BBC Project Management Competency Framework Overview
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