ICT Capability Explorer

• Level 2 - Assists in the investigation and resolution of issues relating to applications. Assists with specified maintenance procedures.
• Level 3 - Identifies and resolves issues with applications, following agreed procedures. Uses application management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carries out agreed applications maintenance tasks.
• Level 4 - Maintains application support processes, and checks that all requests for support are dealt with according to agreed procedures. Uses application management software and tools to investigate issues, collect performance statistics and create reports.
• Level 5 - Drafts and maintains procedures and documentation for applications support. Ensures that all requests for support are dealt with according to set standards and procedures.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Controls IT assets in one or more significant areas, ensuring that administration of the acquisition, storage, distribution, movement and disposal of assets is carried out. Produces and analyses registers and histories of authorised assets (including secure master copies of software, documentation, data, licenses and agreements for supply, warranty and maintenance), and verifies that all these assets are in a known state and location. Ensures that there are no unauthorised assets such as unlicensed copies of software.
• Level 5 - Manages and maintains the service compliance of all IT and service assets in line with business and regulatory requirements involving knowledge of financial and technical processes, tools and techniques thereby ensuring asset controllers, infrastructure teams and the business co-ordinate and maximise value, maintain control and ensure any necessary legal compliance.
• Level 6 - Promotes the continuing economic and effective provision of services, ensuring that all changes to assets and services are appropriately and accurately controlled and recorded. Provides information and advice on issues such as maintenance of hardware assets, licensing of software, and legal obligations such as compliance with the Data Protection Act. Promotes awareness of and commitment to asset control, ensuring that consequences of decisions to obtain, change or continue the possession or use of an asset, system or service are appropriately understood.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Contributes to the availability management process and its operation and performs defined availability management tasks. Analyses service and component availability, reliability, maintainability and serviceability. Ensures that services and components meet and continue to meet all of their agreed performance targets and service levels. Implements arrangements for disaster recovery and documents recovery procedures. Conducts testing of recovery procedures.
• Level 5 - Provides advice, assistance and leadership associated with the planning, design and improvement of service and component availability, including the investigation of all breaches of availability targets and service non-availability, with the instigation of remedial activities. Plans arrangements for disaster recovery together with supporting processes and manages the testing of such plans.
• Level 6 - Sets strategy and develops plans, policies and processes for the design, monitoring, measurement, reporting and continuous improvement of service and component availability, including the development and implementation of new availability techniques and methods.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Identifies specific measures and mechanisms by which benefits can be measured, and plans to activate these mechanisms at the required time. Monitors benefits against what was predicted in the business case and ensures that all participants are informed and involved throughout the change programme and fully prepared to exploit the new operational business environment once it is in place. Supports senior management to ensure that all plans, work packages and deliverables are aligned to the expected benefits and leads activities required in the realisation of the benefits of each part of the change programme.
• Level 6 - Promotes the change programme vision to staff at all levels of the business operation, brings order to complex situations, and keeps a focus on business objectives. Works with senior people responsible for the line business operation, to ensure maximum improvements are made in the business operations as groups of projects deliver their products into operational use. Maintains the business case for funding the programme and confirms continuing business viability of the programme at regular intervals.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of methodical investigation, analysis, review and documentation.
• Level 2 - Assists in the investigation of operational needs and problems, and opportunities, contributing to the recommendation of improvements in automated and non-automated components of new or changed processes and organisation.
• Level 3 - Investigates operational needs and problems, and opportunities, contributing to the recommendation of improvements in automated and non-automated components of new or changed processes and organisation. Assists in defining acceptance tests for these recommendations.
• Level 4 - Investigates operational requirements, problems, and opportunities, seeking effective business solutions through improvements in automated and non-automated components of new or changed processes. Assists in the analysis of stakeholder objectives, and the underlying issues arising from investigations into business requirements and problems, and identifies options for consideration. Identifies potential benefits, and available options for consideration. Works with clients/users in defining acceptance tests.
• Level 5 - Takes responsibility for investigative work to determine business requirements and specify effective business processes, through improvements in information systems, information management, practices, procedures, and organisation change. Applies and monitors the use of required modelling and analysis tools, methods and standards, giving special consideration to business perspectives. Conducts investigations at a high level for strategy studies, business requirements specifications and feasibility studies. Prepares business cases which define potential benefits, options for achieving these benefits through development of new or changed processes, and associated business risks. Identifies stakeholders and their business needs.
• Level 6 - Takes full responsibility for business analysis within a significant segment of an organisation where the advice given and decisions made will have a measurable impact on the profitability or effectiveness of the organisation. Establishes the contribution that technology can make to business objectives, defining strategies, validating and justifying business needs, conducting feasibility studies, producing high-level and detailed business models, preparing business cases, overseeing development and implementation of solutions, taking into account the implications of change on the organisation and all stakeholders. Guides senior management towards accepting change brought about through process and organisational change.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Understands the purpose and benefits of modelling. Uses established techniques as directed to model simple subject areas with clearly-defined boundaries. May assist in more complex modelling activities. Develops models with input from subject matter experts and communicates the results back to them for review and confirmation.
• Level 3 - Conversant with techniques covering full range of modelling situations. Models current and desired scenarios as directed. Selects appropriate modelling techniques for meeting assigned objectives. Gains agreement from subject matter experts to models produced. Reviews resulting models with stakeholders and gains resolution to resultant issues.
• Level 4 - Conducts advanced modelling activities for significant change programmes and across multiple business functions. Has an in-depth knowledge of organisation-standard techniques. Plans own modelling activities, selecting appropriate techniques and the correct level of detail for meeting assigned objectives. May contribute to discussions about the choice of the modelling approach to be used. Obtains input from and communicates modelling results to senior managers for agreement.
• Level 5 - Produces models in support of business strategy. Has in-depth knowledge of a broad range of industry-wide modelling techniques. Advises on the choice of techniques and approach and influences customers accordingly. Capable of developing bespoke models for unusual contexts. Responsible for planning and co-ordinating team modelling activities and for ensuring the quality of their work.
• Level 6 - Defines modelling standards and quality targets for an organisation. Has continuing responsibility for the maintenance of models for a designated function. Initiates organisation-wide modelling improvement activities and obtains customer buy-in to general changes. May represent own organisation as a modelling expert in industry initiatives.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Analyses business processes; identifies alternative solutions, assesses feasibility, and recommends new approaches. Contributes to evaluating the factors which must be addressed in the change programme. Helps establish requirements for the implementation of changes in the business process.
• Level 6 - Analyses business processes; identifies alternative solutions, assesses feasibility, and recommends new approaches, typically seeking to exploit technology components. Evaluates the financial, cultural, technological, organisational and environmental factors which must be addressed in the change programme. Establishes requirements for the implementation of significant changes in organisational mission, business functions and process, organisational roles and responsibilities, and scope or nature of service delivery.
• Level 7 - Identifies, proposes, initiates and leads significant improvement programmes, taking responsibility for the quality and appropriateness of the work performed, and the realisation of measurable business benefits. Modifies existing process improvement approaches and/or develops new approaches to achieve improvement.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Specifies and develops test scenarios to test that new/updated processes deliver improved ways of working for the end user at the same time as delivering efficiencies and planned business benefits. Records and analyses test results, and reports any unexpected or unsatisfactory outcomes. Uses test plans and outcomes to specify user instructions.
• Level 5 - Designs and manages tests of new/updated processes. Specifies test environment for whole life-cycle testing (e.g. using model office concept). Manages selection/creation of relevant scenarios for testing and ensures that tests reflect realistic operational business conditions. Ensure tests and results are documented, reported to stakeholders and are available for specification of user instructions. Highlights issues and risks identified during testing to business stakeholders. Provides specialist guidance and advice to less experienced colleagues and users to ensure that test are conducted in an appropriate manner.
• Level 6 - Is responsible for organisational commitment to high standards in human factors. Specifies ergonomics standards and methods to meet organisational objectives. Sets the policy and standards for business process testing. Manages the design and execution of business process tests, usability evaluations, network and business trials, confidence tests. Maintains an overview of the business environment, required outcomes and potential exposures.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Carries out risk assessment within a defined functional or technical area of business. Uses consistent processes for identifying potential risk events, quantifying and documenting the probability of occurrence and the impact on the business. Refers to domain experts for guidance on specialised areas of risk, such as architecture and environment. Co-ordinates the development of countermeasures and contingency plans.
• Level 6 - Plans and manages the implementation of organisation-wide processes and procedures, tools and techniques for the identification, assessment, and management of risk inherent in the operation of business processes and of potential risks arising from planned IT-enabled change.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Monitors service component capacity and initiates actions to resolve any shortfalls according to agreed procedures.
• Level 5 - Drafts and maintains policy, standards and procedures for service component capacity management. Ensures the correct implementation of standards and procedures. Reviews information in conjunction with service level agreements to identify any capacity issues and specifies any required changes.
