Competency Based Framework (CBF)

The CBF is a simple process for moving up the pay points in your band. To progress up your pay band you’ll need to choose a competence level at the start of the competence year and record competence examples during that year.

Everyone’s competence examples will be different. You are only expected to record examples of tasks and activities you already carry out. We expect most staff will progress up their pay band each year, and the CBF will not move you down your pay band.

Download the CBF Guide and CBF Record on the SCCL MyHub. You will also find guidance videos and more useful documents here too.

At the start of the competence year, you will choose a competence level and tasks and activities that you are already doing that could demonstrate your competence. These will be your ‘competence examples’.

Throughout the year, record your competence examples by checking in with your line manager during your existing one-to-one conversations or supervisions.  At the end of the competence year, if your line manager agrees that you have demonstrated your competence, you will progress up your pay scale (unless you are already at the top).

During the year, you will record between one and five ‘competence examples’ that demonstrate the following competence areas:

• Risk
• Legislation, Policy & Procedure
• Service Delivery
• Teamwork
• Decision making
• Leadership and Management, if you are a manager.

These areas apply to all roles and grades. Your competence examples will be made up of job tasks and activities that you are already carrying out and will reflect your chosen competence level.

Your line manager won’t ‘measure’ your competence in the same way that they would during a performance management process– you will be able to demonstrate your competence by recording job tasks and activities throughout the year against each of the competence areas listed above.

At the end of the competence year, your line manager will need to confirm that you have carried out the examples you have recorded, and that your examples cover all the competence areas applicable to you.

Your line manager will also check that you meet the eligibility criteria: you’ve been in post for six months of the competence year; you’re up-to-date with all the statutory and mandatory training that has been made available to you; and you’re not on active poor performance measures or disciplinary measures that bar pay progression. Further detail on eligibility will be available in our CBF Guide.

The CBF applies to all staff joining us on NPS Terms and Conditions

If you are already at the top of your pay band, you will not be required to use the CBF Despite this, we encourage you to engage with the CBF process so that you understand the NPS competence areas, you know what to do as a line manager, and you know what to do in case you move to a new pay band, for example on promotion, and resume using the CBF.

If you’re not joining us on NPS Terms and Conditions on 26 June, your timelines will be slightly different. Again, we encourage you to engage with the CBF as you will likely need to use the CBF process for your pay progression in future.

Staff who are already in the NPS will trial the CBF from 1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022. If you’re transferring from a CRC, and taking on NPS terms and conditions, you will trial the CBF from 26 June 2021- 25 June 2022. During this twelve month period your pay progression will not be linked to the CBF. It will remain contractual (or automatic), as is the case right now.

The CBF will be linked to your pay progression after the trial year, from 1 April 2022 if you’re already an NPS staff member, or from 26 June 2022 if you’ve joined from a CRC. The first pay progression decisions linked to the CBF will be made on 1 April 2023 for all staff.