Higher Executive Officer
Building
Future Readiness
Digital Focus, Innovation
& Upskilling for the Future
Strategy, Awareness &
Change
Leading and
Empowering
Leading, Motivating
& Developing
Leading with
Specialist Insight
Capability:
Behaviours
Skills
Strengths
Knowledge
Values
Motivation
Interests
Evidence
Informed Delivery
Delivering
Excellence
Analysis, Judgement
& Decision Making
Communicating
and Collaborating
Communicating
& Influencing
Engaging
& Collaborating
Building
Future
Readiness
Digital Focus, Innovation
& Upskilling for the Future
Leading
&
Empowering
Leading,
Motivating
& Developing
Strategic, Awareness
& Change
Leading with
Specialist Insight
Capability:
Behaviours
Skills
Strengths
Knowledge
Values
Motivation
Interests
Evidence
Informed
Delivery
Delivering Excellence
Analysis, Judgement
& Decision Making
Communicating
& Collaborating
Communicating
& Influencing
Engaging &
Collaborating
Building Future Readiness
Delivering excellent public policy and services requires us to embrace change and innovation. We strive to create an inclusive customer centric strategy and vision that keeps pace with environmental, social and technological changes. Adopting an agile and digital-first approach, we will continually upskill, change and improve how we do things to meet current and future demands.
Digital Focus, Innovation & Upskilling for the Future
Digital Focus
- Maximises the use of technology and digital solutions to drive efficiencies and support better service delivery
Innovation & Creative Solutions
- Encourages and delivers innovative ideas, creative solutions and useful suggestions, with a good understanding of the practicalities
- Tries new or different approaches, demonstrating the flexibility to learn from mistakes, adapt and improve
Upskilling for the Future
- Proactively seeks development opportunities, building on strengths and addressing weaknesses or gaps with a positive attitude and willingness to learn
- Committed to building knowledge and skills for the future
- Understands what the team needs to do, to build future readiness and skills
Key Skills Examples
- Innovation
- IT and digital skills
- Continuous learning
- Design thinking
- Systems thinking
- Process improvement
Strategic Awareness &
Change
Strategic Awareness & Future Focus
- Contributes to the development of policy, strategy and future planning for their area
- Works with management to identify links between the broader organisational and departmental strategy and the yearly objectives of their team
Contextual Awareness
- Keeps up to date with wider Civil Service Policies and developments relevant to their own area
- Considers the wider impact of policies and strategies, including who or what they affect
Facilitating Change
- Supports others through change, highlighting the benefits of change, innovation or new technology
- Identifies and makes recommendations for change based on their analysis, expertise and insights
Key Skills Examples
- Managing and supporting change
- Policy and strategy development
- Goal setting
- Strategy implementation
- Strategic thinking
Evidence Informed Delivery
Delivering excellent public policy and services requires us to make evidence based and well-informed judgements and decisions, prioritise objectives and effectively manage resources, using relevant information to evaluate the delivered outcome to ensure maximum benefit for the people we serve.
Delivering Excellence
Managing Work & Resources
- Manages, plans and prioritises workload to ensure targets and deadlines are met
- Works in a systematic, organised and efficient manner, getting up to speed with new tasks at an appropriate pace
- Manages resources effectively to deliver best outcome possible
Delivering Quality Outcomes & Service
- Sets high standards and goals for self and team with commitment to meeting these
- Has good oversight of their teams work and puts procedures in place to track progress and quality
- Practices and promotes delivering excellence in customer service and prioritises the customer experience
- Seeks feedback on work and evaluates delivery against required outcomes
Attitude, Initiative & Flexibility
- Demonstrates ownership, initiative and responsibility over own work, while also supporting the team
- Maintains resilience and a ‘can-do’ attitude when working under pressure or constraints, seeking support when necessary
- Ensures self and team are flexible and agile in the face of challenges or changing demands
Key Skills Examples
- Project management
- Risk management
- Customer service
- Goal setting
- Project evaluation
Analysis, Judgement & Decision Making
Gathering, Analysing & Utilising Information
- Gathers, understands and analyses data from a range of sources, to identify key information or core issues
- Ensures systems are in place to appropriately gather, manage and utilise data
- Analyses and evaluates complex verbal and numerical information in an accurate and timely manner
Problem Solving
- Solves problems in a logical manner, gathering relevant information and data, exploring different solutions and escalating issues where necessary
Informed Judgement & Decision Making
- Makes balanced judgements and decisions, drawing from evidence, experience and relevant policies and procedures.
