Senior Manager*

Competency Framework
Senior Manager*
Competency Framework

*You are Senior Manager if you report directly to the Chief Executive or a Director
 Senior Manager Competency Framework

Introduction
Middlesbrough Council continues to go through significant change to transform its culture and
services to ensure it is fit for purpose now and in the future. To bring about this change and to achieve
the Mayor’s Vision for Middlesbrough 2025, the organisation needs Managers who help achieve the
outcomes set by the Mayor, the Council and the Leadership Management Team (LMT).

This framework outlines the expectations of Senior Middlesbrough Managers and defines the essential
behaviours and skills required to achieve the Mayor’s Vision. This framework is not exhaustive, the
extent of achievement should be taken in context with the level and positioning of role.

Contents
As a Senior Middlesbrough Manager
2 Introduction
you will work collaboratively with
3 Understanding the bigger picture,
colleagues and partners to ensure
prioritising activities to achieve results
and deadlines the delivery of the Mayor’s Vision and
4 Communicating with clarity and conviction, all of the principle outcomes set by
using appropriate means to gain support, the Mayor, the Council & LMT. You
commitment and understanding
will develop and lead people in line
5 Valuing responsibility and taking ownership
for outcomes within own areas of work and
with the Middlesbrough Manager
encouraging others to do the same appraisal framework, the Customer
6 Recognising the contribution of others, Strategy and the transformational
taking responsibility for positively
Change Programme, setting the
managing working relationships, offering
help and compromise where appropriate to direction and priorities. You will
achieve positive outcomes be an ambassador for the Council
7 Continuously seeking out opportunities whilst working with partners and be
to create positive change and help others in
understanding change
a role model, embodying the culture,

8 Asking challenging questions, making

behaviours and competencies of the
intelligent decisions taking into account all Middlesbrough Manager.
relevant information and resources

2
Understanding the bigger picture,
prioritising activities to achieve
results and deadlines

Indicators of Achieving

• Demonstrated creativity and vision in developing new service delivery

models/ways of working
• Promoted a customer focused performance culture with effective
performance management in place
• Set meaningful organisational and service delivery measures including
key performance indicators, objectives and milestones
• Analysed resources and expertise required to achieve directorate
organisational objectives, negotiated additional resources when required
• Ensured processes were efficient, value for money and avoided
duplication of activity or service
• Ensured projects and schemes were delivered to timescales
and within budget

Related Skills

• Clearly understood the financial position of the organisation and how

the wider economic environment and national agendas have impacted
on service provision
• Contributed to the Council wide budget setting process
• Contributed and led in strategic budget reviews and resource allocation
exercises
• Contributed to the development and embedding of the Customer
Strategy whilst managing expectations

Indicators of Overachieving

• Significantly over delivered on the strategic plan and medium term

financial plan targets
• Actively encouraged innovation and independent thinking
• Placed Middlesbrough at the leading edge of Local Government by
developing innovative ideas, concepts and ways of working
• Significantly improves the commercial viability of the town and the
Council to achieve continued revenue streams

Indicators of Underachieving

• Unable to shape service delivery to meet local/regional/national priorities

• Failed to create a culture of performance delivery and has not met service
objectives or milestones

3
Communicating with clarity and
conviction, using appropriate
means to gain support,
commitment and understanding

Indicators of Achieving

• Positively influenced others, gaining commitment and credibility whilst promoting

the Council’s interests and advancing its agenda
• Actively developed and raised the external reputation of the Council
• Created a sense of vision and pride whilst managing realistic expectations
• Developed a culture where self awareness and emotional intelligence are valued
• Promoted effective handling of information in line with legislation, corporate
guidelines and organisational needs

Related Skills

• Led by example when communicating and was inspirational to other Middlesbrough

Managers and Employees
• Contributed to the creation of an inclusive, respectful culture and demonstrated this
through your interactions
• Championed the strategic importance of Middlesbrough Employees and facilitated
a culture of continuous learning, development and knowledge sharing

Indicators of Overachieving

• Raised the reputation of the Council nation wide

• Is regarded as a leading professional by peers
• Promoted and raised Middlesbrough’s profile at every opportunity, acted as an
ambassador at a regional/national level
• Developed leading edge ways of engaging internal and external customers to
understand what matters to them and placed them at the centre of your service
delivery

Indicators of Underachieving

• Created a culture where self awareness and emotional intelligence was under
valued/not understood
• Has not promoted the handling of information in line with legislation or
corporate guidelines
• Communications lacked clarity failing to gain support or commitment

4
Valuing responsibility and
taking ownership for outcomes
within own areas of work and
encouraging others to do the same