• Level 6 - Develops strategies to ensure all the performance measures of all IT services meet the needs of the business and of any service requirements or service level agreements which may be in place. Ensures that the policy and standards for capacity management are fit for purpose, current and are correctly implemented. Reviews new business proposals and provides specialist advice on capacity issues.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Creates the business readiness plan, taking into consideration IT deployment, data migration, capability deployment (training and engagement activities) and any business activities required to integrate new processes or jobs into the 'business as usual' environment. Determines the readiness levels of business users with regard to upcoming changes; uncovers readiness gaps and creates and implements action plans to close the gaps prior to going live. Assists the user community in the provision of transition support and change planning, and liaises with the project team. Monitors and reports progress on business readiness targets, business engagement activity, training design and deployment activities, key operational metrics and return to productivity measures. Defines the series and sequence of activities to bring stakeholders to the required level of commitment, prior to going live.
• Level 6 - Ensures that there is a business perspective on how the new technical capabilities will be delivered to the business, including planning around key business cycles, selecting appropriate customers for migration, etc. Initiates the business implementation plan, including all the activities that the business needs to do to prepare for new technical components and technologies. Ensures sites deliver site implementation plans that align with the overall plan. Tracks and reports against these activities to ensure progress. Defines and manages the activities to ensure achievement of the business case after delivery. Outlines key business engagement messages that need to take place throughout the programme / project.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Develops, documents and implements changes based on requests for change. Applies change control procedures.
• Level 4 - Assesses, analyses, develops, documents and implements changes based on requests for change.
• Level 5 - Develops implementation plans for dealing with more complex requests for change, evaluates risks to integrity of infrastructure inherent in proposed implementations, seeks authority for those activities, reviews the effectiveness of change implementation, suggests improvement to organisational procedures governing change management. Leads the assessment, analysis, development, documentation and implementation of changes based on requests for change.
• Level 6 - Sets the organisations policy for the management of change in live services and test environments, and ensures that the policy is reflected in practice.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Under close direction acts as a contact point to resolve less complex problems. Applies client services standards to resolve or escalate clients service problems.
• Level 3 - Acts as the routine contact point. Assists with the development of and applies client services standards to resolve or escalate clients service problems.
• Level 4 - Monitors client services function and collects performance data. Assists with the specification, development, research and evaluation of and applies client services standards to resolve or escalate clients service problems and gives technical briefings to staff members.
• Level 4 - Monitors client services function and collects performance data. Assists with the specification, development, research and evaluation of and applies client services standards to resolve or escalate clients' service problems and gives technical briefings to staff members.
• Level 5 - Carries out day-to-day management of the client services function. Defines service levels for client services staff and monitors performance. Takes responsibility for specification, agreement and application of client services standards and for the resolution of clients service problems.
• Level 6 - Sets the strategic direction and takes responsibility for the full range of client service functions, including organisational frameworks for complaints, service standards and operational agreements. Defines service levels, standards and the monitoring process for client service staff. Gives technical leadership to operational staff, and takes responsibility for business continuity and legal compliance.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Collects and collates evidence as part of a formally conducted and planned review of activities, processes, products or services. Examines records as part of specified testing strategies for evidence of compliance with management directives, or the identification of abnormal occurrences.
• Level 4 - Plans programmes to review activities, processes, products or services. Collects, collates and examines records as part of specified testing strategies for evidence of compliance with management directives, or the identification of abnormal occurrences. Analyses evidence collated and drafts part or all of formal reports commenting on the conformance found to exist in the reviewed part of an information systems environment.
• Level 5 - Evaluates and independently appraises the internal control of automated business processes, based on investigative evidence and assessments undertaken by self or team. Ensures that independent appraisals follow agreed procedure and advises others on the review process. Provides advice to management on ways of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their control mechanisms. Identifies and evaluates associated risks and how they can be reduced.
• Level 6 - Specifies organisational procedures for the internal or third-party assessment of an activity, process, product or service, against recognised criteria, such as BS EN ISO 9000/14000. Develops plans for review of technology systems, including the review of implementation and use of standards and the effectiveness of operational and process controls. May manage the review, conduct the review or manage third party reviewers. Identifies areas of risk and specifies interrogation programs. Recommends improvements in processes and control procedures. Provides advice and guidance. Authorises the issue of formal reports to management on the extent of compliance of systems with standards, regulations and/or legislation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Applies tools, techniques and processes for administering information (such as the tracking and logging of components and changes) related to configuration items.
• Level 3 - Administers configuration items (CIs) and related information. Applies tools, techniques and processes for administering CIs and related information, ensuring protection of assets and components from unauthorised change, diversion and inappropriate use.
• Level 4 - Manages configuration items (CIs) and related information. Applies and maintains tools, techniques and processes for identification, classification and control of CIs and ensuring related information is complete, current and accurate.
• Level 5 - Manages configuration items (CIs) and related information. Investigates and implements tools, techniques and processes for managing Cis and verifies that related information is complete, current and accurate.
• Level 6 - Manages the organisations configuration management system and champions the business value and company policies for the configuration management system. Ensures that processes are in place for consistent classification and management of CIs, and for verification and audit of configuration records. Contributes strongly to the business service knowledge management system. Manages the research and development of tools, processes and techniques.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Provides well-informed advice, typically on more than one topic, taking steps to ensure that it is properly understood and appropriately exploited, to enhance the effectiveness of significant activities.
• Level 6 - Manages provision of specialist knowledge over a range of topics including the role of IT in the business; in own areas of expertise provides advice and guidance influencing the effectiveness of the organisations business processes.
• Level 7 - Takes responsibility for a significant consultancy business, including business development, sales to major clients, account management and managing the delivery of consultancy services over a wide range of topics, including the role of IT in the business.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of the identification and management of external suppliers to ensure successful delivery of products and services to achieve outcomes.
• Level 2 - Acts as the routine contact point between organisation and supplier. Collects and reports on supplier performance data.
• Level 3 - Acts as the routine contact point between organisation and supplier. Develops knowledge of supplier service improvement actions and programmes. Collects and reports on supplier performance data.
• Level 4 - Monitors supplier performance, collects performance data and investigates problems. supplier service improvement actions and programmes.
• Level 5 - Maintains a broad understanding of the commercial IT environment, how the organisation sources, deploys and manages external partners and when it is appropriate to use in-house resources. Develops and manages contracts with suppliers to meet key performance indicators and agreed targets. Is responsible for the liaison between the organisation and designated supplier(s). Ensures that supplier performance is properly monitored and regularly reviewed. Advises on policy and procedures covering the selection of suppliers, tendering and procurement. Is responsible for the management and implementation of supplier service improvement actions and programmes
• Level 6 - Influences policy and procedures covering the selection of suppliers, tendering and procurement. Deploys highly developed commercial skills to identify and manage external partners, engaging with professionals in other related disciplines (e.g. procurement specialists, lawyers) as appropriate. Is responsible for the management and maintenance of the relationship between the organisation and the supplier. Is well acquainted with the key performance indicators and contractual obligations, and publishes performance and service improvement results. Leads review meetings for major contracts and suppliers. Contributes to, or is responsible for negotiation of major contracts.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Provides input to the service continuity planning process and implements resulting plans.
• Level 5 - Owns the service continuity planning process and leads the implementation of resulting plans. Coordinates the identification by specialists across the organisation of information and communication systems which support the critical business processes, and the assessment of risks to the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of those systems. Evaluates the critical risks associated with these systems and identifies priority areas for improvement. Coordinates the planning, designing, testing of maintenance procedures and contingency plans to address exposure to risk and ensure that agreed levels of continuity are maintained.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 6 - Coordinates IT and business resources to meet specific business objectives whilst maintaining the principles of professional standards, accountability, openness, equality and diversity and clarity of purpose. Takes responsibility for review of management processes (and decisions) to ensure that they are compliant with the organisations strategy for corporate governance of IT. Is familiar with ISO/IEC38500:2008 and the principles embedded within it. Ensures that effective controls are in place for internal delegation, audit and control and that the board receives timely reports and advice that will inform their decisions. Ensures that effective staffing and committee structures are in place to support the work of the board and that proper relationships exist between the organisation and the external auditors.
• Level 7 - Takes overall responsibility for development and communication of the organisations strategy for corporate governance of IT. Coordinates IT and Business resources to meet specific business objectives and create value for the stakeholders by improving the performance of the organisation, whilst maintaining the principles of professional standards, accountability, openness, equality and diversity and clarity of purpose. Ensures that the organisations business processes are compliant with relevant legislation, and that the organisation operates according to the principles embedded in ISO/IEC38500:2008.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Applies data analysis and data modelling techniques to establish, modify or maintain a data structure and its associated components (entity descriptions, relationship descriptions, attribute definitions).
• Level 3 - Applies data analysis, data modelling, and quality assurance techniques, based upon a detailed understanding of business processes, to establish, modify or maintain data structures and associated components (entity descriptions, relationship descriptions, attribute definitions). Advises database designers and other application development team members on the details of data structures and associated components.
