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              The Competency Framework
                   A guide for IAEA managers and staff
     CONTENT
     INTRODUCTION.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3
     1. CORE VALUES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .8
     2. CORE COMPETENCIES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 10
      COMMUNICATION  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 11
        TEAMWORK  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 12
        PLANNING AND ORGANIZING.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 13
        ACHIEVING RESULTS  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 14
     3. FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 15
        LEADING AND SUPERVISING  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 16
        ANALYTICAL THINKING  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 17
        KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND LEARNING  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 18
        JUDGEMENT/DECISION MAKING  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 19
      TECHNICAL/SCIENTIFIC CREDIBILITY  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 20
        CHANGE MANAGEMENT  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 21
        COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 22
        PARTNERSHIP BUILDING  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 23
        CLIENT ORIENTATION  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 24
        PERSUASION AND INFLUENCING  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 25
        RESILIENCE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 26
                                                              1
           INTRODUCTION
           What is a competency framework?                                      What are the components of the framework?
           A competency framework is a model that broadly describes             The Agency’s competency framework includes core values, 
           performance excellence within an organization. Such a                and core and functional competencies. The defi nitions of 
           framework usually includes a number of competencies                  these components are as follows:
           that are applied to multiple occupational roles within 
           the organization. Each competency defi nes, in generic                Core values are principles that infl uence people’s actions 
           terms, excellence in working behaviour; this defi nition              and the choices they make. They are ethical standards that 
           then establishes the benchmark against which staff are               are based on the standards of conduct for the international 
           assessed. A competency framework is a means by which                 civil service and are to be upheld by all staff.
           organizations communicate which behaviours are required, 
           valued, recognized and rewarded with respect to specifi c             Core competencies provide the foundation of the 
           occupational roles. It ensures that staff, in general, have a        framework, describing behaviours to be displayed by all staff 
           common understanding of the organization’s values and                members. They are defi ned by occupational roles for a given 
           expected excellent performance behaviours.                           job.
           Competency frameworks are used throughout the United                 Functional competencies are defi ned by duties and 
           Nations system, as well as in many government and private            responsibilities assumed by staff members for a given job. 
           sector organizations.                                                Based on the job complexity and level of responsibility, and 
                                                                                the seniority of the occupational role, an average of three 
                                                                                to fi ve functional competencies are assigned to a given job.
                                                                                Given the varied nature of its work, the Agency could 
                                                                                adopt numerous core and functional competencies; 
                                                                                however, following a thorough analysis of all scientifi c and 
                                                                                administrative fi elds of work, it was decided to restrict the 
                                                                                                                                            3
           number to four core competencies and eleven functional               For the functional competencies, the occupational roles are 
           competencies. The results of this analysis revealed that             broadly defi ned as follows:
           many competencies are shared across many positions and 
           that a more standardized approach would ensure more                  • Individual Contributor — staff members, normally 
           effective and effi cient human resources management.                     without supervisory responsibility, who are accountable 
                                                                                   for their individual performance and contribution to the 
           The competency framework consists of three occupational                 outputs of their team. 
           roles for the core competencies and four occupational roles 
           for the functional competencies. These roles refer to the                Associate — a junior or mid-level General Service 
           primary purpose of and the relationship between jobs. For                   (GS) staff member (at the G1 to G5 level) or junior 
           the core competencies, the occupational roles are broadly                   professional (at the P1 or P2 level), who provides 
           defi ned as follows:                                                         support to colleagues and works under the technical 
                                                                                       guidance of the supervisor.
           • The Individual Contributor — a staff member, normally 
              without supervisory responsibility, who is accountable for            Specialist — a senior General Service (GS) staff 
              his/her individual performance and contribution to the                   member (at the G6 or G7 level) or middle or senior 
              outputs of the team.                                                     level professional specialist (at the P3 to P5 level) who 
                                                                                       has expert knowledge in his/her fi eld of specialization 
           • The Manager — a staff member at the middle or senior                      and works independently. A Specialist does not 
              professional level (at the P4 or P5 level) with managerial               normally have direct supervisory responsibility 
              responsibility for human and/or fi nancial resources who                  for staff members; however, he/she may assume 
              oversees the delivery of programmatic results. These                     project management responsibilities, including the 
              functions normally include Section Head, Unit Head and                   coordination of human and/or fi nancial resources.
              Team Leader.
                                                                                • Manager — a staff member at the Middle or Senior 
           • The Senior Manager — a staff member at the Director                   Professional level (at the P4 or P5 level) with managerial 
              or DDG, level who is responsible for creating an enabling            responsibility for human and fi nancial resources who 
              environment and takes decisions impacting the entire                 oversees the delivery of programmatic results. These 
              programme/functional area.                                           functions normally include: Section Head, Unit Head, 
                                                                                   Team Leader and Technical Lead.
           4