These case studies show how the PSG competency framework might be able to help you. They explore how the framework works in practice across a range of professions and circumstances.
Joe started as an Executive Officer in policy delivery and is now a Grade 7 making his second attempt to join the SCS
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
| Joe entered the Civil Service straight from college. He picked up the work quickly but was aware of the risk of following a narrow career path. To avoid this Joe was encouraged to apply for the Pathways programme. He was successful and obtained leadership and management training. During the Pathways programme Joe was promoted to HEO and seconded to be a policy advisor within another department where he responded to PQs and drafted legislation | Experience in policy delivery
Development of leadership and management competencies |
Joe had access to more training and completed the following modules:
|
Development of core skills in PPM, finance and people management and analysis/use of evidence |
| Following his training Joe was promoted to grade 7 but feedback from his interview stressed that he needed to broaden his experience if he wanted to progress further. Joe took up a series of posts leading policy teams. During one posting he went on a brief secondment to a voluntary organisation where he saw how the policies he had worked on being delivered but he was not there long enough to gain direct delivery responsibility. | Deepening of job-related professional expertise |
| Joe was not successful in his first attempt at the SCS assessment process. Feedback said he needed to demonstrate more SCS leadership competences, deepen his experience in some core skills and most importantly broaden his experience of non-policy roles. | Gaps in skills identified |
| Joe took stock with his line manager and planned to address these gaps. He underwent leadership training and completed a series of PSG modules in strategy, finance and communications. He took a position in the Finance division with the Head of Finance mentoring him to improve his skills in financial planning and accounting. He is now looking for an opportunity to gain meaningful experience in a role delivering services to the public. | Development of leadership competences; development of core SCS skills in strategic thinking, finance and comms & marketing; experience in corporate services delivery |
Outcome:
Joe is planning to go through the SCS assessment again. With the additional core skills and leadership competences he has acquired through on the job experience and training and his broader experience, he is more confident of success this time. He hopes to continue working in finance and to convert his training into an accountancy qualification.
Zaara joined as a Fast Streamer in operational delivery and, after gaining policy delivery experience, was appointed to the SCS
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
| Zaara joined the Service as an HEO(D) in a department delivering services direct to the public. She was managed through a 3-4 year development and training programme during which time she managed a front-line office and had a posting in HR. | Early foundation in operational delivery |
Whilst completing her Fast Stream training Zaara completed modular training in:
During her time as a front line office manager Zaara developed her leadership and management competences with the help of some specific coaching. |
Development of core skills in PPM, finance, people management and analysis. Early foundation in core SCS skill of strategic thinking
Development of leadership and management competences |
| Zaara was promoted to grade 7 as a delivery manager, her chosen career path decided by her mix of skills, experience and a discussion with her department’s Operational Head of Profession. She was a grade 7 operational delivery manager for 2½ years.
This was followed by a posting to a policy team as a delivery ‘expert’ to help develop thinking about options for reform. |
Selection of career ‘family’
Further deepening of job-related professional expertise Policy delivery experience |
| Zaara was then seconded to a large retail organisation where she worked in customer relations. After a year, she returned to the Service and further training in leadership and management. During this time Zaara completed her part time MBA.
Her next position was running a large area function in her parent department and advising on a large policy area. |
Broader experience in the private sector; development of core SCS skill in communications & marketing
Development of leadership competences and core skills |
Outcome:
Upon her return from maternity leave, Zaara went through the SCS assessment process. With her core experience in operational delivery, proven leadership and management competence, broader experience in the private sector and knowledge of core skills developed through her MBA, she was appointed to the SCS to run a large new delivery project.
Simon joined the graduate recruitment programme with private sector experience and is now an HR Director in an agency
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
| Simon is in his late 40s. The Civil Service is his second career. He entered through a specific graduate recruitment programme and joined the HR Department as a Grade 7. | Broader experience gained through work in the private sector |
| Simon’s position entailed working closely in support of the business unit and running special projects within the HR directorate. He used his private sector experience to improve business processes and has been identified by the HR director in his department as a potential high flyer. | Deepening of job-related professional expertise in corporate services delivery |
| Simon joined the Service with a lot of experience managing projects but in discussion with his line manager realised that he needed to gain more expertise in the core skills of financial management and analysis/use of evidence if he wanted to progress. He also needed more experience as a leader. | Gaps in core skills identified |
| As agreed with his manager, Simon went on a week long Principles of Finance course and, through a friend, organised for himself a job shadow in the finance division. He also received coaching from a senior colleague to improve his ability to think strategically. | Development of core skills in financial management and strategic thinking to fill gaps |
| When he heard that a Business Delivery Manager in an Agency was going on a career break, Simon asked for and was given a secondment. This allowed him to take on a more operational role, running a large unit processing payments to members of the public. Simon used this experience to move into a front line delivery role in the same Agency which also exposed him to the policy-making process. | Experience gained of leadership and management in an operational delivery role
Operational and policy delivery experience |
Outcome:
With significant professional expertise in the public and private sectors and the additional core skills and leadership competences he had gained, Simon was successful in gaining promotion to the SCS. Now in the SCS, he is focusing on developing the core SCS skill of communications and marketing. He is now HR Director in an agency.
