JOB COMPETENCY PROFILE SUPPORT ANALYST, CS 0 INFRASTRUCTURE/OPERATIONS LARGE AND MEDIUM ORGANIZATIONS JOB NUMBER GNCS0000 Organizational Readiness Office V 1.0
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction... i Job Competency Profile Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations Competency Summary Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations...1 Analytical Thinking... Client Focus... Communication...3 Continuous Learning...3 Results Orientation...4 Teamwork...4 Business Analysis...5 Infrastructure/Platforms...5 Security/Information & Applications Protection...6 Service Management Processes...6 Telecommunications (Data & Voice) Network...7 Testing...7
INTRODUCTION Job Competency Profiles (JCP s) are one of many products developed as part of IT Community Generics. Our goal is to provide you with a consistent and coordinated approach to managing resources across government, with IT employees regarded as community resources. Within the IT community, jobs are categorized within a work stream which represents a function. There are currently eight IT streams in the large and medium organizations 1 and a competency profile has been developed for each generic job/role within each stream. Because the Job Competency Profiles are designed based on the organizational models and the Generic Work Descriptions, they should only be used in conjunction with the implementation of IT Community Generics. The Job Competency Profiles for the community describe the essential behavioural and technical competencies that employees must demonstrate and maintain throughout the course of their careers as IT professionals. In addition to representing current requirements, the competencies also reflect the dynamic and evolving nature of the IT discipline. They are therefore the foundation from which IT professionals can base their continuing professional development. In summary, then, a JCP is a set of competencies and associated behaviours at the appropriate proficiency level, that link directly to work that needs to be done in order to achieve overall strategic priorities. A competency profile can be used by individuals and groups as a source document for a variety of human resources activities. The level of detail will depend on the application. For example, when establishing the staffing requirements of a role/position, it is generally necessary to focus only on the bring competencies those that are identified as key to immediate successful performance on the job. These are often behavioural and technical competencies the candidates must have learned, developed or acquired prior to commencing in the position. The learn competencies, on the other hand, are critical to successful performance once the employee is on the job. These would therefore not be assessed during the recruitment and selection process but could be included in the employee s learning plan. When you use the Job Competency Profiles for staffing, learning and development and career planning, please provide us with your feedback. We intend to continue making revisions to the Profiles based on your experience. For further information, please refer to the following documents on the ORO website www.itgenerics.gc.ca: o o Implementation Guide; Behavioural and Technical Dictionaries, which provide an in-depth description of competency proficiency levels. The IT Job Competency Profiles were developed through a series of consultation sessions with subject matter experts from across government. We wish to thank all participants in the process for their assistance and guidance. 1 Large and medium organizations are based on the size of the CS population. Medium: 150 499. Large: greater than 500. i
COMPETENCY SUMMARY SUPPORT ANALYST, INFRASTRUCTURE/OPERATIONS COMPETENCY Analytical Thinking Client Focus Communication Continuous Learning Results Orientation Teamwork Business Analysis Infrastructure / Platforms Security / Information & Application Protection Service Management Processes Telecommunications (Data & Voice) Network Testing COMPETENCY DEFINITION Interpreting, linking and analyzing information to understand issues. Identifying and responding to current and future client needs; providing service excellence to internal and external clients. Listening to others and communicating in an effective manner that fosters open communication. Identifying and addressing individual strengths and weaknesses, developmental needs and changing circumstances to enhance personal and organizational performance. Focusing personal efforts on achieving results consistent with the organization s objectives. Working collaboratively with others to achieve common goals and positive results. Knowledge and ability to apply the principles of business analysis in the planning, reengineering, requirement gathering for government business environments, operations, processes and practices. Knowledge and ability to support the enterprise computing infrastructure (e.g., enterprise servers, client server, storage devices and systems, hardware and software) in the provision, management, storage, operation, scheduling, support and maintenance of the infrastructure. Knowledge and ability to ensure there are adequate technical and organizational safeguards to protect the continuity of IT infrastructure services by the implementation of IT security principles, methods, practices, policies and tools that are used in securing IT resources including information and operations security, physical security, business continuity/disaster recovery planning, methods to deal with security breaches and security assessment in a technical environment. Knowledge and ability to implement the methods, practices and policies governing the design, development and use of the IT support processes designed to keep the IT environment functioning efficiently, effectively and securely. Knowledge and ability to implement the methods, practices and policies governing the design, analysis, development, management and use of the hardware and software used to transfer information such as data, voice, images and video. Knowledge and ability to perform testing of software and/or hardware using a systematic approach (i.e., the orderly progression of testing in which software and/or hardware elements are combined and tested until the entire system has been integrated). PROFICIENCY LEVEL 1 1 3 3 3 Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations (CS 0) Page 1
BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES ANALYTICAL THINKING Analytical thinking involves interpreting, linking and analyzing information to understand issues. Infrastructure/Operations Support Analysts spend a good portion of their time solving problems, interpreting information and developing recommendations. Effective analytical thinking is therefore critical to their success. Analytical thinking is what enables them to think through issues and focus on priorities for action. It requires an ability to systematically organize and compare various aspects of a problem or situation and determine cause and effect relationships in order to resolve problems in a sound, logical, decisive manner. Often, there is intense pressure to solve problems quickly. Despite this pressure, Support Analysts take time to distinguish between symptoms and the causes of problems. They resist the temptation to apply a band-aid solution and work instead to develop solutions that will restore service and reduce future problems. TARGET LEVEL: Identifies critical relationships See connections, patterns or trends in the information available Identify the implications and possible consequences of trends or events Draw logical conclusions, providing options and recommendations CLIENT FOCUS Client Focus means identifying and responding to current and future needs and providing service excellence to internal and external clients. When a collaborative relationship exists between Infrastructure/Operations Support Analysts and business clients, service can be provided in a manner that demonstrates flexibility and openmindedness. They understand how the IT infrastructure components (LAN/MAN/WAN, workstations, server and mainframe operations) enable their clients to get work done. As a result, they frequently ask for feedback in order to determine if the technology or information solution provided has allowed their clients to effectively and efficiently deliver results. They then make sure that, whenever possible, this feedback is reflected in any corrective action taken. In this way, they avoid making assumptions about what clients or stakeholders do or do not want. TARGET LEVEL: 1 Responds to client requests Identify client needs and expectations Respond to requests efficiently and effectively Take action beyond explicit request within established service standards Refer complex questions to a higher decision-making level Meet client needs in a respectful, helpful and responsive manner Seek feedback to develop a clear understanding of client needs and outcomes Use client satisfaction monitoring methodologies to ensure client satisfaction Adjust service based on client feedback Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations (CS 0) Page
COMMUNICATION Communication involves listening to others and communicating in an effective manner that fosters open communication. Infrastructure/Operations Support Analysts use a consultative approach when they are communicating with others. Through the use of effective two-way communication, Support Analysts listen to the voice of the customer and understand real needs, rather than relying on assumptions about what clients or stakeholders do or do not want. They spend as much time listening as they do speaking and use effective questioning skills to collect accurate information, despite clients varying degrees of technical knowledge. They are able to provide technological solutions to clients in understandable terms, both orally and in writing and, because they understand their clients business concerns, they can describe solutions in terms of their impact on the clients business objectives. TARGET LEVEL: Fosters two-way communication Elicit comments or feedback on what has been said Maintain continuous open and consistent communication with others Openly and constructively discuss diverse perspectives that could lead to misunderstandings Communicate decisions or recommendations that could be perceived negatively, with sensitivity and tact Support messages with relevant data, information, examples and demonstrations CONTINUOUS LEARNING Continuous Learning is identifying and addressing individual strengths and weaknesses, developmental needs and changing circumstances to enhance personal and organizational performance. Infrastructure/Operations Support Analysts are consulted because of their technical expertise. However, they are able to balance the confidence they exhibit in their knowledge of technology with an open-mindedness to other views/solutions. Given the constantly changing and evolving nature of technology, old solutions do not always continue to be effective. Support Analysts must be committed to thinking about how new technology affects the way work is done and how products and services are delivered. They are continually learning and actively pursue opportunities to increase their knowledge by reading, learning from other experts, taking courses and attending lectures. They demonstrate active learning by looking for opportunities to practice a new skill and apply it effectively. TARGET LEVEL: Seeks to improve personal effectiveness in current situation Try new approaches to maximize learning in the current situation Take advantage of learning opportunities (e.g., courses, observation of others, assignments, etc.) Integrate new learning into work methods Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations (CS 0) Page 3
RESULTS ORIENTATION Results Orientation is focusing personal efforts on achieving results that are consistent with the organization s objectives. Infrastructure/Operations Support Analysts are focused on meeting the organization s standards of excellence. They understand the difference between a goal and the activities necessary to achieve the goal and they are aware of the impact of their performance on organizational results. They work to improve their efficiency through time management techniques and good personal work methods, persevering in the face of obstacles. Support Analysts ask for feedback from superiors, colleagues, clients and team members regarding their strengths and weaknesses. When necessary, they make specific changes to their work methods and skills in order to improve personal performance. TARGET LEVEL: Consistently meets established expectations Consistently achieve established expectations through personal commitment Make adjustments to activities/processes based on feedback TEAMWORK Teamwork involves working collaboratively with