Technical Competency Framework

Education Cadre 2016

1. Introduction
About the Advisory Cadres
DFID advisers help identify, generate and utilise the best evidence,
knowledge, technology and ideas to improve the effectiveness and impact of
the UK’s aid programme. Advisers have key roles in programme design,
management and evaluation, and in the broader development and
implementation of policy. They have strong links with development networks,
research organisations and professional bodies both in the UK and
internationally.

There are thirteen professional cadres with a combined total of more than 850
accredited advisers, around a 1/3 of the total DFID workforce. The majority of
these advisers are on-cadre1 (a small proportion are off-cadre for various
reasons but continue to retain their accreditation2) and are deployed
throughout DFID HQ and overseas. The Economics and Statistics cadres are
linked to government-wide advisory services.3 All DFID advisers need to
continually update and refresh their skills, through their cadre programmes of
continuing professional development (CPD), in line with the latest trends in
global development, poverty reduction and UK policy.

How the technical competency framework should be

used
DFID advisory technical competency frameworks are consistent in design and
application, the only difference is in the technical content.

This framework will be used by recruiters for workforce planning, by Heads of

Profession for benchmarking, standard setting aligned to cadre priorities; and
resource planning, performance management and development support by
Technical Quality Assurers, and by advisers themselves for planning and
implementation of development priorities, postings and career planning. The
framework may also be used by other government departments and external
partner organisations for collaboration and partnership working.

1 These advisers are working in posts where at least 40% of their time is spent on technical
work, they spend 10% of their time undertaking work for the wider cadre, and they undertake
a minimum of 50hrs per year (with an expected range of 50 to 100hrs) on relevant continuing
professional development, including attending professional development conferences
organised by the Head of Profession
2 Accreditation can be maintained for up to two posts or five years in off cadre posts, as long

as professional development is continued

3 The Government Economic Service and the Government Statistical Service respectively

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Introduction to the Education Cadre
The Education cadre has approximately 40 advisers. Currently the majority
of advisers are deployed to country offices. Advisers generally have both
country and international education experience.

DFID sees education as a lifelong process enabling people to have productive

and fulfilling lives which benefit both the individual and society. DFID takes a
whole system approach however it cannot fund every stage of education in
every country. It is therefore strategic in where, what age group and how it
provides assistance. Education advisers help teams to make these decisions
about where to invest. They lead on the delivery of the manifesto commitment
to provide 11 million girls and boys with a decent education.

Education Advisers are able to identify and design education programmes

that are evidence based and suited to different contexts. They are also able
to apply knowledge of equity and inclusion to maximise the impact of
education investments on the poorest and most marginalised, especially
women and girls and those with disabilities. They are skilled at seeing
opportunities to innovate. Technical knowledge is combined with policy
influencing and relationship management skills.

Development impact is often secured through cross cutting approaches -

advisers are therefore encouraged to affiliate or accredit to other cadres.
Education is of wide relevance across development particularly in relation to
inclusive economic growth, health and nutrition outcomes and social
cohesion.. Advisers are encouraged to engage with cross cadre teams and
many affiliate or become accredited to other technical cadres.

Competencies:
The competencies for the education cadre fall into the following types:

1. Shared Advisory Competency: This competency is common to all

DFID advisory cadres and describes the essential skills required to be
an adviser in DFID. This can be used alongside the primary
competencies in job specific recruitment, and will be tested at
recruitment to the cadre (accreditation) or promotion within a cadre
(TCA).

2. Primary Competencies: All advisers accredited to the cadre will

demonstrate these competencies.

3. Specialist Competencies: Advisers need to demonstrate competence

in these specialist areas for specific roles. It is not expected that all
advisers will be specialists in these technical areas.

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Additional Competencies:

Specific application of primary competencies and specialisms to DFID/wider

development priorities. It is expected that some advisory posts require specific
experience of application of the primary competencies in certain fields, and
additional competencies may be specified for recruitment for specific posts.
Some examples are given in section 2 in order to maintain consistency and so
that advisers can see what types of experience is most desirable to employing
departments. The list should be treated as a living document and not a
definitive list.

In addition to the competencies, all DFIDs advisers are expected to be able to

deploy their own specialism whilst taking account of key cross cutting issues.
Education advisers should:

 Understand political economy context in which DFID is operating,

including what shapes key social and political institutions, how power is
exercised and by whom, factors that drive and perpetuate exclusion,
the incentives which shape elite behaviour and how development
interventions may affect these incentives. Use this understanding to
inform decision making.

 Understand gender dimensions of development including legislation,

UK and international commitments, gender inequalities, and the
differential effects of interventions on men and women. Ensure that all
interventions and decisions are informed by this understanding.

 Understand conflict in the context in which DFID is operating,

including the factors causing and exacerbating conflict, the actors
involved and the relationship between conflict and aid programming.
Apply this understanding to ensure a conflict sensitive approach to
DFID interventions.