Imelda started in policy delivery and used the framework to broaden her experience and prepare her for promotion to Grade 7
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
| Imelda has been in the Service for 12 years. She joined a policy team working in an area in which she was personally interested. After three years she was persuaded to try a job in another division but did not enjoy it and took the first opportunity to move back to the policy team. She has been in post for 7 years during which time she has been promoted to HEO. | Deep job-related professional expertise in policy delivery |
| Given her lengthy experience, Imelda is recognised as one of the department’s authorities in her field. She loves policy work – ministerial submissions, PQs and the preparatory work for next year’s White Paper – but avoids anything outside her area of expertise. | |
| At her end of year review Imelda told her manager that she would like to be a Grade 7. He explained that she needed to extend her skills beyond her current role. He offered to help identify where Imelda needed to develop and make time available for her to gain new skills. | |
| Imelda and her manager agreed that she was strong on policy expertise and a sensitive manager of her team. She had also successfully managed a series of small scale projects. However, she had limited experience of using evidence in policy making – a key skill required in her chosen area – and knew very little about financial management techniques. | Gaps in Grade 7 core skills identified |
| Over the next two years, Imelda worked hard to broaden her skills. She went on two courses – ‘Using Evidence in Policy Making’ and ‘Introduction to Financial Management’. She also went on attachment with a front line agency delivering the policy outcomes she had worked on. At work Imelda’s manager involved her in the business planning round to give her experience of financial planning. Finding she quite liked it, she took a post in a finance policy team. She returned to the policy division to a specific role in the run up to the White Paper where her manager gave her specific pieces of work to lead on. | Development of core skills, leadership and management competences and wider experience to fill gaps; some broader experience |
Outcome:
Imelda was worried when her manager said she needed to gain experience in other areas if she wanted to be promoted. Though the courses were in unfamiliar subjects Imelda quickly saw how the new skills could help her to do a better job. Her attachment made clear the links between policy and delivery and improved her understanding of the impact of her work. She now feels much better prepared for the assessment centre she is going on later in the year. Imelda thinks she will always prefer policy work but is prepared to try different roles in the future. Once settled at Grade 7, she will explore whether she could be seconded into the voluntary sector.
Rebecca joined as an economist, has developed the skills to work as an economist in the SCS, and is looking to broaden her experience in order to compete for posts at Board level
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
| Rebecca entered the Government Economic Service via the Fast Stream with a 2:1 in Economics. During her first four years, she worked as an Assistant Economist in 2 different departments, and, in the last year, managed a sandwich student. Her 50 hours a year of economics Continuous Professional Development included the GES refresher course in macro-economics, as well as attending seminars, and learning new skills in health economics on the job. As well as her Fast Stream training, her 50 hours a year of non-economics CPD included modular training in: | Deep job-related professional expertise in economics and initial experience of people management |
| Programme and Project Management
People Management |
Development of core skills |
| After four years, Rebecca was promoted to Economic Adviser based in an analytical division, but also working as a virtual member of a policy team. As she was now based in the Department for Work and Pensions, she completed the GES Masters-level module in labour economics. In this job, she managed an assistant economist and an assistant statistician. After a couple of years, she moved into a policy delivery job, but maintained her economics by doing the refresher module in micro-economics and reading papers relevant to her policy area. | Maintaining professional expertise whilst gaining broader experience in policy delivery |
| During this time Rebecca took on the budgetary responsibility for her unit. This allowed her to develop the skills she acquired through the PSG training module in finance. | Development of core skills in finance |
| She successfully applied for an SCS Economist position, managing a team of analysts and a sizeable research budget. |
Outcome:
Rebecca has now been working for some time as an SCS Economist is now seeking opportunities to work in operational delivery. This will help her to gain experience in all three career groupings so that she will be able to compete for promotion to Board level.
