BBC Project Management

Competency Framework

Overview

Benefits of competency framework

2

BBC project management competency framework

Right people, right roles, increased mobility

Capability assessment

& gap analysis

Improved career &

development pathway

One consistent BBC Way

Improved benchmark

Why have we built the competency framework?

Setting the standard of capability to drive the right skills into

the most appropriate areas and allowing us to develop

internal talent to meet future challenges

Who is it for?

The competency framework and self-assessment pack are

aimed at anyone interested in developing their skills in

project management. It also supports managers needing to

recruit these skills into their teams.

How to use this extract

This is an extract from the BBC Project Management Competency Framework.

The framework describes 6 project/programme/portfolio related roles.

Core competencies have been identified and tailored to the BBC in line with both the APM and IPMA professional

competency frameworks.

For each competency there is a definition and a set of competency indicators (excluded from this extract).

Capability levels have been internally benchmarked to give a matrix view of ‘what good looks like’ within each of the

project roles.

3

Project role overview

Project/Portfolio Coordinator

Providing coordination support within a

Project Office environment or a portfolio

function. Communications, collaboration,

data collection and some analysis. Has

awareness of project management

approaches and environment. Financial

planning and tracking within SAP/MyBusiness

and report generation.

Senior Project Manager

Considerable experience in delivery and

shaping. Likely to work with clients to define

brief and options.

Responsible for whole projects to a

medium/large scale and complexity or

workstreams in very large initiatives. Able to

set direction and drive a team to deliver

within a larger programme/portfolio.

Likely to have line management responsibility

and development expectations. Usually

qualified to Prince 2 professional or MSP

and/or APM PQ/CPM level (or similar).

Assistant Project Manager

Inexperienced in delivery but exercising PM

tools and techniques in small projects or

supporting PM team in larger initiatives.

Typically aspiring to PM career and gaining

experience. Usually has some formal PM

foundation training and may be qualified at

Prince 2 Foundation or APMP.

Project Manager

Experienced in delivery, principle focus on

delivery to a clear brief. Responsible for

whole projects to a small / medium scale and

complexity. Able to select the right tool for

the job and follows PM discipline. Leads

project teams and suppliers, but usually has

no direct line management. Usually qualified

to Prince 2 Practitioner or APM PQ level (or

similar).

Programme Manager

Experienced in leading complex programmes

of work that enable strategic change within

the organisation. This will include benefits-led

shaping of project and BAU initiatives to

maximise the likelihood of lasting change.

Portfolio Manager

Experienced in controlling portfolios of

project activity, directing or providing

decision support to allow prioritisation based

on strategic contribution and use of scarce

resources (people, funds, time etc). May

include assurance and impact assessment and

management of PM resources. Likely to have

line management responsibility and

experience within the projects or operations

environment.

4

Core PM competencies

This framework focuses on the core competencies of a project professional and does not include specialist domain

knowledge and required experience that may also make up part of your job description e.g. broadcast systems, financial

systems, IT, property, software development, organisational design, product development, production, events etc.

5

Project/programme

management skills (technical

competencies)

•Benefits management

•Business change planning and

management

•Programme/portfolio management

approaches

•Stakeholder management and

communications planning

•Project end-to-end planning

•Scope, deliverables and estimating

•Quality management

•Risk and issue management

•Solution development and

dynamic project management

techniques

•Change control

•Project structure, roles and

responsibilities

•Project information management

BBC environment

(context that projects are

delivered within)

•Governance & Approvals

•Project, programme and portfolio

organisational position

•Project Lifecycle

•Reporting

•Health, safety, security and the

environment

•Legal

Commercial, finances and

resources

•Baselines and performance

monitoring

•Business case (IP)