 Understand the climate and environment context in which DFID is

operating including vulnerability to climate change, environmental
degradation, loss of habitat and depletion of natural resources. Use this
understanding to inform decision making.

 Understand economic concepts and policy, including inclusive

growth, markets, incentives and public policy. Be able to apply this
understanding to own analysis and programming

Competencies and Advisory Grades:

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The Civil Service competency framework4 provides a short narrative and
examples of the desired and undesirable behaviours of civil servants at
different grades. Advisers are expected to demonstrate the appropriate level
of civil service competencies for their grade.

As with the Civil Service competencies, the technical competencies remain

the same across all grades. What changes by grade are the desired
behaviours and context for the technical knowledge required, as well as the
levels of risk, complexity and responsibility advisers will be expected and able
to cover. The cadre specific competencies are complemented by the civil
service competencies and international competencies (where appropriate).

A2L advisers will meet the key competency areas and be able to provide
sound technical advice in the areas of which they have experience. They will
be able to design, manage and lead clearly defined projects, policy issues and
technical processes with limited levels of risk and complexity. They are able to
establish credibility with counterparts.

Further to this, A2 advisers should be able to lead project and programme

design, management and oversight and be able to operate at country and/or
departmental level independently. They should be aware of the relevant
evidence in their technical area and be able to provide sound technical advice
and support and lead technical discussions. This will include setting direction
and technical strategic leadership not just narrow technical guidance. They
are able to establish credibility with senior counterparts.

Further to this, A1 technical advisers are expected to be able to represent

DFID in technical discussions at the highest levels. Be able to design,
manage and oversee the most complex, high risk and high value projects and
advise on complex technical and political issues. They will be able to apply
their generalist leadership capabilities such as seeing the bigger picture, and
setting direction in their technical work. They are able to establish credibility
and influence at the most senior levels, including with external organisations.

4 Civil Service Competency Framework 2012 – 2017

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 2. Summary of Education Adviser Competencies

Type Education Competencies

Shared Advisory SA1: Advisory Competency5
Competency (i) International Development.
(ii) Develop and implement policy.
(iii) Using evidence to inform policy and
programming.
(iv) Design and manage programmes and
projects.
(v) Apply key economic and commercial concepts
Core Competencies

(vi) Understand the potential for digital technology

Primary P1: Education Policy

Competencies
P2: Education Systems development

P3: Global Education Context

P4: Equity in education

P5: Evidence, innovation and evaluation

Specialist ICT in education; Economics of

Competencies Education; Politics and Governance of
Education; WASH ; Health; Evaluation /
Research; Conflict and education; Early
childhood care and development; Higher
Education and skills; climate change
and education

5For education advisers, the first three sub–components of the shared advisory competence
have been fully integrated into the Primary Competencies

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 3. Qualifications and Competencies
The4.normal expectation for an education adviser is a Master’s degree or
equivalent postgraduate qualification in a relevant technical area. Strong
demonstration of the competences
Humanitarian Competency: through relevant
International humanitarian law andexperience
humanitarianmay
substitute for a Master’s. Education is increasingly looking for advisers from a
range of backgrounds (economists, governance, private sector etc.) with
applied experience in the education sector. Developing country experience is
essential but although preferred may not necessarily involve being resident in
a country long term.

A1: ADVISORY COMPETENCIES

The elements of the Shared Advisory competency shown in italics the box below
have been fully integrated into the Primary education adviser competencies.

(i) International Development. Understand the processes, institutions and

organisations that shape the changing international development context in
which DFID operates, including the Sustainable Development Goals, ODA
rules, UK legislation and government structures, and the roles of multilateral
organisations and processes in development (Integrated into P3 below)

(ii) Use evidence to inform policy and programming. Analyse and critically
appraise a wide range of data and evidence and engage with and implement
high quality evaluation processes (Integrated into P5 below)

(iii) Design and manage programmes and projects. Have skills to undertake
the Senior Responsible Owner role, including working with
partners/suppliers, understanding and practising risk management, financial
management, commercial awareness and value for money at all stages of
the programme cycle.

(iv) Develop and implement policy including open and collaborative policy
making and scaling-up policy solutions. (Integrated into P1 below)

(v) Apply key economic and commercial concepts (i.e. incentives; choice;
markets; public policy and government failure); comparing costs and
benefits; assessing value for money through economy, efficiency and
effectiveness (integrated into P2 below)

(vi) Understand the potential of digital technology to improve the reach and
value for money of development interventions. Integrate digital effectively in
programmes, and use digital tools to work smarter, and to collaborate and
communicate effectively