• Level 4 - Investigates corporate data requirements, and applies data analysis, data modelling and quality assurance techniques, to establish, modify or maintain data structures and their associated components (entity descriptions, relationship descriptions, attribute definitions). Provides advice and guidance to database designers and others using the data structures and associated components.
• Level 5 - Sets standards for data analysis tools and techniques, advises on their application, and ensures compliance. Manages the investigation of corporate data requirements, and co-ordinates the application of data analysis and data modelling techniques, based upon a detailed understanding of the corporate information requirements, in order to establish, modify or maintain data structures and their associated components (entity descriptions, relationship descriptions, attribute definitions).

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Assists in database support activities.
• Level 3 - Uses database management system software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carries out agreed database maintenance and administration tasks.
• Level 4 - Uses database management system software and tools to investigate problems and collect performance statistics and create reports. Carries out routine configuration/installation and reconfiguration of database and related products.
• Level 5 - Drafts and maintains procedures and documentation for databases. Manages database configuration including installing and upgrading software and maintaining relevant documentation. Contributes to the setting of standards for database objects and ensures conformance to these standards. Monitors database activity and resource usage. Optimises database performance and plans for forecast resource needs.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2Translates and implements simple development project requirements into physical database structures. Assesses proposed changes to object and data structures and implements these changes in physical databases. Assists in database management system support activities for operational database systems.
• Level 3Develops specialist knowledge of database concepts, object and data modelling techniques and design principles. Translates object and data models into appropriate database schemas within design constraints. Interprets installation standards to meet project needs and produces database components as required. Evaluates potential solutions, demonstrating, installing and commissioning selected products.
• Level 4Develops and maintains specialist knowledge of database concepts, object and data modelling techniques and design principles and a detailed knowledge of database architectures, software and facilities. Analyses data requirements to establish, modify or maintain object/data models. Evaluates potential solutions, demonstrating, installing and commissioning selected products.
• Level 5Maintains and applies up to date, specialist knowledge of database concepts, object and data modelling techniques and design principles, and a detailed knowledge of the full range of database architectures, software and facilities available. Analyses data requirements, to establish, modify or maintain a data model. Takes account of specialist requirements (e.g. geocoding, for geographic information systems). Interprets the model into an appropriate database schema within set policies. Demonstrates, installs and commissions selected products.
• Level 7Sets strategies for effective use of database technology taking account of the complex interrelations between hardware/software. Provides specialist expertise in the development, use or operation of database management system tools and facilities. Provides expert knowledge in the selection, provision and use of database architectures, software and facilities, typically taking responsibility for a team of technical staff.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3Delivers existing teaching or training materials to a variety of audiences using a range of instructional techniques.
• Level 4Customises and delivers teaching or training to a variety of audiences using a range of instructional techniques.
• Level 5Customises and delivers specialist teaching or training to specialist audiences using a range of instructional techniques.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Monitors the market to gain knowledge and understanding of currently emerging technologies. Identifies new and emerging hardware and software technologies and products based on own area of expertise, assesses their relevance and potential value to the organisation, contributes to briefings of staff and management.
• Level 6 - Co-ordinates the identification and assessment of new and emerging hardware, software and communication technologies, products, methods and techniques. Evaluates likely relevance of these for the organisation. Provides regular briefings to staff and management.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Contributes to the creation and review of a systems capability strategy which meets the strategic requirements of the business. Develops models and plans to drive forward the strategy, taking advantage of opportunities to improve business performance. Takes responsibility for investigative work to determine requirements and specify effective business processes, through improvements in information systems, data management, practices, procedures, organisation and equipment.
• Level 6 - Leads the creation and review of a systems capability strategy which meets the strategic requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Develops enterprise-wide architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of change is embedded in the management of the organisation. Establishes the contribution that technology can make to business objectives, conducting feasibility studies, producing high-level business models, preparing business cases, taking into account as necessary any implications of systems considered. Ensures compliance between business strategies, enterprise transformation activities and technology directions, setting strategies, policies, standards and practices.
• Level 7 - Directs the creation and review of an enterprise capability strategy to support the strategic requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Directs development of enterprise-wide architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of change is embedded in the management of the organisation. Ensures compliance between business strategies, enterprise transformation activities and technology directions, setting strategies, policies, standards and practices.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Monitors and maintains all required financial records for compliance and audit to all agreed requirements. Assists all other areas of IT with their financial tasks, especially in the areas of identification of process, service, project and component costs and the calculation and subsequent reduction of all IT service, project, component and process failures.
• Level 5 - Monitors and manages IT expenditure, ensuring that all IT financial targets are met, and examining any areas where budgets and expenditure exceed their agreed tolerances. Assists with the definition and operation of effective financial control and decision making, especially in the areas of service, projects and component cost models and the allocation and apportionment of all incurred IT costs.
• Level 6 - Sets strategy and develops plans, policies and processes for the accounting, budgeting and, where applicable, charging of IT resources and services, including the definition of cost models and charging models. Sets, negotiates, agrees and manages all financial budgets and targets, ensuring that there is adequate funding for all IT targets and plans, especially to meet development and capacity needs.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5Advises on achievement of usability (including health and safety and accessibility) for IT products and services.
• Level 6Is responsible for organisational commitment to high standards in all aspects of the interaction between users and deployed technology - the user experience.
• Level 7Acts to influence the perception of the organisation, in relation to ergonomics, and the user experience of deployed IT products and systems, and to ensure that this is addressed in future design.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Applies a variety of analytical and presentational techniques, in consultation with experts if appropriate, and with sensitivity to the limitations of the techniques.
• Level 5 - Specifies and applies appropriate analytical techniques and reports results to clients and management.
• Level 6 - Is responsible for the organisations commitment to efficient and effective analysis of textual/numerical/visual information

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Provides authoritative advice and guidance on Information assurance strategies to manage the identified risk. Interprets security and assurance policies and contributes to development of standards and guidelines that comply with these.
• Level 6 - Develops corporate Information security policy, standards and guidelines. Prepares and maintains organisational strategies that address the evolving business risk and information control requirements. Operates as a focus for Information assurance governance expertise for the organisation, working effectively with strategic organisational functions such as legal experts and technical support to provide authoritative advice and guidance on the requirements for security controls.
• Level 7 - Establishes and manages Information assurance strategy and policies in accordance with the ISO/IEC 27000 series of standards. Plans and implements processes to take forward the strategy and policies. Provides leadership and guidelines for provision of Information assurance requirements across all of the organisations information and information systems.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Determines the documentation needs of users. Designs individual documentation plans. Creates drafts for review of information format and content. Organises the production and distribution of approved documentation items. Designs the content and appearance of complex information deliverables (e.g. web pages) in collaboration with clients/users. Creates and tests complex, well-engineered deliverables with specified content and layout. Manages the configuration of documentation items and files, within own area of responsibility.
• Level 3 - Liaises with clients/users to clarify details of requirements. Designs, creates and tests moderately complex, well-engineered information deliverables with specified content and layout. Manages the configuration of documentation items and files, within own area of responsibility.
• Level 4 - Determines the documentation needs of users. Designs individual documentation plans. Creates drafts for review of information format and content. Organises the production and distribution of approved documentation items. Designs the content and appearance of complex information deliverables (e.g. web pages) in collaboration with clients/users. Creates and tests complex, well-engineered deliverables with specified content and layout. Manages the configuration of documentation items and files, within own area of responsibility.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Develops an understanding of publications support activities such as drafting, illustrating, printing, etc. Develops a broad understanding of technical publication concepts, tools and methods and the way in which these are implemented. Obtains and analyses usage data and presents it effectively.
• Level 3 - Specifies and creates content management processes to meet the needs of users. Uses agreed tools to make finished material available on appropriate platforms.
• Level 4 - Defines and manages content management processes to meet the needs of users. Uses appropriate tools and techniques to provide moderately complex web interfaces to new or existing applications.
• Level 5 - Develops standards and procedures to support content publishing. Designs overall support information structures. Takes responsibility for publishing assignments, including, for example, design of the overall structure and graphical style for substantial, complex or high-profile web sites. Selects appropriate tools, templates and standards for publication in various forms, appropriate to customer expectations (differentiating, for example, between needs such as optimisation and ease of modification). Sets design and coding standards, taking into account bandwidth and compatibility.
• Level 6 - Develops strategies for the delivery of support information, including preferred media, rules for formatting content, and reprographics strategy if relevant. Ensures that adequate procedures, standards, tools and resources are in place to ensure the appropriate quality of material developed by information publishers within the organisation. Takes responsibility for publishing strategy, including, for example, frameworks for the overall information structure and graphical style for substantial, complex or high-profile web sites. Directs the selection of appropriate tools, templates and standards for publication in various forms, appropriate to customer expectations.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Takes responsibility for the accessibility, retrievability and protection of information. Provides advice on the transformation of information from one format/medium to another, where appropriate. Maintains and implements information handling procedures. Ensures the availability, integrity and searchability of information through the application of formal data structures and protection measures. Identifies and complies with relevant organisational policies and procedures, taking responsibility for assessing and managing risks around the use of information. Ensures that information is presented effectively.
