Level 6 - SFIA 8 style
Levels of responsibility: Level 6 - Initiate, influence
Essence of the level: Has significant organisational influence, makes high-level decisions, shapes policies, demonstrates leadership, promotes organisational collaboration, and accepts accountability in key areas.
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
Guides high level decisions and strategies within the organisation’s overall policies and objectives. Has defined authority and accountability for actions and decisions within a significant area of work, including technical, financial and quality aspects. Delegates responsibility for operational objectives.
Influence
Influences the formation of strategy and the execution of business plans. Has a significant management level of contact with internal colleagues and external contacts. Has organisational leadership and influence over the appointment and management of resources related to the implementation of strategic initiatives.
Complexity
Performs highly complex work activities covering technical, financial and quality aspects.
Knowledge
Applies broad business knowledge to enable strategic leadership and decision-making across various domains.
Business skills / Behavioural factors
Uses judgement to make decisions that initiate the achievement of agreed strategic objectives including financial performance. Escalates when broader strategic direction is impacted.
Initiates and influences strategic objectives and assigns responsibilities.
Leads collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders across competing objectives within the organisation. Builds strong, influential connections with key internal and external contacts at senior management/technical leader level
Anticipates and leads in addressing problems and opportunities that may impact organisational objectives, establishing a strategic approach and allocating resources.
Drives improvement initiatives that have a significant impact on the organisation. Aligns improvement strategies with organisational objectives. Engages stakeholders in improvement processes.
Creatively applies a wide range of new ideas and effective management techniques to achieve results that align with organisational strategy.
Communicates with credibility at all levels across the organisation to broad audiences with divergent objectives. Explains complex information and ideas clearly, influencing the strategic direction. Promotes information sharing across the organisation.
Provides leadership at an organisational level. Contributes to the development and implementation of policy and strategy. Understands and communicates industry developments, and the role and impact of technology. Manages and mitigates organisational risk. Balances the requirements of proposals with the broader needs of the organisation.
Drives organisational adaptability by initiating and leading significant changes. Influences change management strategies at an organisational level.
Promotes the application of knowledge to support strategic imperatives. Actively develops their strategic and technical leadership skills and leads the development of skills in their area of accountability.
Leads the enhancement of the organisation’s digital capabilities. Identifies and endorses opportunities to adopt new technologies and digital services. Leads digital governance and compliance with relevant legislation and the need for products and services.
Takes a leading role in promoting and ensuring appropriate culture and working practices, including the provision of equal access and opportunity to people with diverse abilities.