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 P1 Education Policy Knowledge / understanding and application of education
policy in developing countries
Knowledge/understanding of:
 What constitutes ‘education’
policy – purpose, relevance, and
assessment – and how policy is
developed and implemented
 Evidenced-based education
policies on teachers, learners,
textbooks, school leadership, ICT
etc.
 Impact of public sector reforms on
the education sector, including
policy on privatisation,
decentralisation, human resource
management, etc. 
 Impact of politics and conflict on
schooling, including use of
teachers in elections, schools as
military bases etc. 
 Finance for development in
education; including domestic
sources, sector budget support,
results based, demand side, and
other innovative financing (DIBS,
etc.) 
Enabling advisers to:
 Influence education research,
programmes and policies on
student access, survival rates,
and learning outcomes
 Engage strategically with reforms
to improve education sector
outcomes
 Discuss and agree the optimal
mix of financing instruments
based on the context and mix of
partners
 Pilot and potentially scale up new
approaches to education
 Engage with partners to maintain
neutrality of teachers and schools
and maintain their focus on
teaching and learning 


P2 Education System development: - Knowledge based on experience of

education service delivery in a developing country context including
understanding of education systems strengthening challenges
Knowledge/understanding of:
 How power, politics and
incentives influence decisions
about the education system.
 Political economy and conflict
analysis that influences education
decisions
 Accountability mechanisms
 Types of delivery mechanisms
(public, private, CSOs)
 Economy, effectiveness,
efficiency, sustainability and
equity issues in education
budgeting and financing
 Data requirements for monitoring
and evaluation of education
systems and their roles in
measuring progress
Enabling Advisers to:
 identify opportunities to influence
stakeholders and address barriers to
change as well as managing risks.
 Adjust programmes and decision
making to contribute to fairer power
structures (and minimise potential
harm).
 Appropriately design DFID’s
education portfolio
 Lead and contribute to evidence-
based appraisals
 Contribute to annual reviews,
fiduciary risk assessments and other
evaluations
 Monitor budgets, expenditure and
VfM in order to maximise impact of
education inputs on outcomes.

P3 Global Education Context: Knowledge / understanding of global

education context including the international education architecture
Knowledge/understanding
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 the processes, institutions and  Identify opportunities to work
 organisations that shape the
changing international
development context in which
DFID operates e.g SDGs
 Structure, policy and approach of
key multilaterals and global funds
(WB, UN, EC, GPE ) and
bilaterals
 Awareness of priorities, operating
principles and drivers of non-
traditional donors and private
sector engagement
 Structure, policy and approach of
key foundations, academic
institutions, civil society
organisations.
 Working with other UK
government departments on
global education: DfES, FCO,
UKTI, BIS, MoD
effectively with partners
internationally and in countries
 Forge strategic partnerships and
strengthen DFID’s ability to
provide expertise and evidence to
partner countries and
international organisations
 Apply cutting edge knowledge
and communication approaches
to influence global dialogue on
education
 Leverage UK education expertise

P4 Equity in education Knowledge/ understanding and application of

equity in education
Knowledge/understanding of: Enabling advisers to:
 the importance of the goals of  Advise and propose solutions to
both equity in access and equity strengthen pro-poor and equitable
in learning policy, programmes and research
 trade offs in differential unit cost  Design inclusive education
and differential cost burdens at programmes
different levels of education  Develop practical proposals for
 Demand and supply factors that engaging Governments and
impact on learning and cause communities in planning,
children to be excluded from monitoring and accountability
education processes
 The dynamics and tensions  Ensure all interventions and
between and within decisions are evidenced based
communities, between people and informed by an
and government, elite and poor, understanding of gender
different genders - and dimensions of development
implications for marginalisation
and exclusion (of groups of
students and teachers) and
fragility.
 Targeted cross-sectoral
interventions to reach the poor
and excluded
 Accountability mechanisms that
support the excluded
 Gender inequalities and
differential effects of interventions
on boys and girls
 Research on barriers to inclusive
education

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 P5 Evidence, innovation and evaluation: Knowledge / understanding
and application of evidence, innovation and evaluation

Knowledge/understanding of: Enabling advisers to:

 Key quantitative and qualitative  Stay professionally up-to-date
research methodologies in education  Critically appraise new evidence and
 Global education research priorities understand its relevance and
and modalities (role of GPE, the World robustness
Bank and other key actors.)  analyse and interpret statistics,
 Key sources of published research, research and other bodies of
systematic reviews and other evidence.
evidence on education issues  Incorporate evidence from evaluation
 How to access and critically appraise and research into ongoing programme
research and assess the quality of and policy activity and build research
available evidence in comparative and and impact evaluation into programme
international education design and policy development
 Designing rigorous evaluations of  Contribute effectively to the
country programmes development of DFID education policy
 making use of research in policy and and strategies
practice  Develop effective monitoring and
 Tools to build capacity of researchers evaluation frameworks
and institutions  Use evidence to develop creative
responses to complex education
problems
 Develop networks of contacts and
sources of information for knowledge
management
 Develop and build capacity for
research

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