This unit may apply to job roles in all sectors of the financial services or other industries where job roles involve resource planning.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify critical success factors

1.1. Organisation objectives and legislative issues which impact on the project in question are identified and prioritised

1.2. Resources required to meet objectives and critical success factors are identified and documented

2. Analyse existing resource and competency capacities

2.1. Current and valid employee data and resources are accessed, interpreted and appraised

2.2. Competency levels for personnel are ascertained and verified

3. Determine future resource requirements

3.1. Available information on workloads is obtained and analysed to determine temporal and spatial patterns

3.2. Internal and external factors likely to impact on resources are taken into account and a profile of projected resource requirements developed

3.3. Competency levels required to meet future requirements and inconsistencies with current competency levels are identified

4. Develop a plan to adapt existing capacities to meet future needs

4.1. Training is undertaken to ensure adequate competency levels to meet future requirements

4.2. Strategies to meet resource shortages are incorporated into plan and resources prioritised

4.3. External consultants are engaged where appropriate

5. Review and evaluate plan

5.1. All stakeholders are consulted to determine appropriateness of plan

5.2. Modifications to the plan are agreed and incorporated as required

Required skills

well-developed communication and interpersonal skills to:

negotiate and clarify resource planning requirements, using questioning and active listening as required

inform staff of planning purpose and implementation processes and deal with issues that arise, providing a constructive working relationship

share information, listen and understand

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

well-developed research and analysis skills for accessing, interpreting and managing complex information and developing forecasts of resources needs

IT skills for accessing and using appropriate systems and databases

well-developed literacy skills to:

read and interpret documentation from a variety of sources

prepare clear and accessible planning documentation

problem solving skills to identify any issues that have the potential to impact on resource planning and utilisation and to develop options to resolve these issues when they arise

organisational and time management skills to manage and train staff, sequence tasks, meet timelines and arrange meetings

Required knowledge

industry development strategies

management planning techniques and tools

organisation policy and procedure

relevant legislation and regulations, including:

occupational health and safety (OHS)

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

anti-discrimination

WorkCover or equivalent legislation

techniques for evaluating competency of personnel

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

locate and analyse comprehensive data on organisational resources

evaluate staff competencies

develop, negotiate and implement effective resourcing plans.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

competency is demonstrated in the context of the financial services work environment and conditions specified in the range statement either in a relevant workplace or a closely simulated work environment

access to and the use of a range of common office equipment, technology, software and consumables

access to organisational information systems and data.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples, in combination, are appropriate for this unit:

evaluating an integrated activity which combines the elements of competency for the unit or a cluster of related units of competency

observing processes and procedures in workplaces

verbal or written questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills

setting and reviewing business simulations or scenarios

evaluating samples of work

accessing and validating third party reports.

Guidance information for assessment

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Organisation objectives and legislative issues may include:

budgets

client service

equal opportunities

human resource management

industry codes of practice

marketing

operational plans

Privacy Act

OHS Acts

Trade Practices Act.

Project may include, but is not limited to:

specific business projects such as:

audits

reviews

functions

periods of time such as holiday or rush periods.

Resources may include:

budget

IT equipment

employees

materials

skills and expertise

support facilities

training.

Critical success factors may include:

adaptability

cash flow

consumer demand

cross-channel staff cooperation

customer analysis

customer contact

risk analysis and management

staffing levels

timing of service.

Employee data may include:

competencies held/used

payroll data

staff levels.

Competencies may relate to:

management issues

product development

response times

service levels.

Workload documentation may include:

customer requirement data

staff absenteeism data

staff availability data

staff interviews and questionnaires

trends in existing workloads.

Internal and external factors include:

budgeting restrictions

external economic conditions

industry growth or decline

temporal factors such as holiday periods.

Unit sector

Organisational skills

This unit contains employability skills.