Competitive Advantage–Do better than or different from the competition.
A director understands and supports the business and group strategies and revises operational plans to support strategy changes.
One of the key differences between a senior business manager and a director is the latter's superior communication skills. Directors must also employ holistic thinking since they will deal with other managers from multiple departments.
Competency is measured by team-oriented work and the ability to compete for finite resources while meeting operational needs successfully. The director must also devise strategies that help the organization gain a long-term competitive advantage.
Typical Role Capabilities
Longer-term thinking (3-5 years)
Creating a functional strategic program that supports the next level's long-range strategy
State-of-the-art awareness
Knowing what's possible technically, operationally, and professionally
Complete understanding of the business model in detail and long-term strategic direction and goals
What is the business trying to accomplish?
How does the business want to position itself in the market?
Has the strategy changed recently, or is it likely to change soon?
How does my function contribute to our competitive advantage?
What must each function contribute to that strategy?
How does my function's effort impact the strategy?
How does my function impact the other functions' ability to contribute?
How is the money made in this business?
Factoring all aspects of the function into strategic thinking
Ability to make tradeoffs within the function that support business strategy, profitability, and competitive advantage
Rather than solely supporting the functional success
Director Core Skills
Attribute | Responsibility/Accountability |
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Business/Financial Results |
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People Development |
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Management |
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Leadership |
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Relationships |
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Growth & Innovation |
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Social Responsibility |
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Behavior Model Expectations Level 5
Attribute | Responsibility/Accountability |
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Autonomy | Works under broad direction. Work is often self-initiated. Is fully responsible for meeting allocated technical and/or group objectives. Analyses, designs, plans, executes and evaluates work to time, cost and quality targets. Establishes milestones and has a significant role in the assignment of tasks and/or responsibilities. |
Influence | Influences organisation, customers, suppliers, partners and peers on the contribution of own specialism. Makes decisions which impact the success of assigned work, i.e. results, deadlines and budget. Has significant influence over the allocation and management of resources appropriate to given assignments. Leads on user/ customer and group collaboration throughout all stages of work. Ensures users' needs are met consistently through each work stage. Builds appropriate and effective business relationships across the organisation and with customers, suppliers and partners. Creates and supports collaborative ways of working across group/area of responsibility. Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who have diverse objectives. |
Complexity | Implements and executes policies aligned to strategic plans. Performs an extensive range and variety of complex technical and/or professional work activities. Undertakes work which requires the application of fundamental principles in a wide and often unpredictable range of contexts. Engages and coordinates with subject matter experts to resolve complex issues as they relate to customer/organisational requirements. Understands the relationships between own specialism and customer/organisational requirements. |
Business skills |
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Knowledge | Is fully familiar with recognised industry bodies of knowledge both generic and specific, and knowledge of the business, suppliers, partners, competitors and clients. Develops a wider breadth of knowledge across the industry or business. Applies knowledge to help to define the standards which others will apply. |