•Procurement & Supplier

Management

•Negotiation

•Resource Management

Behaviours and leadership

•Resilience & flexibility

•Dealing with complexity

•Influencing and persuading

•Teamwork

•Decision making

•Working with authority

•Providing direction through

change

•Strategic thinking

•Building/developing teams

•Building cross boundary

relationships

•Creativity

Capability levels

6

Knowledge of the skills involved in the competency and how they are used in the project

environment

Awareness

Has the knowledge required and experience in executing some of the competency indicators

supporting wider delivery

Working

Knowledge

Applied knowledge and experience of the competency tools and techniques, adopting those most

appropriate for the individual project environment

Practitioner

Considerable knowledge and experience in application and tailoring of the competency to meet

complicated project needs. Managing others utilising this competency in the project domain

Expert

Deep knowledge which can be innovatively applied and has been demonstrated within complex

projects and programmes. Recognised expert/specialist in this competency including generation of

ideas, methods, tools and leading/guiding others in best practise use

Innovator

Project/programme management skills (technical competencies)

7

Project/

Portfolio

Coordinator

Assistant Project

Manager

Project

Manager

Senior Project

Manager

Programme

Manager

Portfolio

Manager

Benefits management Awareness Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Expert

Business change and management - Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Practitioner Expert

Programme/portfolio management

approaches

- - Awareness Working

Knowledge

Expert Expert

Stakeholder management and

communications planning

Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Innovator Expert

Project end to-end planning Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Expert Practitioner

Scope, deliverables and estimating Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Practitioner Practitioner

Quality management - Awareness Practitioner Expert Expert Expert

Risk and issue management Awareness Practitioner Practitioner Expert Expert Expert

Solution development and dynamic

project mgt techniques

- Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Awareness Working

Knowledge

Change control Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Practitioner Expert

Project structure, roles and

responsibilities

Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Practitioner Expert Expert

Project information management Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner

BBC environment (context that projects are delivered within)

8

Project/

Portfolio

Coordinator

Assistant

Project

Manager

Project

Manager

Senior

Project

Manager

Programme

Manager

Portfolio

Manager

Governance & Approvals Awareness Awareness Practitioner Practitioner Expert Expert

Project, programme and portfolio

organisational position

Awareness Working

Knowledge

Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Expert

Project Lifecycle Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Expert Expert

Reporting Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Expert Expert Expert

Legal - Awareness Practitioner Expert Expert Practitioner

Health, safety, security and the

environment

Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Expert Practitioner

Commercial, finances and resources

9

Project/

Portfolio

Coordinator

Assistant Project

Manager

Project

Manager

Senior Project

Manager

Programme

Manager

Portfolio

Manager

Business Case Awareness Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Innovator Expert

Baselines and performance

monitoring

Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Practitioner Expert

Procurement and contract Awareness Awareness Practitioner Expert Expert Practitioner

Negotiation & supplier management - Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Expert

Resource Management - Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Innovator

Behaviours and leadership

10

Project/

Portfolio

Coordinator

Assistant

Project

Manager

Project

Manager

Senior

Project

Manager

Programme

Manager

Portfolio

Manager

Resilience & flexibility Working

Knowledge

Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Practitioner Expert Practitioner

Dealing with complexity - - Awareness Practitioner Expert Expert

Influencing and persuading Awareness Awareness Practitioner Expert Expert Practitioner

Teamwork Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner

Decision making - Awareness Practitioner Expert Expert Expert

Working with authority - Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Expert Expert Expert

Providing direction through

change

- - Practitioner Practitioner Expert Practitioner

Strategic thinking - - Awareness Working

Knowledge

Expert Expert

Building/developing teams - Awareness Practitioner Expert Expert Expert

Building cross boundary

relationships

Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Practitioner Expert Expert

Creativity Awareness Working

Knowledge

Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner Practitioner

Detailed competency statements

11

For each competency there is a definition and a

set of competency indicators.

These are built around the principles contained

within The BBC Way as a primary source of

reference, ensuring a consistent approach to

project management at the BBC.

Example

competency

description