• Level 5 - Takes responsibility for planning effective information storage, sharing and publishing within the organisation. Maintains and communicates the organisation's information management strategy. Devises and implements document and record systems, including classification, retrieval and retention processes. Maintains an inventory of information subject to data protection and other appropriate legislation. Reviews new business proposals and provides specialist advice on information management, including advice on and promotion of collaborative working and assessment and management of risk. Responsible for ensuring compliance with organisational policies and procedures and overall information management strategy.
• Level 6 - Maintains and communicates the organisations strategy for managing information, ensuring that uniformly recognised and accepted data definitions are developed and applied throughout the organisation. Models the processes and information required to support the organisation and devises corresponding standards, processes, data structures and architectures. Identifies the impact of any relevant statutory, internal or external regulations on the organisations use of information.
• Level 7 - Establishes and communicates the organisations information management strategy, developing it as an integrated part of the business strategy. Ensures that the organisations business processes are correctly modelled and that the standards, processes and data architectures to support these are put in place, taking into account any relevant statutory, internal or external regulations.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Drafts and maintains the policy, standards and procedures for compliance with relevant legislation. Reviews information systems for compliance with legislation and specifies any required changes. Ensures that formal information access requests and complaints are dealt with according to approved procedures. Creates and maintains an inventory of data which is subject to data protection legislation. Prepares and reviews the periodic notification of registration details and submits it to the data protection authorities.
• Level 5 - Develops strategies for compliance with data protection legislation. Ensures that the policy and standards for compliance with data protection legislation are fit for purpose, current and correctly implemented. Reviews new business proposals and provides specialist advice on compliance issues. Acts as the organisations contact for the data protection authorities.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of security controls as required by organisational policy and local risk assessments to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of business information systems and to enhance resilience to unauthorised access. Assists with basic risk assessments for small information systems.
• Level 2 - Applies and maintains specific security controls as required by organisational policy and local risk assessments to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of business information systems and to enhance resilience to unauthorised access. Performs basic risk assessments for small information systems.
• Level 3 - Applies and maintains specific security controls as required by organisational policy and local risk assessments to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of business information systems and to enhance resilience to unauthorised access. Recognises when an IT network/system has been attacked, and takes immediate action to limit damage. Determines when security issues should be escalated to a higher level. Demonstrates effective communication of security issues to business managers and others. Performs basic risk assessments for small information systems.
• Level 4 - Conducts security risk assessments for defined business applications or IT installations in defined areas, and provides advice and guidance on the application and operation of elementary physical, procedural and technical security controls (e.g. the key controls defined in ISO27001). Performs risk assessment, and business impact analysis for medium size information systems. Investigates suspected attacks and recommends remedial action.
• Level 5 - Conducts security risk assessments for business applications and computer installations; provides authoritative advice and guidance on security strategies to manage the identified risk. Investigates major breaches of security, and recommends appropriate control improvements. Interprets security policy and contributes to development of standards and guidelines that comply with this. Performs risk assessment, business impact analysis and accreditation for all major information systems within the organisation.
• Level 6 - Provides leadership and guidelines on information assurance security expertise for the organisation, working effectively with strategic organisational functions such as legal experts and technical support to provide authoritative advice and guidance on the requirements for security controls. Provides for restoration of information systems by ensuring that protection, detection, and reaction capabilities are incorporated.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 6 - Maintains an awareness of the global needs of the organisation, and promotes the benefits that a common approach to IT deployment will bring to the business as a whole, among information systems and business management. Coordinates the promotion, development, acquisition and implementation of information systems and services in close liaison with those responsible for management and strategy.
• Level 7 - Establishes, maintains and communicates the organisations strategy for managing information and the policies, standards, procedures and methods necessary to implement the strategy. Coordinates the promotion, development, acquisition and implementation of information systems, and represents information strategy issues on behalf of the entire organisation, with general management and external bodies.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 6Recognises potential strategic application of IT, and initiates investigation and development of innovative methods of exploiting IT assets, to the benefit of organisations and the community. Plays an active role in improving the interface between the business and IT.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Takes responsibility for the design, procurement, installation, upgrading, operation, control, maintenance and effective use of IT components and monitors their performance. Provides technical management of an IT operation, ensuring that agreed service levels are met and all relevant procedures are adhered to. Schedules and supervises all maintenance and installation work. Ensures that operational problems are identified and resolved. Provides appropriate status and other reports to specialists, users and managers. Ensures that operational procedures and working practices are fit for purpose and current.
• Level 6 - Identifies and manages resources needed for the planning, development and delivery of specified information and communications systems services and products. Influences senior level customers and project teams through change management initiatives, ensuring that professional standards are maintained. Takes full responsibility for budgeting, estimating, planning and objective setting. Plans and manages implementation of processes and procedures, tools and techniques for monitoring and managing the performance of automated systems and services, in respect of their contribution to business performance and benefits to the business, where the measure of success depends on achieving clearly stated business/financial goals and performance targets. Monitors performance and takes corrective action where necessary.
• Level 7 - Sets strategy for management of resources, including corporate telecommunications functions, and promotes the opportunities that technology presents to the employing organisation, including the feasibility of change and its likely impact upon the business. Authorises allocation of resources for the planning, development and delivery of all information systems services and products. Responsible for IT governance (the rules and regulations under which an IT department functions and the mechanisms put in place to ensure compliance with those rules and regulations). Authorises organisational policies governing the conduct of management of change initiatives and standards of professional conduct. Maintains an overview of the contribution of programmes to organisational success. Inspires creativity and flexibility in the management and application of IT. Sets strategy for monitoring and managing the performance of IT-related systems and services, in respect of their contribution to business performance and benefits to the business.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Contributes, under instruction, to system operation.
• Level 2 - Carries out agreed operational procedures of a routine nature. Contributes to maintenance, installation and problem resolution.
• Level 3 - Carries out agreed operational procedures. Contributes to the implementation of maintenance and installation work. Identifies operational problems and contributes to their resolution.
• Level 4 - Provides technical expertise to enable the correct application of operational procedures. Contributes to the planning and implementation of maintenance and installation work. Identifies operational problems and contributes to their resolution. Provides appropriate information to specialists, users and managers.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Manages the provision of education or training.
• Level 6 - Identifies the education programme and delivery mechanisms needed to grow staff skills in line with business needs and future strategy. Evaluates learning outcomes. Manages the development and provision of all learning, taking account of the strategic aims of the employing organisation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Designs, creates, develops, customises and maintains training content and resources to deliver agreed outcomes. Assists with design, configuration and testing of learning environments, including population of simulated databases, and replication of external systems and interfaces.
• Level 5 - Specifies the content and structure of training and education packages. Takes responsibility for design, creation, packaging and maintenance and manages development to deliver agreed outcomes. Where required, designs, configures and tests learning environments, including population of simulated databases, and replication of external systems and interfaces.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Provides expertise and support on use of methods and tools.
• Level 5 - Promotes and ensures use of appropriate techniques, methodologies and tools.
• Level 6 - Sets direction and leads in the introduction and use of techniques, methodologies and tools, to match overall business requirements (both current and future), ensuring consistency across all user groups.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Assists with network configuration, installation and maintenance. Uses standard procedures and tools to carry out defined system backups, restoring data where necessary.
• Level 3 - Carries out agreed network configuration, installation and maintenance. Uses standard procedures and tools to carry out defined system backups, restoring data where necessary. Uses network management tools to collect and report on network load and performance statistics.
• Level 4 - Uses network management tools to determine network load and performance statistics. Creates reports and proposals for improvement. Checks that problems are managed in accordance with agreed standards and procedures. Implements agreed network changes and maintenance routines.
• Level 5 - Takes responsibility for significant aspects of the installing, upgrading, operation, control and effective use of local and wide area networks for the communication of data, voice, text or images. Manages the network to provide agreed levels of service and data integrity. Ensures that network performance and traffic is monitored and reviewed.
• Level 6 - Takes overall responsibility for the installation, upgrading, and control of local and wide area networks for the communication of data, voice, text or images. Ensures that the network is managed to provide agreed levels of service and data integrity. Ensures that network performance and traffic is monitored and reviewed. Ensures that network problems are resolved.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Produces outline system designs and specifications, and overall architectures, topologies, configuration databases and design documentation of networks and networking technology within the organisation. Specifies user/system interfaces, including validation and error correction procedures, processing rules, access, security and audit controls. Assesses associated risks, and specifies recovery routines and contingency procedures. Translates logical designs into physical designs.
• Level 6 - Takes responsibility for major aspects of network specification and design within the organisation. Produces network design policies, philosophies and criteria covering connectivity, capacity, interfacing, security, resilience, recovery, access and remote access.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Creates and maintains network plans for own area of responsibility, contributes to setting service level agreements, and plans the infrastructure necessary to provide the network services to meet such agreements.