others to achieve common goals and positive results. When teams are used to solve problems and make decisions, different resources can be brought together to interact and develop options that would not be available if an individual was acting on his/her own. Infrastructure/Operations Support Analysts play a critical role in ensuring that teams function effectively by working co-operatively with others to achieve team/project and organizational objectives. They are able to understand and respond effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views. The Infrastructure/Operations Support Analyst keeps team members informed regarding all useful and relevant information, assisting them to make well-informed decisions and recommendations. Once the team makes a decision, he/she is visibly supportive. TARGET LEVEL: 1 Participates as a team member Assume personal responsibility and follow up to meet commitments to others Understand the goals of the team and each team member s role within it Deal honestly and fairly with others, showing consideration and respect Willingly give support to co-workers and work collaboratively rather than competitively Share experiences, knowledge and best practices with team members Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations (CS 0) Page 4
TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES BUSINESS ANALYSIS Business Analysis is the knowledge and ability to apply the principles of business analysis in the planning, reengineering and requirement gathering for government business environments, operations, processes and practices. TARGET LEVEL: 3 Intermediate Understand the client s roles, requirements, planning and processes Understand and work within governance principles Understand audit and compliance principles, change management principles and the impact of changes Understand how technologies can enable business processes Translate business requirements into technical requirements Develop clear requirement statements Develop simple business cases Carry out simple business process reengineering models and redesign processes INFRASTRUCTURE/PLATFORMS Infrastructure and Platforms is the knowledge and ability to support the enterprise computing infrastructure (e.g., enterprise servers, client server, storage devices and systems, hardware and software) in the provision, management, storage, operation, scheduling, support and maintenance of the infrastructure. TARGET LEVEL: 3 Intermediate Understand how the platform integrates with other environments (e.g., network) Participate in day-to-day operations (e.g., monitoring operations of the platform) Use performance data collection tools and techniques Install software and hardware on the platform Solve routine problems Solve typical hardware and software problems Use diagnostic tools to solve complex problems Execute standards Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations (CS 0) Page 5
SECURITY/INFORMATION & APPLICATION PROTECTION Security/Information and Application Protection is knowledge and ability to ensure there are adequate technical and organizational safeguards to protect the continuity of IT infrastructure services by the implementation of IT security principles, methods, practices, policies and tools that are used in securing IT resources including information and operations security, physical security, business continuity/disaster recovery planning, methods to deal with security breaches and security assessment in a technical environment. TARGET LEVEL: Basic Understand concepts of IT security and its application to computer systems architecture SERVICE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES Service Management Processes is the knowledge and ability to implement the methods, practices and policies governing the design, development and use of the IT support processes designed to keep the IT environment functioning efficiently, effectively and securely. TARGET LEVEL: Basic Understand and follow a process in problem management, change management or configuration management Provide IT help desk support services Gather information from end-users to determine the nature of problems and resolve them Monitor SLAs and escalate problems Perform initial evaluation of problem and route as necessary Understand the requirements of process (e.g., involvement of service management early in the process Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations (CS 0) Page 6
TELECOMMUNCIATIONS (DATA & VOICE) NETWORK Telecommunications (Data and Voice) Network is the knowledge and ability to implement the methods, practices and policies governing the design, analysis, development, management and use of the hardware and software used to transfer information such as data, voice, images and video. TARGET LEVEL: Basic Understand data communications routing and switching technology Understand how basic concepts relate to each other and applies them (e.g., vendor-specific standards) Understand how data communications integrate with other environments (e.g., mainframe) and are distributed, at a basic level, from an end-user perspective Assist in the design of basic connections (e.g., connecting 100 people to a WAN or designing a small site for less than 50) Troubleshoot basic physical or software connectivity problems, network congestion (e.g., cables/connections, defective equipment, logging in to network equipment, checking configuration of routers/switches) Use data communications diagnostic tools Test, configure, install and support hardware and software at any typical site Talk clients through troubleshooting TESTING Testing is the knowledge and ability to perform testing of software and/or hardware using a systematic approach (i.e., the orderly progression of testing in which software and/or hardware elements are combined and tested until the entire system has been integrated. TARGET LEVEL: 3 Intermediate Understand systems integration principles (i.e., the methods, practices and policies that are used during a systems integration process, including hardware, software, network and applications) Understand release and certification processes Prepare test cases/scripts Carry out complex testing/validation (e.g., volume testing, integration testing) Ensure other applications are not affected Match results with expectations in the design document Troubleshoot/resolve issues Implement test tools Apply standards for testing Support Analyst, Infrastructure/Operations (CS 0) Page 7