The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Levels of responsibility: Level 5 - Ensure, advise

Essence of the level: Provides authoritative guidance in their field and works under broad direction. Accountable for delivering significant work outcomes, from analysis through execution to evaluation.

Guidance notes

SFIA Levels represent levels of responsibility in the workplace. Each successive level describes increasing impact, responsibility and accountability.

  • Autonomy, influence and complexity are generic attributes that indicate the level of responsibility.
  • Business skills and behavioural factors describe the behaviours required to be effective at each level.
  • The knowledge attribute defines the depth and breadth of understanding required to perform and influence work effectively.

Understanding these attributes will help you get the most out of SFIA. They are critical to understanding and applying the levels described in the SFIA skill descriptions.

Autonomy

Works under broad direction. Work is self-initiated, consistent with agreed operational and budgetary requirements for meeting allocated technical and/or group objectives. Defines tasks and delegates work to teams and individuals within area of responsibility.

Influence

Influences critical decisions in their domain.  Has operational level contact impacting execution and implementation with internal colleagues and external contacts. Has significant influence over the allocation and management of resources required to deliver projects.

Complexity

Performs an extensive range of complex technical and/or professional work activities, requiring the application of fundamental principles in a range of unpredictable contexts.

Knowledge

Applies knowledge to interpret complex situations and offer authoritative advice. Applies in-depth expertise in specific fields, with a broader understanding across industry/business.

Business skills / Behavioural factors

Decision-making
  • Uses judgement to make informed decisions on actions to achieve organisational outcomes such as meeting targets, deadlines, and budget.
  • Raises issues when objectives are at risk.
Planning
  • Analyses, designs, plans, establishes milestones, and executes and evaluates work to time, cost and quality targets. 
Collaboration
  • Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who have diverse objectives.
  • Ensures collaborative ways of working throughout all stages of work to meet user/customer needs.
  • Builds effective relationships across the organisation and with customers, suppliers and partners. 
Problem-solving
  • Investigates complex issues to identify the root causes and impacts, assesses a range of solutions, and makes informed decisions on the best course of action, often in collaboration with other experts. 
Improvement mindset
  • Identifies and evaluates potential improvements to products, practices, or services.
  • Leads implementation of enhancements within own area of responsibility.
  • Assesses effectiveness of implemented changes.
Creativity
  • Creatively applies innovative thinking and design practices in identifying solutions that will deliver value for the benefit of the customer/stakeholder.
Communication
  • Communicates clearly with impact, articulating complex information and ideas to broad audiences with different viewpoints.
  • Leads and encourages conversations to share ideas and build consensus on actions to be taken. 
Leadership
  • Provides leadership at an operational level.
  • Implements and executes policies aligned to strategic plans.
  • Assesses and evaluates risk.
  • Takes all requirements into account when considering proposals.
Adaptability
  • Leads adaptations to changing business environments.
  • Guides teams through transitions, maintaining focus on organisational objectives.
Learning and development
  • Uses their skills and knowledge to help establish the standards that others in the organisation will apply.
  • Takes the initiative to develop a wider breadth of knowledge across industry and/or business and identify and manage development opportunities in area of responsibility.
Digital mindset
  • Recognises and evaluates the organisational impact of new technologies and digital services.
  • Implements new and effective practices. 
  • Advises on available standards, methods, tools, applications and processes relevant to group specialism(s) and can make appropriate choices from alternatives. 
Security, privacy and ethics
  • Contributes proactively to the implementation of professional working practices and helps promote a supportive organisational culture.