Victoria Bryant
Manager
Emma Hancox
Historic Environment Advisory and Policy Manager
WAAS
Worcestershire Archive &
Archaeology Service
The Hive,
Sawmill Walk,
The Butts,
Worcester, WR1 3PD
4th June 2014
Dear Emma
Re: Decision Making Accountability Exercise (DMA)
You will all have heard of the Council's DMA principles. These focus on establishing efficient
and streamlined decision making pathways within management structures.
We have known for a while that the Archaeology Field Service includes more layers than
DMA principles allow, and have now been asked to undergo the (relatively painless) process
of formal DMA analysis and come in line with other areas of the Directorate. This involves
all the managers in the Unit who report to me, and 2 of the Project Managers as
representatives of that layer, each of whom is receiving this letter.
I have enclosed some guidance notes so you are aware of what the exercise entails, and by
the end of next week you will receive individual invites to attend for interview. I will also be
interviewed as part of this process. Each interview should take no more than 45 minutes.
As you will see from the enclosure, each of us also has to complete and return a
questionnaire beforehand.
I have asked for advice from HR as to how much detail is needed for the Timeframe part of
the questionnaire. The approach should be to put down a couple of examples of tasks in
each 'time' category, from 1 hour up to 3 years or whatever. It isn't necessary to list every
task carried out, just some key examples. These can be flagged up at the DMA interview
and further clarification provided then.
It is essential that you make this a priority and are available for interview. If there is any
difficulty with the date arranged, then please contact Sarah Hopwood to discuss rearranging
your interview slot on DMA@worcestershire.gov.uk or 01905 76 6865.
Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
Best wishes
Victoria
Tel: 01905 765506
Email: vbryant@worcestershire.gov.uk
www.worcestershire.gov.uk/waas
Streamlining Management
Background – What are we doing and why?
All organisations need to have the right management structures in place if they are to
operate effectively and efficiently. To support the changes we are making through our
BOLD programme we need to make sure that we have organisational structures where our
managers are clear as to their accountabilities and roles, ensuring both effective decision
making and efficiency in the use of scarce management resources. We are therefore aiming
to streamline our management structures, removing any duplication or overlaps and clarify
the associated decision making accountabilities of each post. This process will ensure that
we have the right structures and the right number of managers to support the inevitable
changes over the next few years.
Streamlined structures will assist with the delivery of the Corporate Plan, in which the
Council Leader identified the importance of quicker 'flash to bang' i.e. faster implementation
of new or revised services, policies and processes to improve outcomes for our customers.
In the Staff Survey (October 2011), most staff strongly agreed there were too many layers of
management in the County Council and this made decision-making too slow.
We are therefore now embarking on a Streamlining Management programme which will
involve an analysis of management roles across the County Council over the next 2 years.
Priority areas will include services where initial analysis has identified large numbers of
existing layers of management and/or those services and functions due to undertake BOLD
projects.
There is never a one-size-fits-all solution but we’re confident we can improve autonomy and
clarify accountability for both managers and staff, as well as identify further efficiencies.
Why me?
The review of your area is not concerned with you as an individual and is not about your
performance. Your role has been selected from within your existing team/service along with
a sample of others that reflect each current layer of management within your
hierarchy/structure. By conducting interviews from the bottom upwards, it will enable the
interviewers to understand where current decisions are made and where accountability sits.
This information can then be used to identify any potential recommendations that ultimately
could lead to a more efficient structure, with faster and more effective decision making and
clearer accountability for those decisions.
Who will interview me?
Your interview will be conducted by a Worcestershire County Council officer, either from
Human Resources or an operational role who has been professionally trained in the use of
Streamlining Management (Decision Making Accountability) tools and processes. The
interviewer may be joined by a trained colleague and confidential notes will be taken to
support the process.
What you will be asked:
The interview questions have been designed to help us understand your role and position in
the "hierarchy" of the County Council. The interviews will the cover seven areas noted
below and will include questions similar to those below.
Thank you for your assistance
If you have any concerns or questions about your interview please speak to your line
manager or local HR team who will be able to reassure you and provide further explanation
if required. Many thanks for your time and supporting what is an important piece of work for
the County Council.
Appendix 1
Organisation
Team/Section
Role Title
Role Holder's Name
Role Grade (SC1-P07,
Soulbury)
Reports To: Hard-line
(and dotted line if
applicable)
Interview led by
Venue
Any introductory notes?
Purpose of role
What is the main
purpose of this role?
What are the 3-5 main
activities?
What does success look
like in this role?
Timeframe
DMA Interview Summary
[V12 October 2013]
Worcestershire County Council
Colleague
Date/Time
How long does (will) it
take, on average, to
achieve the
activities/tasks listed
under Purpose of Job?
(Timeframe is from when
the activity commences
until completion, e.g.
minutes, hours, days,
weeks, months etc. not a
percentage of the working
week or how many hours it
will take to complete).
What is the longest
target completion time
you have been set for
any one task?
How often is your
progress reviewed (e.g.
milestones or project
deadlines, 1:1's, team
meetings etc.)
Resource & Expertise
Resource
Are you a budget
holder?
Is this your budget or a
budget delegated by a
more senior manager?
(If not please go to "Do
you have full line
management
responsibility for staff?")
Budget (£'s, per annum)
Budget type
(revenue/cost, CAPEX)?
Can you allocate
resource to different
business areas
(staff/budgets)?
(likely to apply to senior
managers with more than
one budget)
Do you have full line
management
responsibility for staff?
If yes, Numbers of staff
managed (Head count)
total numbers of staff not
just direct reports
Who are your direct
reports? (Job Titles)
Which one of these roles
(direct reports) is most
business critical?
How much of your time
is spent managing the
team (%)?
(including srd's, 1:1's,
performance
management,
management of the team
not management of the
service)
Role in Performance
Management of staff?
(Inc. disciplinary, level of
informal/formal action)
Authority to dismiss?
(This is likely to be HoS
and above, if you have the
delegated authority to
dismiss please indicate
so)
Recruitment
(Please indicate by
deleting the yes/no that
aren't applicable)
Expertise
What
detailed/specialist/expert
knowledge and skills are
required in this role that
aren't required in any
other?
What is the key added
value in
this role?
Problem Solving
What are the main
problems solved in this
job?
Do you chair interview panels
Decision Maker on the appointment
Authority to recruit (HoS and above)
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Give 3-5 examples.
How long do they take to
solve?
From when the
activity/problem
commences until
completion, e.g. minutes,
hours, days, weeks,
months etc. (not a
percentage of the working
week or how many hours it
will take to complete).
What is the most
complex/difficult
problem?
What's the biggest
decision you can take?
What decisions do you
have to refer upwards?
Change
Are you responsible for
making changes to
systems, services,
people, structures? E.g.
Modifications,
development, best
practice or innovations.
If so Give 3-5 examples.
What was the most
important change you
have introduced and
how long has it taken to
implement?
Are your change
decisions; 'suggestions',
'agreements',
'authoritative
recommendations',
authorisations?
Natural Work Team
Who are the people (in
which jobs) inside your
organisation that you
must work with to
achieve results (apart
from your boss and
direct reports)?
Contact
Decisions Taken
(Job
Title/Function/Team)
External Interaction
Who are the 'customers'/
stakeholders and other
organisations that you
must work with to
Name
e.g. District
Councils
Level of Contact
peers/managers/directors
Timeframe
days/weeks/months/years
achieve results?
What level is the
contact?
How long does it take to
achieve these
results/outcomes?
SUMMARY
POR
Work Level allocated
Interviewer notes:
T
R&E
PS
C
NWT
EI
OVERALL