- Makes appropriate and timely decisions, communicating the rationale and seeking support, where required
- Exhibits good judgement in dealing with difficult, ambiguous situations and ‘on-the-spot’ issues
Key Skills Examples
- Evaluating information
- Data management & visualisation
- Data analytics
- Critical thinking
Leading and Empowering
Delivering excellent public policy and services requires us to lead in our areas of expertise, inspire others and create a clear vision. We are committed to developing, supporting, and empowering our colleagues to meet their potential and to creating a positive and inclusive work environment where everyone's contribution is valued.
Leading, Motivating & Developing
Developing, Motivating & Supporting Performance
- Motivates high performance by providing recognition, guidance, coaching and regular feedback
- Effectively utilises both formal and informal performance management techniques
- Understands team members strengths and development needs and allocates work appropriately, ensuring all members have exposure to developmental opportunities
Empowerment, Trust & Honesty
- Empowers their team, encourages autonomy, values others’ input and opinions and delegates tasks with trust
- Creates an inclusive, safe and open team environment
- Leads with integrity, honesty and accountability
Social & Emotional Intelligence
- Prioritises wellbeing for self and others, showing consideration, empathy and support
- Demonstrates good self-awareness and ability to manage own emotions and behaviour, particularly in challenging situations
Key Skills Examples
- Performance management
- Coaching and providing feedback
- Conflict management
- Managing remote or blended teams
Leading with Specialist Insight
Specialist Expertise & Professional Development
- Demonstrates a high degree of specialist expertise and knowledge in their area
- Committed to continuous professional development, engaging in relevant courses, conferences and activities to keep knowledge up to date
Leading, Advocating & Knowledge Sharing
- Leads and advocates in their area of expertise, through openly sharing insights, knowledge, evidence and rationale
- Creates opportunities to share and transfer knowledge
- Capable of describing technical terms in an easily understandable manner
Balancing Autonomous Work, Cross-Functional Work & Teamwork
- Capable of working independently, as well as with their team and with other areas or functions
- Has a clear understanding of what work needs to be done and how to do it, with the ability to self-motivate, setting own goals and targets
Key Skills Examples
- Specialist skills in own area of expertise
- Communication and influencing skills
- Research skills
Communicating and Collaborating
Delivering excellent public policy and services requires us to work together, build relationships and collaborate enabling a joined up, whole-of-Government approach. Effective engagement and communication with our customers, clients and colleagues will enhance and build trust in our services.
Communicating & Influencing
Communicating Effectively & Listening to Understand
- Communicates and presents in a clear, professional and engaging manner, across verbal, digital and written communications
- Shares the appropriate level of detail and presents relevant information and data in an accessible and understandable format
- Demonstrates understanding of own communication approach, adjusting style as appropriate for the audience
- Prioritises diversity and makes an active effort to involve and listen to different people and perspectives
Influencing & Negotiation Skills
- Tactfully influences and persuades others and considers compromise when necessary
- Style of influencing, negotiating and managing conflict is appropriate and respectful at all times
- Approaches difficult discussions, questions or negotiations with consideration, composure and sensitivity
Key Skills Examples
- Other languages – e.g., Gaeilge
- Written skills
- Presenting
- Active listening
- Influencing and negotiation skills
Engaging & Collaborating
Networking, Engaging & Consulting
- Builds useful networks within and outside of the organisation and department
- Prioritises engaging and consulting with relevant stakeholders
Collaboration, Teamwork & Building Relationships
- Promotes and engages in collaboration, cross-functional and teamwork, creating opportunities to work together where relevant
- Utilises interpersonal skills to build positive and effective working relationships, even in a blended or hybrid environment
- Keeps their team, colleagues and manager appropriately informed, involved and updated
Key Skills Examples
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Interpersonal skills
- Cross-functional working
- Networking
- Relationship building
Additional Information
For more information visit the Interview Advice page.
To download the Capability Framework (PDF or plaintext accessible version)
please click below:
Capability Frameworks for key grades in the Civil Service
Please select a grade below to review