• Level 6 - Creates and maintains overall network plans to support the organisations business strategy, agrees service level agreements with customers and plans all aspects of the infrastructure necessary to ensure provision of network services to meet such agreements.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Assists in investigation and resolution of network problems. Assists with specified maintenance procedures.
• Level 3 - Identifies and resolves network problems following agreed procedures. Uses network management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carries out agreed network maintenance tasks.
• Level 4 - Maintains the network support process and checks that all requests for support are dealt with according to agreed procedures. Uses network management software and tools to nvestigate and diagnose network problems, working with users, other staff and suppliers as appropriate.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Conducts business impact assessment to identify how the changes from the as-is processes, systems, and structures to the to-be processes, systems and structures impact specific organisations and roles. Outlines how the organisation structure, jobs, teams and roles need to change to enable the future business processes. Aligns existing jobs/organisational structures to new processes.
• Level 6 - Anticipates major changes affecting the organisation, and mobilises resources to implement changes. Advises business managers about the implications of planned IT-enabled change on the business, on processes and on customers. Initiates the definition of new organisation boundaries, and creates future organisation design, including location strategy and the number of locations required. Outlines performance measurement objectives and the high level implementation approach.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Ensures that programme and project leads adhere to the agreed portfolio management approach and timetable and that they provide the appropriate information to agreed targets of timelines and accuracy. Produces reports as appropriate for portfolio governance, including making recommendations for changes to the portfolio.
• Level 6 - Leads the development of the portfolio roadmap and ongoing portfolio management activity. Ensures that all projects deliver the desired objective or benefit, that each project contributes to the overall achievement of the portfolio and that portfolio management is informed by an awareness of current technical developments. Plans and coordinates a portfolio of programmes and portfolio management activities to ensure the effective implementation of interrelated programmes/projects from business case initiation to final operational stage. Plans, schedules, monitors and reports on activities related to the portfolio of programmes. Monitors progress to ensure each project is performing as expected. Determines, monitors and reviews all programme and inter-programme economics to ensures that the portfolio of programmes/projects is managed to realise business benefits. Provides general and specific advice. Presents key information at each level within the organisation as appropriate. Monitors the standards for the project / programme delivery lifecycle. Notifies projects/programmes of exceptions when they are unsafe and reports to senior management for corrective action. Identifies issues with project/programme structure, resourcing, risks, funding and dependencies.
• Level 7 - Sets and maintains the portfolio management approach across the IT function. Has an in-depth knowledge of both the business and IT strategies and what objectives and business benefit must be fulfilled. Ensures portfolio design is aligned with business strategy and is making the maximum possible contribution to the strategic goals and targets of the organisation. Plans and initiates portfolio definition and management activities across the full programme and project lifecycle. Leads the determination of business requirements and translates requirements into operational plans. Monitors and reviews the economics of all programme processes, and ensures there are effective governance arrangements, supported by comprehensive reporting. Evaluates changes to programme management practices and initiates improvement to the organisation's practices. Ensures consistent application of standards for the project / programme delivery lifecycle, pre-approval check of business cases, and putting projects/programmes into exception when they are unsafe. Escalates/engages/influences senior management to take corrective action. Leads the review of project/programme structure, resourcing, risks, funding, and dependencies.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Assists in the configuration of software and equipment and the systems testing of platform-specific versions of one or more software products. Documents faults, implements resolutions and retests to agreed standards.
• Level 4 - Configures software and equipment and tests platform-specific versions of one or more software products. Reports the outcome of testing and identifies potential improvements to the process and to the software products according to agreed designs and standards.
• Level 5 - Leads a team, providing expert technical knowledge in the systems testing of platform-specific versions of the software products, on varying platforms. Provides specialist guidance information to support, systems testing and quality assurance functions to assist in improving procedures.
• Level 6 - Ensures the availability of hardware, software, and resources for the systems testing of platform-specific versions of one or more software products. Defines configurations required for testing with reference to agreed testing standards. Evaluates new developments in the organisation and the industry and advises senior management on potential growth, problem areas and resourcing needs. Ensures adherence to agreed standards and good practice.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4 - Monitors actions to investigate and resolve incidents and problems in systems and services. Assists with the implementation of agreed remedies and preventative measures.
• Level 5 - Ensures that appropriate action is taken to investigate and resolve incidents and problems in systems and services. Ensures that such incidents and problems are fully documented within the relevant reporting system(s). Coordinates the implementation of agreed remedies and preventative measures.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of the procurement of goods and services.
• Level 2 - Assists with investigating the technical and commercial options for fulfilling the requirements, including possible sources of supply. Develops knowledge of drafting contracts, technical schedules, and acceptance procedures and criteria.
• Level 3 - Assists with investigating the technical and commercial options for fulfilling the requirements, including possible sources of supply. Assists with drafting contracts and technical schedules, and developing acceptance procedures and criteria.
• Level 4 - Investigates the technical and commercial options for fulfilling the requirements, including possible sources of supply. Assists in managing the tender, evaluation and acquisition process with expert assistance as required. Typically as part of a wider commercial and legal team, assists with drafting contracts and technical schedules, and developing acceptance procedures and criteria.
• Level 5 - Clarifies specifications for key products and services. Investigates the technical and commercial options for fulfilling the requirements, including possible sources of supply, and agrees the preferred options and potential suppliers with the business. Ensures that suppliers are approved in accordance with company procedures. Manages the tender, evaluation and acquisition process with expert assistance as required. Typically as part of a wider commercial and legal team, assists with negotiations with preferred suppliers, drafting contracts and technical schedules, and developing acceptance procedures and criteria. Places contracts. Implements, maintains and disseminates procurement strategy, policy, standards, methods and processes.
• Level 6 - Leads the procurement process, from clarifying a specification to placing contracts, including identifying opportunities for business improvement. Ensures that the implementation of procurement strategies and evaluation criteria are in line with procurement legislation. Where no corporate policy exists, establishes procurement strategy, policy, standards, methods and processes. Agrees and meets budgets for the procurement of products and services.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Determines the required outcomes for development needs and the training strategy. Mentors assigned practitioners, ensuring alignment with a predetermined statement of required development outcomes. Assists each practitioner with the creation of development plans based on the outcome statements. Ensures that each practitioner records progress, and validates practitioners records at the end of each cycle of planned development, ensuring that achievements and enhanced capabilities are recorded and referenced to the outcome statements. May contribute to practitioners performance appraisals.
• Level 6 - Determines organisational development needs in line with business needs and strategic direction. Generates development strategies to achieve required change and monitors progress.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding to assist with the compilation of project management reports. Maintains programme and project files.
• Level 2 - Assists with the compilation of project management reports. Maintains programme and project files from supplied actual and forecast data.
• Level 3 - Uses recommended project control solutions for planning, scheduling and tracking projects. Sets up project files, compiles and distributes reports. Provides administrative services to project boards, project assurance teams and quality review meetings. Provides guidance on project management software, procedures, processes, tools and techniques.
• Level 4 - Takes responsibility for the provision of Project Office Services to a small project. Uses and recommends project control solutions for planning, scheduling and tracking projects. Sets up and provides detailed guidance on project management software, procedures, processes, tools and techniques. Supports programme or project control boards, project assurance teams and quality review meetings. Provides basic guidance on individual project proposals. May be involved in some aspects of supporting a programme by providing a cross programme view on risk, change, quality, finance or configuration management.
• Level 5 - Takes responsibility for the provision of project office services, either to a large project or to a number of projects within an organisation. May also be responsible for the provision of programme office services. Advises on the available standards, procedures, methods, tools and techniques. Evaluates project and/or programme performance and recommends changes where necessary. Contributes to reviews and audits of project and programme management to ensure conformance to standards.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 6Plans, directs, and co-ordinates activities to manage and implement interrelated projects from contract/proposal initiation to final operational stage; plans, schedules, monitors, and reports on activities related to the programme. Leads the programme team(s) in determining business requirements and translating requirements into operational plans. Determines, monitors, and reviews all programme economics to include programme costs, operational budgets, staffing requirements, programme resources, and programme risk. Ensures that programme is managed to realise business benefits and that programme management is informed by an awareness of current technical developments.
• Level 7Aligns the objectives for information systems activities with business change objectives, and authorises the selection and planning of all related projects and activities. Plans, directs, and co-ordinates activities to manage and implement complex interrelated projects from contract/proposal initiation to final operational stage. Plans, schedules, monitors, and reports on activities related to the programme. Leads the programme teams in determining business requirements and translating requirements into operational plans. Determines, monitors, and reviews all programme economics, including programme costs, operational budgets, staffing requirements, programme resources, and programme risk, ensuring that there are appropriate and effective governance arrangements, supported by comprehensive reporting. Evaluates changes to programme management practices and initiates improvement to organisation practices.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding to design, code, test, correct, and documents simple programs, and the implementation of software which forms part of a properly engineered information or communications system.
• Level 2 - Designs, codes, tests, corrects, and documents simple programs, and assists in the implementation of software which forms part of a properly engineered information or communications system.
