation of Article 31.2 in the UCPEA contract. Specifically: “The University and the UCPEA will…. develop a process by which managers can nominate employees for within-level progression, due to increase job proficiency and/or relevant professional development.”

Career Progression, reclassification and performance evaluation are all separate processes outlined in the UCPEA contract. While the relationship between these various processes are indirect, they should be viewed and conducted as separate programs and processes and the outcome of one does not directly effect the outcome of another.

Career Progression looks forward and it’s meant to equip and enable employees to grow within their current position by developing their behaviors, capabilities, understanding and experience. Their job template title does not change.

Performance Evaluation looks back and it evaluates how well an employee executes their position-related expectations. It focused on measuring and differentiating high, average, and low performers.

Reclassification is conducted when there have been significant changes in the job duties and responsibilities being performed on a regular basis and outside of the position’s current job template. The approval of a reclassification results in the employee’s job template title changing.

Competencies are the behaviors, capabilities, understanding, and expertise that contribute to growth within a position. 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.

Universal Competencies:
Universal Competencies are competencies that are related to the University’s mission. These competencies are required for all employees, regardless of position or template. More information regarding the University’s mission can be found on the University’s Academic Vision website.

Core Competencies per Occupational Group:
Occupational Group Competencies are competencies that are related to the Occupational Group that the employee’s job template falls under. Each Occupational Group has a list of competencies that all job templates under that group will be required to be used on the Career Progression Framework. The required competencies for each Occupational Group can be found on the Competency Library. If you do not know what Occupational Group your employee’s job template falls under, please refer to the Job Template Library on the Career Paths website for more information.

Additional Professional Competencies:
In addition to the Required Competencies, Managers will also select Professional Competencies for those job templates in a Professional Category (P1-P7). The Professional Competencies should be related to the employee’s job specification and/or specific discipline for their job template.

Additional Manager Competencies:
For job templates that are in a Manager Category (M5-M8), Managers will select Manager Competencies in addition to the Required Competencies. Manager Competencies should be related to the employee’s role of providing a combination of supervision/management over a department charged with providing a variety of cross-disciplinary services.

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 position.

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.

To be eligible to be nominated for progression to a new rank, employees must have:

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

Employee must meet all eligibility criteria in order to be eligible.

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

Employees can only submit to go from Proficient to Expert during the Accelerated Review timeframe of the Career Progression program roll out and meet the eligibility. Employees who do not meet the Accelerated Review eligibility or once that timeframe is over, can only be nominated to progress from Proficient to Advanced to Expert, in that order.

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

• January 1st to January 31st
• July 1st to July 31st

Eligibility will be based on years in current classification/position as of June 30th and December 31st, respectively.

Career Progression Nominations that are approved by Human Resources will be effective on the opening date of the nomination period they were fully approved in (which includes fiscal approval), July 1st or January 1st respectively.

For example, if you submit for nomination to go to the Advanced rank in the January 1-31, 2023 nomination period, have met all eligibility requirements, have demonstrated you have met all competencies at that rank and the designated Manager Outside of the Bargaining unit for the department and Budget have confirmed there is funding for the increase, your effective date to move to the rank of Advanced will be January 1, 2023.

However, if the Manager Outside of the Bargaining unit for the department and Budget determine there is not funding for the increase, the nomination is then held. Then, in the July 1-31, 2023 nomination period it is reviewed and now it is determined there is funding for the increase, your effective date to move to the rank of Advanced will now be July 1, 2023.

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 approvals are subject to fiscal constraints. Determination on funding approval for Career Progression should be based on seniority within the UCPEA. Human Resources will send out a seniority list to departments at the start of each nomination period.

Approved nominations where it is determined funding is not available will be held and employees will not have to re-submit as they will be reviewed each subsequent nomination period until funding is available for up to three years (whichever comes first).

Held nominations will be reviewed with all nominations submitted during each subsequent nomination period. Approvals based on funding will be determined by seniority within the UCPEA.

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 position;
• 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, regardless if funding is available or not. In addition, the framework must be submitted and approved by Human Resources before an employee can be nominated for Career Progression.

All eligible employees should have the opportunity to participate in 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.