Effective leadership, and exceptional leaders, are central to the experience of students and staff and to our University’s future success. To support this, the Organisational Development (OD) team has been working with the University Leadership Forum and a range of stakeholders across the University to develop a Sussex Leader and Manager Competency Framework.

Linked closely to our University values, and aligned with our People Strategy aims, the framework outlines the important leadership and management principles expected at Sussex, and the everyday competencies which underpin them.

Why have a Leader and Manager Competency Framework?

Having a framework in place means that we can bring clarity to the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to effectively lead ourselves, manage people and help the University achieve its strategic aims. It can also support colleagues by:

• ensuring there is shared understanding of the expectations around leadership and management practice at Sussex
• supporting leadership advancement by using the framework to assess current skill levels and identify areas for development as part of our ADR process
• enabling the University to identify talent and develop individuals who have the potential to take on leadership roles in the future as part of the ADR process
• driving organisational success through effective leadership and management practice which is crucial for the success of any organisation, and which will enable us to respond effectively to the challenges we face and help us to deliver our strategic priorities
• enhancing staff engagement and retention as effective leaders play a key role in creating a positive work environment that supports and motivates teams and also attracts and retains top talent.

Who is it for?

The framework is designed for:

• colleagues who lead and manage people as part of their role
• colleagues who aspire to a leadership role at Sussex and who want to use this framework to shape their individual development
• colleagues not in a formal leadership or managerial role, but who need to influence and collaborate with individuals, teams, across departments or the wider organisation to achieve shared goals.

Explore the framework

You can read our Sussex Leader and Manager Competency Framework: Growing leader and manager expertise at the University of Sussex. Within the framework, you will also find ideas about how to apply the principles to everyday people management and development practices.

How to use the framework

Leaders and managers at all levels can use the framework as part of:

• ongoing one-to-one conversations
• team development to enhance engagement, performance and learning
• informal peer-to-peer feedback
• how you seek feedback from your team and individuals
• recruitment, selection and induction.

All staff can use the competency framework as part of:

• self-review and planning your personal development
• induction as a new starter
• career planning and when applying for roles
• constructive feedback to your manager, both positive and developmental, around demonstrating the relevant leadership competencies.

Please visit the 'How to use the framework - hints and tips' section for more specific ideas about how you could start using the framework. 

Will staff be assessed against the competencies in Achievement Development Reviews (ADRs)?

Whilst staff will not be formally assessed against the competencies as part of their ADR, the framework is there to support colleagues to develop and grow their leadership and management skills. All leaders and managers can review the competencies and discuss in their ADR and interim conversations with their line manager what is important in their role. For example, this could include a conversation about:

• what success could look like if a competency was developed and demonstrated
• what competencies they could strengthen further to deliver their best in their current role or to grow skills for future roles
• choosing two or three competencies they would like to focus on and note in the development section of their ADR.

Next steps

With the framework now in place, the OD team has started work to realign our leadership and management development offering against it and we will keep you informed about new opportunities in due course. For more information and to explore the current development opportunities, please visit the OD webpages.

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