Indicators of Achieving

• Created opportunities for the Council to maximise its ability to deliver services
• Created a culture where employees felt motivated and empowered to take personal
ownership for their actions and responsibilities in a ‘no blame’ culture
• Demonstrated consistent leadership in driving forward activities through others
during challenging and changing times
• Provided strategic direction on Council priorities in line with the Mayor’s Vision
• Promoted and embedded risk management approaches across the Council and
partnership organisations, encouraged well managed risk taking

Related Skills

• Developed a value for money culture, which balanced demand for services with
resource availability and cost-effectiveness
• Used the most effective methods for measuring organisational performance
• Ensured managers are clear about the performance management process and their
responsibilities within it

Indicators of Overachieving

• Demonstrated strong critical thinking and creativity in developing solutions to

problems that have impacted service delivery
• Proactively ensured the organisation’s resilience to address long term future
requirements
• Significantly over delivered on their objectives, Organisational Development Plan
(ODP) and Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP)

Indicators of Underachieving

• Created a culture of blame where employees were not motivated or empowered to

take personal ownership for their actions and responsibilities
• Failed to set the direction and priorities for the Directorate/Outcome/Service Area
• Failed to deal with performance issues
• Did not take overall responsibility for project/risk management activities

5
Recognising the contribution of others,
taking responsibility for positively
managing working relationships, offering
help and compromise where appropriate to
achieve positive outcomes

Indicators of Achieving

• Promoted collaboration and shared best practice across the organisation

• Challenged silo working
• Developed partnership agreements to achieve the best outcome for stakeholders
• Established a culture of working towards a common goal
• Contributed to regional/national discussions to influence legislation
• Created a positive team attitude, instilling pride in service delivery

Related Skills

• Worked collaboratively with partners, the Directorates and across boundaries to

ensure the organisation delivered its strategic objectives
• Recognised as a trusted coach and mentor within the organisation

Indicators of Overachieving

• Established a culture of trust and nurtured talent to retain valued employees

• Recognised and used by peers externally as a respected coach and mentor
• Developed effective working relationships with a range of internal and external
partners to transform service delivery

Indicators of Underachieving

• Failed to promote or share best practice across or within service areas with
continued silo working
• Failed to engage effectively with partners or collaboratively across the organisation
• Unable to overcome obstacles to service delivery

6
Continuously seeking out
opportunities to create positive
change and help others in
understanding change

Indicators of Achieving

• Took a lead role to transform culture and service delivery

• Led on local/national change agendas managing expectations across the Council
and partner organisations
• Provided clear direction and ensured that change was instigated, driven and
implemented in line with the vision of the organisation
• Sought ways to improve policy development and implementation to achieve
a more flexible and responsive organisation

Related Skills

• Created flexible delivery plans that can respond to changes in the local/regional/
national priorities
• Demonstrated clear ability to change ways of working and supported colleagues
and team members to do the same
• Develop workforce plans to ensure future service delivery

Indicators of Overachieving

• Acted as a role model in managing change effectively

• Went above and beyond to engage with, develop and motivate others to fulfil
their potential
• Contributed to significant strategic and transformational change outside usual
span of control

Indicators of Underachieving

• No involvement in local/regional/national change agendas and failed to manage

customer and staff expectations
• Failed to provide clear direction or ensure that change was instigated, driven and
implemented in line with the Mayor’s Vision
• Insufficient planning to ensure future service delivery

7
Asking challenging questions,
making intelligent decisions
taking into account all relevant
information and resources

Indicators of Achieving

• Assessed the strategic and political impact of actions and decisions both
internally and externally
• Made difficult decisions which were in the best interest of the organisation
• Acted decisively to shape organisational strategy having considered all relevant
factors
• Made business decisions within legal and political parameters, operated within
supply and demand constraints

Related Skills

• Developed robust long term financial plans for managers to work within
• Commissioned services through the development of strong commercial
relationships with delivery partners and ensured value for money and cost efficiency
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the wider issues and the effect on the
Council’s business
• Created strategies influenced by robust current, valid and representative customer
information

Indicators of Overachieving

• Provided constructive input to national/regional consultations, achieved the best

possible outcomes for Middlesbrough
• Developed and introduced frameworks across Middlesbrough and achieved best
practice

Indicators of Underachieving

• Avoided making difficult decisions

• Did not assess the strategic and political internal/external impact of actions
decisions
• Failed to consider all relevant information to inform decisions
• Did not identify problems or sought solutions
• Did not consider the consequences or take responsibility for decisions
• Was not objective in thinking or decision making
• Did not act in the best interests of the organisation