• Level 3 - Designs, codes, tests, corrects, and documents moderately complex programs and program modifications from supplied specifications, using agreed standards and tools. Conducts reviews of supplied specifications, with others as appropriate.
• Level 4 - Designs, codes, tests, corrects and documents large and/or complex programs and program modifications from supplied specifications using agreed standards and tools, to achieve a well engineered result. Takes part in reviews of own work and leads reviews of colleagues work.
• Level 5 - Sets standards for programming tools and techniques, advises on their application and ensures compliance. Takes technical responsibility for all stages in the software development process. Prepares project and quality plans and advises systems development teams. Assigns work to programming staff and monitors performance, providing advice, guidance and assistance to less experienced colleagues as required.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 4Defines, documents and carries out small projects (typically less than six months, with a small team, limited budget, no interdependency with other projects, and no significant strategic impact), actively participating in all phases. Identifies, assesses and manages risks to the success of the project. Prepares realistic project and quality plans and tracks activities against the plans, providing regular and accurate reports to stakeholders as appropriate. Monitors costs, timescales and resources used, and takes action where these deviate from agreed tolerances. Ensures that own projects are formally closed and, where appropriate, subsequently reviewed, and that lessons learned are recorded.
• Level 5Takes full responsibility for the definition, documentation and satisfactory completion of medium-scale projects (typically lasting 6-12 months, with direct business impact, teams of 3-5 and firm deadlines). Identifies, assesses and manages risks to the success of the project. Ensures that realistic project and quality plans are prepared and maintained and provides regular and accurate reports to stakeholders as appropriate. Ensures Quality reviews occur on schedule and according to procedure. Manages the change control procedure, and ensures that project deliverables are completed within planned cost, timescale and resource budgets, and are signed off. Provides effective leadership to the project team, and takes appropriate action where team performance deviates from agreed tolerances.
• Level 6Takes full responsibility for the definition, documentation and successful completion of complex projects (typically greater than 12 months, with significant business, political, or high-profile impact, and high-risk dependencies), ensuring that realistic project, quality, change control and risk management processes are maintained. Monitors and controls resources, revenue and capital costs against the project budget and manages expectations of all project stakeholders.
• Level 7Sets organisational strategy governing the direction and conduct of project management, including application of appropriate methodologies. Authorises the management of large scale projects. Leads project planning, scheduling, controlling and reporting activities for strategic, high impact, high risk projects. Manages risk and ensures that solutions to problems are implemented in line with change control processes.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Uses appropriate methods and tools in the development, maintenance, control and distribution of quality and environmental standards. Makes technical changes to quality and environmental standards according to documented procedures. Distributes new and revised standards.
• Level 4 - Investigates and documents the internal control of specified aspects of automated or partly automated processes, and assesses compliance with the relevant standard.
• Level 5 - Uses quality standards to review past performance and plan future activities. Conducts audits and produces audit reports. Monitors and reports on the outputs from the quality assurance and audit processes.
• Level 6 - Develops organisational commitment to ongoing quality and environmental improvement by ensuring that the quality assurance process is robust and is based on the best industry practice. Considers implications of emerging technological developments, economic and social trends, etc. Plans and resources periodic quality assurance audits. Conducts and/or manages audits and analyses audit results. Prepares and delivers formal audit reports.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Advises on the application of appropriate quality and/or environmental management techniques. Facilitates improvements to processes by changing approaches and working practices, typically using recognised models.
• Level 6 - Prioritises areas for quality and/or environmental improvement in light of the strategy, wider business objectives, results from internal and external audits, and advice from colleagues. Initiates the application of appropriate quality management techniques in these areas. Initiates improvements to processes by changing approaches and working practices, typically using recognised models. Achieves and maintains compliance against national and international standards, as appropriate. Identifies and plans systematic corrective action to reduce errors and improve the quality of the systems and services, by examination of the root causes of problems.
• Level 7 - Sets the quality strategy for approval and adoption by business management. Measures the extent to which the quality policy meets the organisations needs and objectives and reviews it as necessary. Plans, resources (either directly or indirectly) and monitors the internal quality audit schedule. Defines and reviews quality and environmental systems. Ensures that adequate technology, procedures and resources are in place to support the quality system.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of quality standards.
• Level 2 - Distributes new and revised quality standards and maintains department and quality group documentation.
• Level 3 - Controls, updates and distributes new and revised quality standards.
• Level 4 - Controls, updates and distributes new and revised quality standards, including technical changes.
• Level 5 - Takes responsibility for the control, update and distribution of quality standards, and advice on their use.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Uses the tools and techniques for specific areas of release and deployment activities. Administers the recording of activities, logging of results and documents technical activity undertaken. May carry out early life support activities such as providing support advice to initial users.
• Level 4 - Assesses and analyses release components. Provides input to scheduling. Carries out the builds and tests in coordination with testers and component specialists maintaining and administering the tools and methods, manual or automatic, and ensuring, where possible, information exchange with configuration management. Ensures release processes and procedures are maintained.
• Level 5 - Leads the assessment, analysis, planning and design of release packages, including assessment of risk. Liaises with business and IT partners on release scheduling and communication of progress. Conducts post release reviews. Ensures release processes and procedures are applied.
• Level 6 - Sets the release policy for the organisation in the context of both development and production/operations. Ensures that management processes, tools, techniques and personnel are in place to ensure that the transition of services, service components and packages are planned and compliant and that test and validation and configuration management are partnered in all release and deployment activities. Provides authorisation for critical release activity and point of escalation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of established techniques as directed to assist in identifing current problems and document business functional, data and non-functional requirements for simple subject areas with clearly-defined boundaries.
• Level 2Uses established techniques as directed to identify current problems and elicit, specify and document business functional, data and non-functional requirements for simple subject areas with clearly-defined boundaries. Assists in more complex requirements activities and with the processes for establishing agreed baselines for change and managing the assessment and application of requested changes to those requirements.
• Level 3 - Defines scope and business priorities for small-scale changes and may assist in larger scale scoping exercises. Elicits and discovers requirements from operational management and other stakeholders. Selects appropriate techniques for the elicitation of detailed requirements taking into account the nature of the required changes, established practice and the characteristics and culture of those providing the requirements. Specifies and documents business requirements as directed, ensuring traceability back to source. Analyses them for adherence to business objectives and for consistency, challenging positively as appropriate. Works with stakeholders to prioritise requirements.
• Level 4 - Facilitates scoping and business priority-setting for change initiatives of medium size and complexity. Contributes to selection of the most appropriate means of representing business requirements in the context of a specific change initiative, ensuring traceability back to source. Discovers and analyses requirements for fitness for purpose as well as adherence to business objectives and consistency, challenging positively as appropriate. Obtains formal agreement by stakeholders and recipients to scope and requirements and establishes a base-line on which delivery of a solution can commence. Manages requests for and the application of changes to base-lined requirements. Identifies the impact on business requirements of interim (e.g. migration) scenarios as well as the required end position.
• Level 5 - Facilitates scoping and business priority setting for large or complex changes, engaging senior stakeholders as required. Selects the most appropriate means of representing business requirements in the context of a specific change initiative. Drives the requirements elicitation process where necessary, identifying what stakeholder input is required. Obtains formal agreement from a large and diverse range of potentially senior stakeholders and recipients to the scope and requirements, plus the establishment of a base-line on which delivery of a solution can commence. Takes responsibility for the investigation and application of changes to programme scope. Identifies the impact on business requirements of external impacts affecting a programme or project.
• Level 6 - Determines policy on discovery, analysis and documentation of requirements. Defines requirements standards and quality targets for an organisation in agreement with key stakeholders. Organises scoping and business priority setting for strategic business changes involving business policy-makers and direction setters.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of research goals and resources. Reports on work carried out.
• Level 2 - Within given research goals, assists with building on and refining appropriate outline ideas for research, i.e. evaluation, development, demonstration and implementation. Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant IT field. Reports on work carried out and may contribute sections of material of draft quality.
• Level 3 - Within given research goals, builds on and refines appropriate outline ideas for research, i.e. evaluation, development, demonstration and implementation. Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant IT field. Reports on work carried out and may contribute sections of material of publication quality.
• Level 4 - Contributes to research goals and builds on and refines appropriate outline ideas for the evaluation, development, demonstration and implementation of research. Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant IT field. Reports on work carried out and may contribute significant sections of material of publication quality. Contributes to research plans and identifies appropriate opportunities for publication and dissemination of research findings.
• Level 5 - Agrees research goals and generates original and worthwhile ideas in a specialised IT field. Develops, reviews and constructively criticises ideas, possibly leading a small research team, making necessary observations and tests and carrying them through to a full practical demonstration, wherever viable and feasible. Presents papers at conferences and writes journal papers of publication quality and/or presents reports, of an equivalent technical standard, to research clients.
