The Ultimate HR Reference Tool

Case study: Sales Department in a Telecommunication Organisation

The Tool

• It is a structured list of competencies which will serve as benchmark for behaviours demanded to produce expected performance and results from employees

• These competencies are used for determining the essential behaviours and display of skills on specific roles and levels within an organisation

• This tool forms the basis for strategic HR initiatives which includes but not restricted to the following: Succession Planning, Recruitment, Learning and Development, Performance Management, Talent Management

Competency Framework: The ultimate HR Reference Tool

The Case: Sales Department in a Telecommunication Organisation

• The right sales channels, initiatives and drive help to put innovations in the hands of esteemed customers. This is a practice belief of an organisation that aspires to bring unrivalled innovation and experience to consumers of its different range of mobile devices.

• As a new entrant into the mobile phone business space, there is need to hire the right talents within its sales department. These individuals will be responsible for driving and executing all sales related strategies for the organisation. They will own the processes involved in building and growing the sales channels and ensure the right exhibition of the values and practice principles of the corporate entity in which they belong.

• Before embarking on attracting talents, it is important to understand in detail what competencies and proportions required for the Sales department. Hence the need for a competency framework that will depicts competencies and proficiency levels which should consider the Sales department as a part of the whole

• How do you approach this task?

Assumptions

• That strategic direction encompassing the Vision, Mission, Values, initiatives/corporate drivers have been concluded

• That an OD exercise has been carried out and fit for implementation

Understanding Competency Framework

• Competency Framework should display three (3) distinct competency areas as depicted by the schema below:

Generic Competencies

IT Strategy Finance HR

Sales Marketing Admin Regulations

Technical/Functional Competencies

Leadership Competencies

Generic competencies: This forms the foundation as it applies to all staff of an organisation. It shapes the persons of an organisation & makes them worthy ambassadors

Leadership competencies: These set of competencies apply to leaders within an organisation. These set of competencies usually commence from specific grade levels within an organisation.

Technical/Functional Competencies:These competencies are competencies specific to the different functional areas/department/units of an organisation.

1

2

3

Understanding Competency Framework

• Competencies are required to be charted along proficiency levels as depicted below:

• In defining a competency, it is required that

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Proficiency Levels Descriptions as related to expected competency behaviour

Basic or foundational. This depicts entry level behaviours

Capability: Putting behaviour to practice

Inspirational: Practice reference point. A role model.

Transformational: Visionary and cave new directions as guru

Every competency has three main parts:

• Title: A word or phrase that sums up the competency (e.g. “Customer Focus”).

• Short descriptor: A brief description that sets the general scope or boundaries of the competency, including key concepts (e.g. “Considers, prioritizes, and takes action on the needs of both internal and external customers.”).

• Proficiency levels: Detailed statements describing what a competency looks like when it is performed by a person on-the-job. In essence, they describe observable behaviors or “behavior indicators.” This is the basis of the competency.

While the number of proficiency levels is ultimately up to you, four or five is typical.

Regardless of competency type, including proficiency levels makes competencies relevant for day-to-day performance

Please note that the operational model of your department is well considered in plotting these competencies. With the case of this organisation, the sales department is structured in to three distinct units which are Sales, Sales Support and After Sales. This is not cast in stone as organisations are at the liberty of running with a model that best supports their strategy.

Leadership Competencies

Beyond generic leadership competencies which helps to drive

required leadership, it is also important that competencies required to drive the Vision &

Mission of the organisation are identified and structured under the

leadership competency profile. These competencies are defined along grade levels/positions and with the appropriate proficiency

levels.

Generic Competencies

These are competencies which can be structured to represent the

following:Essential Competencies required to

function within the Organisation

Competencies required to help live and deliver on the Values and

Perception carved for the Organisation

Technical/Functional Competencies

Laundry List of Competencies

Sales Department (Telecommunications Coy)

Sales

After Sales

Sales Support

New Channel DevelopmentAccount & Channel

Management

Sales AnalyticsCompetition AnalysisMarket Forecasting

Technical Set-up &Diagnostics

Generic competencies applicable to specific departments/units. E.g.: use of specific

software

In giving meaning to competencies identified for the sales department, there will be need to tabularize the competencies…

with proficiency levels as structured below

Competency New Channel Development

Description Expanding the avenue through which products could be sold while also identifying more buyers within established avenues

Level 1

• Basic knowledge of Market channels and their relevance to business continuity

• Knows the various Market channels for the industry and the organisation

• Can conduct research into channel opportunities

Level 2

• Intermediate knowledge of Market Channels and how they impact supply

• Acquitted with the Market Channels for the business and their specific contributions to the business

• Knows the players within the various channels

• Research and recommend channel opportunities as related to growing sales and market share

Level 3• Advanced in knowledge as related to building Channels and repositioning of channels

• Can identify Channel Opportunities and initiate take-off processes

Level 4

• Knows the positive and negatives of all channels available to the market

• Can conduct ROI and ROE on new channel suggestions and drive

• Can own the process of growing channels, transforming and expanding scope of operations within established channels

With the tabularization of ‘New Channel Development’, you are required to carry out the same exercise with the other competencies as presented below:

Account & Channel Management

Description

Technical Set-up & Diagnostics Sales Analytics

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Competition Analysis

Description

Market Forecasting

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Description

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Description

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Description

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

With a well detailed chatting of your competencies and proficiency levels it is required that you align with your grading

With an assumption of the following grade-levels:

DGM

AGM

MGR

AM

Executive Officer

Executive

Sales HC

GM

New Channel Dev. Acct. & Channel MgtTechnical Set-up &

DiagnosticsSales Analytics Market Forecasting

Competencies

Level 1

GL

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 4

Level 2

Proficiencies are expected to be plotted into each of these competencies as related to the various grade levels.

You typical competency framework for Sales Department will be required to look like this…

Competencies Executive Executive Officer Assistant Manager

Manager AGM DGM GM

Generic

1. communication2.3.4.

Technical/Functional

1. Sales Analytics2.3.4.

Leadership

1. Delegation2.3.4.

Please note that….

you can never as HR achieve a rounded competency framework in isolation of all other stakeholders

it is a reference tool that needs to be reviewed/update alongside strategy of the business as it changes

professional inputs are required as it takes a lot of time and dedication which affects other HR task

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