Competency Assessment
A structured approach to enable people development
The Positive Purchasing Competency Assessment programme allows you to gain a structured insight into the capabilities of your team measured against best practice. The results help to design focused people development programmes concentrating on your highest priority areas. Furthermore, if your Board need any convincing that investment in this area is necessary, our detailed assessment summary is precisely what you need to make the case compelling.
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How it works
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The first step is to identify the competency areas that are critical to you. Starting with our proven competency framework we work with you to review the competencies that are most relevant to your team, organisation and what you are trying to achieve. We then customise the framework to create the assessment program that is right for your organisation.
Candidates are then invited to access the on-line Competency Assessment Portal to take the first part of the assessment. Here candidates work through the self-assessment phase providing a response to each assessment criteria and supporting this by giving examples of work and achievements in each area and determining their self-assessment rating. When the candidate is happy with his or her responses then the completed assessment is submitted. At all stages our on-line competency assessment system provides a real-time view of the progress of candidates in the assessment process.
Next candidates undergo a one-to-one interview with an experienced purchasing practitioner. The interview usually lasts between 1 and 2 hours during which the responses to each assessment criteria are reviewed and discussed along with examples of work in each area and key achievements. The assessor moderates the candidates self-assessment making adjustments to the overall ratings as appropriate. Finally the assessor, together with the candidate agree the areas where personal development is required Once complete the candidate can then download their full report containing a complete record of the assessment together with an analysis of strengths and areas for development.
A summary management report provides the full cross-team results and findings. This provides multiple analysis views to give key insights into overall strengths and development areas. The report also provides recommendations and a roadmap for a suitable people development program. Typically this might include recommendations for education and training, work place coaching, e-learning and self-study programs.
The process of carrying out a Competency Assessment program within an organisation is extremely beneficial. Our programs not only help identify competency gaps but also provide a framework to engage with every member of the team in a one-to-one situation. This allows us to assess not only specific competencies, but to also gauge the overall mood, feel and level of enthusiasm within the team. It also helps us identify any hidden issues allowing us to make a full and comprehensive report to the management team defining actions that can help strengthen the team.
Call Positive Purchasing today to find out how we can help you achieve a structured view of your team’s capabilities and identify how you can structure your development program for the future.
Variable targets
Our on-line competency assessment system allows us to set the competency framework that is right for your organisation but to identify a series of different target profiiles for each competency according to the role people do. A senior practitioner would be expected to have a very different competency profile to say purchasing support staff or the management team. Our system provides the full flexibility to deploy multiple profile assessments with candidates measured against the individual target profiles that relate to the job they do.
Team Comparisons
Our system allows us to make direct comparisons between different team's within a business. This allows the level of development of each team across different business units or geographies to be compared against a global standard. People development programs can then be developed with regional variations according to need.
The Business Case
Convincing the Board to invest in training and people development often has its challenges. However if the Purchasing team has been given a clear remit to deliver dramatic bottom line value, then you need the right people, capability, systems and processes to achieve this. Our Competency Assessment programs can provide certainty in understanding the mix and level of capability you have now and what is needed as well as providing indisputable facts and data to create the business case for the investment required to uplift capability.
Team Size
We can provide competency assessment for any size of team, there is no minimum or maximum. We have experience of carrying out Competency Assessment across huge purchasing teams spread out globally in multiple locations. Alternatively we can simply provide one single assessment for one individual (available through our store via credit card). Call us today to find out how we can help assess your capability and the capability of your team.
Leadership Assessment
We can provide a specialist 'bolt-on' to our Competency Assessment to assess leadership capabilities within a management team; specifically the mix of leadership attributes expected and needed within an effective purchasing team. Our Leadership Competency Assessments, carried out by a partner level assessor, can help leaders better understand their strengths and areas to develop and can provide real guidance and support to move forward.