• Level 6 - Sets research goals, makes effective proposals for the investment of funds in research projects, plays a major role in the development of the employing organisations research policy, and supervises the work of a research function. Gains an appreciation of current research work over a substantial area of IT, and takes a leading part in professional activities outside own employing organisation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Conducts job analyses, prepares job descriptions and person specifications, and prepares selection and evaluation criteria for candidates. Manages recruitment campaigns. Locates and selects possible agencies and other suppliers, negotiating terms and conditions, and placing orders with them, ensuring that all obligations are met in accordance with the agreed terms and timescales. Reviews candidate details, manages selection processes, and ensures that account is taken of relevant statutory or external regulations, standards and codes of good practice. Ensures that all relevant parties are informed of the results of interviews and other decisions, and assists in the negotiation of terms and conditions of service.
• Level 6 - Takes responsibility for the overall workforce planning strategy across the IT service ensuring that there is adequate skilled resource to meet planned service delivery. Ensures integration with strategic human resource plans. Takes responsibility for meeting the recruitment, re-skilling and demand forecasts for IT practitioners, advising on the approach and relevant policies. Ensures that expert support is provided as and when required, including interviewing of applicants for senior posts. Audits and assesses the ongoing success and effectiveness of the process, including retention analysis, media and supplier assessment, customer satisfaction and selection methods validation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Participates in assessments up to IEC 61508 Safety Integrity level 3, and undertakes safety analyses on initial designs using HAZOPS, FMEA or similar methods.
• Level 6 - Leads assessments up to IEC 61508 Safety Integrity level 4 or participates in any level of assessment. Determines assessment methods, techniques and tools that are to be used as appropriate to the integrity levels of the assessments undertaken.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Investigates minor security breaches in accordance with established procedures. Assists users in defining their access rights and privileges, and operates agreed logical access controls and security systems. Maintains agreed security records and documentation.
• Level 4 - Investigates identified security breaches in accordance with established procedures and recommends any required actions. Assists users in defining their access rights and privileges, and administers logical access controls and security systems. Maintains security records and documentation.
• Level 5 - Drafts and maintains the policy, standards, procedures and documentation for security. Reviews information systems for actual or potential breaches in security. Ensures that all identified breaches in security are promptly and thoroughly investigated. Ensures that any system changes required to maintain security are implemented. Ensures that security records are accurate and complete.
• Level 6 - Develops strategies for ensuring the security of automated systems. Ensures that the policy and standards for security are fit for purpose, current and are correctly implemented. Reviews new business proposals and provides specialist advice on security issues and implications.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Receives and handles requests for support following agreed procedures. Promptly allocates calls as appropriate. Maintains relevant records.
• Level 2 - Receives and handles requests for support following agreed procedures. Responds to requests to common requests for support by providing information to enable problem resolution and promptly allocates unresolved calls as appropriate. Maintains records and advises relevant persons of actions taken.
• Level 3 - Receives and handles requests for support following agreed procedures. Responds to requests for support by providing information to enable problem resolution and promptly allocates unresolved calls as appropriate. Maintains records and advises relevant persons of actions taken.
• Level 4 - Ensures that incidents and requests are handled according to agreed procedures. Ensures that documentation of the supported components is available and in an appropriate form for those providing support. Creates and maintains support documentation.
• Level 5 - Ensures that the inventory of components to be supported is complete and current. Drafts and maintains policy, standards and procedures for the service desk. Schedules the work of service desk staff to meet agreed service levels.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2Monitors and logs the actual service provided, compared to that required by service level agreements.
• Level 3Monitors service delivery performance metrics and liaises with managers and customers to ensure that service level agreements are not breached without the stakeholders being given the opportunity of planning for a deterioration in service.
• Level 4Performs defined tasks to monitor service delivery against service level agreements and maintains records of relevant information. Analyses service records against agreed service levels regularly to identify actions required to maintain or improve levels of service, and initiates or reports these actions.
• Level 5Ensures that service delivery meets agreed service levels. Creates and maintains a catalogue of available services. In consultation with the customer negotiates service level requirements and agrees service levels. Diagnoses service delivery problems and initiates actions to maintain or improve levels of service. Establishes and maintains operational methods, procedures and facilities in assigned area of responsibility and reviews them regularly for effectiveness and efficiency.
• Level 6Ensures that a catalogue of available services is created and maintained and that service level agreements are complete and cost effective. Ensures that service delivery is monitored effectively and that identified actions to maintain or improve levels of service are implemented. Ensures that operational methods, procedures, facilities and tools are established, reviewed and maintained. Negotiates with relevant parties in respect of disruptions and major amendments to the provision of services. Reviews service delivery to ensure that agreed targets are met and prepares proposals to meet forecast changes in the level or type of service.
• Level 7Sets strategies for service delivery that support the strategic needs of the client organisation. Authorises allocation of resources for monitoring service delivery arrangements. Provides leadership within the industry on the identification of future trends (e.g. technical, market, industrial, socioeconomic, legislative). Develops relationships with customers at the highest level to identify potential areas of mutual commercial interest for future development, maintains an overview of the contribution of service delivery arrangements to organisational success.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5Develops and maintains a detailed knowledge of software process improvement. Contributes effectively to identifying new areas of software process improvement within the organisation. Carries out software process improvement assignments, justified by measurable business benefits.
• Level 6Plans and manages the evaluation of software processes. Identifies, proposes, and initiates software process improvement activities within the organisation, devising solutions. Takes action to exploit opportunities that will have a measurable effect on operational effectiveness, with associated benefits to the business.
• Level 7Liaises with client functions to establish business requirements and identifies, proposes, initiates and leads significant improvement programmes. Manages the quality and appropriateness of the work performed and delivers measurable business benefits. Modifies existing software process improvement approaches and/or develops new approaches to achieving improvement.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Uses appropriate tools, including logical models of components and interfaces, to contribute to the development of systems architectures in specific business or functional areas. Produces detailed component specifications and translates these into detailed designs for implementation using selected products. Within a business change programme, assists in the preparation of technical plans and cooperates with business assurance and project staff to ensure that appropriate technical resources are made available. Provides advice on technical aspects of system development and integration (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc.) and ensures that relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices are applied correctly.
• Level 6 - Leads the development of architectures for complex systems, ensuring consistency with specified requirements agreed with both external, and internal customers. Takes full responsibility for the balance between functional, service quality and systems management requirements within a significant area of the organisation. Establishes policy and strategy for the selection of systems architecture components, and co-ordinates design activities, promoting the discipline to ensure consistency. Ensures that appropriate standards (corporate, industry, national and international) are adhered to. Within a business change programme, manages the target design, policies and standards, working proactively to maintain a stable, viable architecture and ensure consistency of design across projects within the programme.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Develops and manages one or more defined communication channels and/or stakeholder groups. Initiates communications between stakeholders, acting as a single point of contact for defined groups. Facilitates open communication and discussion between stakeholders. Captures and disseminates technical and business information. Facilitates the business change decision-making processes, and the planning and implementation of change.
• Level 6 - Initiates and influences relationships with and between key stakeholders. Acts as a single point of contact for senior stakeholders and influencers. Supports effective business change by building relationships with and between senior strategists, planners, designers and operational business partners. Initiates procedures to improve relations and open communications with and between stakeholders. Initiates and has management oversight of processes to manage and monitor relationships including lessons learned and the feedback loop to and from business change teams.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3Uses system management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carries out agreed system software maintenance tasks.
• Level 4Reviews system software updates and identifies those that merit action. Tailors system software to maximise hardware functionality. Installs and tests new versions of system software. Investigates and coordinates the resolution of potential and actual service problems. Prepares and maintains operational documentation for system software. Advises on the correct and effective use of system software.
• Level 5Evaluates new system software, reviews system software updates and identifies those that merit action. Ensures that system software is tailored to facilitate the achievement of service objectives. Plans the installation and testing of new versions of system software. Investigates and coordinates the resolution of potential and actual service problems. Ensures that operational documentation for system software is fit for purpose and current. Advises on the correct and effective use of system software.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1Develops knowledge and understanding of the specification and design of information systems and their components to meet defined business needs.
• Level 2Undertakes complete design of simple applications using simple templates and tools. Assists as part of a team on design of components of larger systems. Produces detailed designs including for example: physical data flows, file layouts, common routines and utilities, program specifications or prototypes, and backup, recovery and restart procedures.
• Level 3Specifies user/system interfaces, and translates logical designs into physical designs taking account of target environment, performance requirements and existing systems. Produces detailed designs and documents all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate.
• Level 4Recommends/designs structures and tools for systems which meet business needs. Delivers technical visualisation of proposed applications for approval by customer and execution by system developers. Translates logical designs into physical designs, and produces detailed design documentation. Maps work to user specification and removes errors and deviations from specification to achieve user-friendly processes.
• Level 5Specifies and designs large or complex systems. Selects appropriate design standards, methods and tools, consistent with agreed enterprise and solution architectures and ensures they are applied effectively. Reviews others systems designs to ensure selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources, and integration of multiple systems and technology. Contributes to policy for selection of architecture components. Evaluates and undertakes impact analysis on major design options and assesses and manages associated risks. Ensures that the system design balances functional, service quality and systems management requirements.
