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CoreHumanitarianCompetenciesFrameworkcasestudyIslamicRelief

Usingthecompetencyframeworktosupporthumanresources

BackgroundIslamicRelief isdedicatedtoalleviatingthepovertyandsufferingoftheworld’spoorestpeopleaswellasrespondingtodisastersandemergencies.IslamicReliefpromotessustainableeconomicandsocialdevelopmentbyworkingwithlocalcommunities-regardlessofrace,religionorgender.The core humanitarian competencies framework (CHCF) was first developed in 2011, byrepresentativesfromacross-sectionofhumanitarianorganisationsundertheConsortiumofBritishHumanitarianAgencies (now the StartNetwork) led byActionAid and facilitated by People InAid(nowtheCHSAlliance).Thecompetenciesframeworkrecommendsasetofcorecompetenciesthatorganisationscouldadopttosystematicallybuildtheskillsoftheiremployeesandtherebyimprovetheireffortstoassistpeopleadverselyaffectedbycrisisthroughouttheworld.In2014,IslamicReliefimplementedthecorehumanitariancompetenciesframeworkacrosssomeofitscountryoffices.

ProcessThe core humanitariancompetencies framework wassystematically introduced andimplemented in the Middle Eastand Eastern Europe in 2014 byMahmoud Almadhoun, IslamicRelief Germany’s HumanResources (HR) & OperationsDirector, and former Regional HRManager for theMiddle East andEastern Europe for Islamic ReliefWorldwide. A terms of reference(ToR) was developed to clearly

definehis roleandresponsibilitiesand the process involved indisseminatingtheframework.The training was aimed at sensitising senior and middle management from different units - HR,programme, finance, admin and logistics - to the competencies framework and how it may beapplied in all stages of an employee life cycle. These stages include planning and preparedness,recruitment and selection, orientation and objective setting, performancemanagement, personalandprofessionaldevelopmentanddebriefing.It’s important to remember the process starts even before the selection and recruitment with

TrainingonthecompetencyframeworkintheMiddleEast

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developmentofajobdescriptionbasedonthecompetencyframework’ssixcriteriathatserveasanumbrellaforhumanitarianwork:1. Understandinghumanitariancontextsandapplyinghumanitarianprinciples2. Achievingresults3. Developingandmaintainingcollaborativerelationships4. Operatingsafelyandsecurelyatalltimes5. Managingyourselfinapressuredandchangingenvironment6. Leadershipinhumanitarianresponse.OutcomesThemost obvious impact from introducing the competencies framework is the structuring of HRmanagementworktofittheorganisation’scontext.Theframeworkalsoprovidesmanagerswiththetoolstoevaluatetheirownandtheirteamsperformanceandconducttrainingtobuildthecapacityofstaff.Theframeworkisalsousefulinthecandidateselectionprocess.SomeoftheimmediateoutcomesofthisinitiativeasaccountedforbytheJordancountryoffice:• The framework has provided a new understanding on how to improve country officeoperationsandincreaseefficiencyandeffectiveness.Thekeyfoundationtothis improvementistostartwithselectingtherightpeopleforthejob.Thisgoeshand-in-handwithhavingstronginternalsystems that enable the organisation to reduce the suffering of those affected by disasters in anefficientmanner.Selectingtherightemployeeissubjectiveasitdependsonthepanel’sbackground,knowledgeandpreference.Byusingthiscompetencyframeworkhowever,itwaseasytodeterminethebasisfromwhichtochoosepeopleaccordingtothemeritstheorganisationislookingfor.

• Job descriptions have beenredesigned based on the framework. Staffsetobjectiveplansbasedon the frameworkandmadeefforts toholdmonthlymeetingswith employees to review progress againstthe objectives. Employees are now morecommitted to their jobdescriptionsandareaware of the elements they are evaluatedagainst. Employees actively participate indevelopingtheirobjectiveplanandsetgoalstoachievehigherlevelsofcompetenciesandskills.

• Thetoolsstructuredstaffworkandenabledthemtomeasuretheperformanceoftheirteamagainstasetofclearlydefinedcriteria.Theself-assessmenttoolwascrucialtoseewheretheystandtodayandwheretheyaimtoreach. Theusefulnessoftheframeworkisbeyondusingthetoolsthemselves,itisinshiftingthemind-setof how the organisation selects people andwhat competencies the organisation aims to acquirethroughtherightrecruitment,settingacapacitybuildingplanandingivingemployeesdirection.

Traineepresentsonthesixareasofcompetencies

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FacilitatingfactorsItiscrucialthatdedicatedresourcesandHRpractitionerswhoarewellversedinthecompetenciesframeworkareassignedinordertopromotetheeffectiveimplementationoftheframework.Seniormanagementbuy-inisalsocrucialtoensuretheprocessiscompletedsuccessfully.

LessonslearnedIn lightoftheexperiencemade intheMiddleEastandEasternEuropeandasacontinuouseffort,Islamic Relief Germany has launched a new project in 2015 called “Humanitarian competencyframework:Development and integration into competence-basedHRprocesses”.An internationalworkshopwasheldon15December,2015inCologne,Germany,involvingseniorfieldcountryandprogrammemanagementstaff fromAfrica,Asia,MiddleEast,andEurope togive input toachievethefollowingprojectsgoals:1. DevelopmentofahumanitariananddevelopmentcompetencyframeworkforIslamicReliefGermany.2. IntegrationoftheframeworkintothemainHRprocessesalongthe“employeelifecycle”.3. Groupswhoaretobeinfluencedandimpactedbythecompetencyframeworkinclude:

a. Boardoftrusteesb. Topmanagementandmanagersc. Employeesd. Volunteerse. Partnerorganisationsintheprojectimplementationcountriesf. Othercooperationpartners.

TheprojectwassuccessfullycompletedinMay,2016,withadocumentedhumanitariancompetencyframeworkforIslamicReliefGermany.

AdditionalinformationAs part of continuing efforts to strengthen the competencies of employees, the CHS Alliance isundertaking a review of the competencies framework as part of the Start Network TalentDevelopmentproject.Thereviewwillengageaswideacross-sectionoforganisationsandindividualsas practically possible to identify the strengths and areas for improvement in implementing theframework.Thereviewprocesshas involvedanonlinesurveyaswellasfocusgroupdiscussions inAsia, Australia, Africa, and the United Kingdom with participation from aid and developmentorganisations as well as affected communities. The conclusions from the review process will besharedlaterin2016.