Planning

The ability to identify organizational needs and to initiate strategies aligned with the institutional mission, strategic direction, and values.

Skill sets associated with this competency include:

Establishing Priorities

Knowledge required:

• Understanding of the institutional priorities and the role they play in the development of individual unit priorities
• Understanding of current unit priorities and their relevance to the unit’s success or lack thereof

Skills and abilities required:

• Ability to facilitate discussion and review of priorities
• Ability to arrange priorities in order of importance

Assessment

Knowledge required:

• Basic understanding of what assessment is and the benefits of assessing and evaluating
• Understanding of the basic principles used in the assessment of programs, operational functions, and facilities management
• Understanding of how data may be utilized to inform change

Skills and abilities required:

• Ability to implement assessment strategies
• Ability to analyze information from the assessment and apply it to program development or alignment
• Ability to implement programs based on evaluation results

Goal Setting

Knowledge required:

• Understanding of basic principles used in goal setting for a sub-unit, department, or division
• Understanding of institutional goals and objectives
• Understanding of the role of the sub-unit, department, or division within the context of the institution

Skills and abilities required:

• Ability to organize and/or facilitate a goal-setting workshop or retreat
• Ability to delineate goals at the micro and macro level

Strategic Planning

Knowledge required:

• Basic knowledge of strategic planning approaches (e.g., planning, programming and budget; management by objective; program evaluation review technique; management information systems; total quality management, continuous quality improvement) and other current trends in planning philosophy
• Understanding of the basic principles used in a strategic planning process
• Understanding the role and importance of a participatory planning process when developing a strategic plan
• Understanding of a living work product that can evolve with the unit

Skills and abilities required:

• Ability to implement a strategic planning retreat
• Ability to identify current and upcoming trends related to the strategic initiatives
• Ability to write a long-term strategic planning report for the unit
• Ability to identify targets and indicators to track the progress of the unit
• Ability to re-evaluate and update sections of the strategic plan to better fit the unit’s changing needs 

Prepare for the Unexpected

Knowledge required:

• Understanding the basic principles of change management

Skills and abilities required:

• Ability to anticipate the unexpected and work within the unit to develop a response plan

Real Estate Development

Knowledge required:

• Understanding of space usage and the impact of losing/gaining space on programs and functions
• Understanding of basic concepts of construction and environmental engineering
• Understanding of the fiscal impact of design and lead time
• Understanding of the human resource and staffing issues related to building construction and expansion
• Understanding of the differences between form and function of a building
• Understanding of the opportunities for donor development and/or how to communicate construction projects as fundraising and development opportunities
• Understanding of the impact of environmentally conscious (green) design and construction

Skills and abilities required:

• Ability to learn basics of building construction and engineering
• Basic training in interior design and to include: lighting, furniture, fabrics, etc.
• Familiarity with LEED principles