• Level 6Controls system design practice within an enterprise or industry architecture. Influences industry-based models for the development of new technology applications. Develops effective implementation and procurement strategies, consistent with business needs.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Agrees, with business management, systems development projects which support the organisations objectives and plans. Ensures that management is both aware of and able to provide the required resources, and that available resources are properly utilised and accounted for. Monitors and reports on the progress of systems development projects, using appropriate quality assurance processes to ensure that projects are carried out in accordance with agreed standards, methods and procedures.
• Level 6 - Identifies and manages the resources necessary for all stages (planning, estimation, execution) of individual systems development projects to ensure technical, financial and quality targets are met.
• Level 7 - Sets strategy for resource management within systems development, authorises the allocation of resources for programmes of system development projects, and maintains an overview of the contribution of the programme to organisational success.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Applies ergonomics tools and methods to allocate functions, design user interaction and users jobs.
• Level 4 - Specifies how to use ergonomics tools and methods to allocate functions, design user interaction and users jobs.
• Level 5 - Advises what ergonomics tools and methods to use in order to allocate functions, design user interaction and users jobs.
• Level 6 - Is responsible for organisational commitment to high standards in human factors. Specifies ergonomics standards and methods to meet organisational objectives.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Following agreed procedures, performs simple installations, replaces consumable items, checks correct working of installations, and documents and reports on work done.
• Level 2 - Installs or removes hardware and/or software, and associated connections, using supplied installation instructions and tools. Conducts tests and corrects malfunctions, calling on help from more experienced colleagues if required. Documents results in accordance with agreed procedures. Assists with the evaluation of change requests. Contributes, as required, to investigations of problems and faults concerning the installation of hardware and/or software and confirms the correct working of installations.
• Level 3 - Installs or removes hardware and/or software, using supplied installation instructions and tools including, where appropriate, handover to the client. Conducts tests, corrects malfunctions, and documents results in accordance with agreed procedures. Reports details of all hardware/software items that have been installed and removed so that configuration management records can be updated. Provides assistance to users in a professional manner following agreed procedures for further help or escalation. Maintains accurate records of user requests, contact details and outcomes. Contributes to the development of installation procedures and standards.
• Level 4 - Undertakes routine installations and de-installations of items of hardware and/or software. Takes action to ensure targets are met within established safety and quality procedures, including, where appropriate, handover to the client. Conducts tests of hardware and/or software using supplied test procedures and diagnostic tools. Corrects malfunctions, calling on other experienced colleagues and external resources if required. Documents details of all hardware/software items that have been installed and removed so that configuration management records can be updated. Develops installation procedures and standards, and schedules installation work. Provides specialist guidance and advice to less experienced colleagues to ensure best use is made of available assets, and to maintain or improve the installation service.
• Level 5 - Takes responsibility for installation projects, providing effective team leadership, including information flow to and from the customer during project work. Develops and implements quality plans and method statements. Monitors the effectiveness of installations and ensures that appropriate recommendations for change are made.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Produces software builds from software source code. Conducts tests as defined in an integration test specification, records the details of any failures, and carries out fault diagnosis relating to simple failures, reporting the results of the diagnosis in a clear and concise manner.
• Level 3 - Defines the integration build and produces a build definition for generation of the software. Accepts software modules from software developers, and produces software builds for loading onto the target hardware from software source code. Configures the hardware environment, produces integration test specifications, conducts tests and records the details of any failures. Carries out and reports fault diagnosis relating to moderately complex problems.
• Level 4 - Defines the integration build, accepts software modules from software developers, and produces software builds for loading onto the target environment. Configures the hardware environment, produces integration test specifications, and conducts tests, recording details of any failures and carrying out fault diagnosis.
• Level 5 - Designs and builds integration components and interfaces. Leads practical integration work under the technical direction of the system /service designer. May contribute to the overall design of the service. May define the technical criteria for product/component selection. Contributes to decisions about tools, methods and approaches.
• Level 6 - Sets standards, strategies and procedures across the IT service lifecycle (including the development lifecycle) in the areas of systems integration and testing and ensures that practitioners adhere to them. Manages resources to ensure that the systems integration function operates effectively.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 5 - Maintains knowledge of specific technical specialisms, provides detailed advice regarding their application and executes specialised tasks. The specialism can be any area of information or communication technology, technique, method, product or application area.
• Level 6 - Maintains an in-depth knowledge of specific technical specialisms, and provides expert advice regarding their application. Can supervise specialist technical consultancy. The specialism can be any aspect of information or communication technology, technique, method, product or application area.
• Level 7 - Provides organisational leadership and guidelines to promote the development and exploitation of technical knowledge in the organisation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 6Specifies organisational procedures for the assessment of an activity, process, product or service, against recognised criteria, such as ISO 27001. Develops plans for risk-based audit coverage of technology systems for inclusion in audit planning and uses experience to ensure audit coverage is sufficient to provide the business with assurance of adequacy and integrity. Leads and manages complex technical audits, managing specialists contracted to contribute highly specialised technical knowledge and experience. Identifies areas of risk and specifies interrogation programs. Recommends changes in processes and control procedures based on audit findings, including, where appropriate, the assessment of safety-related software systems to determine compliance with standards and required levels of safety integrity. Provides general and specific advice, and authorises the issue of formal reports to management on the effectiveness and efficiency of control mechanisms.
• Level 7Ensures that there is planned audit coverage across the organisation, and liaises with executives to ensure that this coverage is relevant and understood. Directs use of risk analysis to identify areas for in-depth review. Evaluates the effectiveness of corporate IT strategy and governance and makes recommendations for development. Agrees terms of reference for audits with clients. Plans audit cycle, and leads and manages audit function. Determines the need for and manages the effective use of additional IT experts. Reports at the most senior level on the findings, relevance and recommendations for improvement. Represents the audit function at the Audit Committee of the organisation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 1 - Develops knowledge and understanding of testware (test cases, test scripts, test reports, test plans, etc) to measure and improve the quality of the software being tested. Interprets, executes and records simple test cases in accordance with established plans. Identifies and reports issues and risks.
• Level 2 - Defines test requirements for smaller projects. Creates test scripts and supporting data, working to the specifications provided. Interprets, executes and records simple test cases in accordance with established plans. Analyses and reports test activities and results. Identifies and reports issues and risks.
• Level 3 - Reviews requirements and specifications, and defines test requirements for smaller projects. Creates simple test cases and test scripts. Interprets and executes moderately complex test scripts, mapping back to pre-determined criteria, recording and reporting outcomes. Provides specialist advice to support others. Analyses and reports test activities and results. Identifies and reports issues and risks.
• Level 4 - Defines and creates test cases from analysis of both functional and non-functional specifications (such as reliability, efficiency, usability, maintainability and portability). Produces test scripts, materials and regression test packs to test new and amended software or services. Specifies requirements for environment, data, resources and tools. Interprets, executes and documents complex test scripts using agreed methods and standards. Records and analyses actions and results, and maintains a defect register. Reviews test results and modifies tests if necessary. Provides reports on progress, anomalies, risks and issues. Produces reports on system quality and metrics on test cases.
• Level 5 - Coordinates and manages planning of the system and acceptance tests within a development or integration project or programme. Takes responsibility for integrity of testing and acceptance activities and coordinates the execution of these activities. Provides authoritative advice and guidance on any aspect of test planning and execution. Defines and communicates the test strategy for the project. Manages all phases of testing, including plans, resources, costs, timescales, test deliverables and auditability. Assesses suppliers development and testing capabilities. Selects project testing standards for all phases, influencing all parties to conform to those standards. Manages the client relationship with respect to all testing matters. Identifies process improvements, contributes to corporate testing standards and definition of best practice.
• Level 6 - Determines testing policy, and owns the supporting processes. Takes responsibility for the management of all testing activities within a development or integration project or programme. Manages all risks associated with the testing and takes preventative action when any risks become unacceptable. Assesses and advises on the practicality of testing process alternatives. Identifies improvements to the process and assists in their implementation.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 2 - Assists in the preparations for evaluations and in the operation of the test environment. Maintains the test environment.
• Level 3 - Performs, analyses and documents evaluations according to a plan, excluding expert reviews.
• Level 4 - Plans and performs all types of evaluation. Interprets and presents the results of evaluations.
• Level 5 - Advises on what to evaluate and type of evaluation. Ensures that the results of evaluations are understood by system developers.

Hide Skill Levels

• Level 3 - Applies tools and methods to identify the non-functional requirements of users, their characteristics and tasks, and the technical, organisational and physical environment in which the product or system will operate.
• Level 4 - Selects and uses tools and methods to establish, clarify and communicate the non-functional requirements of system users, their characteristics and tasks, and identifies the technical, organisational and physical environment in which a complex products or systems will operate.
• Level 5 - Advises on tools and methods to be used and clarifies and communicates the non-functional requirements of system users, their characteristics and tasks, and the technical, organisational and physical environment in which products or systems will operate.

Hide Skill Levels