Mike joined the Civil Service with a PhD in science as a Grade 7 and progressed to Director in a policy directorate
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
| Mike joined the Civil Service at the age of 38 as a Grade 7. Prior to this he had spent 10 years in industrial research and development, following three years of post-doctoral experience after gaining a science PhD. During his time in industry, Mike broadened his scientific expertise and developed skills in project management, business operations, and the marketing and commercial application of chemical engineering processes. | Gaining professional expertise & broader experience through work in the private sector |
| Mike’s first Civil Service post was a scientific advisory and regulatory role. He undertook a personal training and development programme to gain expertise in operating in the policy environment, and developed skills as a regulator and in emergency planning. | Broadening of professional expertise into policy delivery |
| He was promoted to Grade 6 in the same unit, with financial and people management responsibilities. He undertook a PSG training module in finance to give him a start in developing skills to manage his unit’s budget, and received coaching to help him develop people management skills to the levels set out in the PSG framework. | Core skills in staff and financial management |
| Throughout this time Mike maintained his specialist expertise by attending and speaking at scientific conferences, and was much in demand as a public speaker – both in his specialist area, and representing the Department in a wide range of outward-facing events and conferences. | Maintaining professional expertise through continuing professional development |
Outcome:
Mike was promoted to the SCS when the Department reorganised to combine policy and scientific responsibilities in the same command. He moved into a post in the corporate centre of a new NDPB, gaining experience and developing skills in strategic planning and operational management. He returned to his Department to head a strategic policy division. He was later promoted to Director in a policy DG. This post involves policy development with input from specialist teams in his Directorate. Mike also sits on the strategy committee of a Research Council.
Jonathan is Director (Director General Level) of Strategy and Resources at the Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group, part of the Department for Transport
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
| Jonathan graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury with a BA (Hons) in Geography. His first position was at:
- Touche Ross where he entered their graduate recruitment programme and trained as a Chartered Accountant. During this time (5 years) he worked for a range of private sector clients. - In 1990 he was seconded to Kleinwort Benson for a year and worked as a Corporate Finance Manager on privatisation plans for three regional electricity boards. |
Operational delivery |
| In 1991 Jonathan joined District Audit as an audit manager (grade 7) and worked for 3 years for a number of health services and local government clients. In addition to audit assignments he was involved in drafting two public interest reports and developing District Audit’s overall tax strategy. During this time Jonathan undertook a series of management development and productivity courses. | Policy delivery |
| In 1994 Jonathan moved to the Audit Commission where he stayed for 3 years as a Resources Senior Manager | Corporate services delivery |
| In 1997 whilst still at the Audit Commission Jonathan was promoted to Associate Director of Corporate Services (grade 5). During this time he joined HMT’s Invest to Save Committee, chaired a review of employee benefits and managed the development of an award winning website. | Corporate services delivery |
| In 1999 Jonathan became Head of Finance & Corporate Planning and was responsible for 50 staff and a budget of £10m. His achievements included setting up a marketing department, developing an ICT strategy and managing an efficiency review. During this time Jonathan studied Business Transformation at Henley Management College | Corporate services delivery |
| Promoted to Finance Director (grade 3) in 2000 Jonathan’s financial management responsibilities increased as he took on an annual budget of £200m. His position entailed integrating risk based corporate planning systems, developing the five year financial strategy and helping to design a pay framework in partnership with the unions. During this time Jonathan undertook the CMPS Developing Top Management Programme | Corporate services delivery |
| In 2003 Jonathan left the Audit Commission and joined the Civil Service as Group Finance Director at the Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group, part of the DfT. The Group covers four executive agencies employing some 12,000 staff. | Corporate services delivery |
| In 2004 Jonathan was made Director of Strategy and Resources where he currently manages an annual group budget of £715m and is directly responsible for 44 staff. | Policy delivery |
Una is the Director of Development and Clinical Governance (SCS Pay Band 2) at a Central London NHS teaching hospital
| Experience | PSG Assessment |
Una graduated from Oxford with a degree in History. Before joining the service she:
|
Policy delivery
Operational delivery |
| In 1990 Una joined the Department of Health (DH) as a direct entrant grade 7 working firstly on disability policy issues and later on NHS performance management. She attended a 5-day CMPS course in policy making. | Policy delivery |
| In 1993 she became Private Secretary to the Minister for Health who had responsibility for NHS reforms and for the pharmaceutical industry. She managed 6 staff. | Corporate Service and Policy Delivery |
| In 1994 she moved to the Department for Transport as Principal Private Secretary for the Secretary of State. She managed the offices of 4 ministers and the Parliamentary Relations Unit. | Corporate Service and Policy Delivery |
| In 1995 she moved back to DH as Scrutineer for the ‘Rayner’ style review of bureaucracy in the NHS. 8 Staff. | Corporate Service Delivery |
| In 1996 following she moved to the Cabinet Office as Deputy Director (SCS payband 1). She worked in the Efficiency Unit and liased with the Treasury to review Whitehall costs. Attended a 2 week leadership programme at CMPS. | Corporate Service Delivery |
| In 1998 she returned to DH as Secretary to the Public Enquiry into children’s heart surgery in Bristol. £14.5 million budget and staffing of 6 to 80 people. During this time she was given an executive coach. | Policy Delivery |
| In 2001 she successfully competed for the job Director of Change Management (SCS payband 3) in DH. She masterminded the closure of 2 hospitals to form the University College Hospital (UCH). | Operational Delivery |