Commitment 9.1:
We have the human resource capacity and capability to deliver our work.
Compliance Indicators
Compliance with the Commitments will be assessed against the following Compliance Indicators. All of the applicable Compliance Indicators must be met by every ACFID Member to be considered compliant with the Code. Each of the Compliance Indicators has one or more compliance Verifiers. Verifiers are the description of evidence that is required to substantiate compliance with each Compliance Indicator. Guidance is also provided.
9.1.1 Members have an organisational structure appropriate to the scope of their work.
- An organisational chart (or)
- Description of organisational structure.
Guidance
The organisational chart or structure should outline the key positions in the organisation and the relationships between these positions. This provides a good overview of the resources that have already been dedicated, and assists your organisation to plan for any additional roles that it needs to further its mandate and scope of work. Documenting the relationships between positions also assists positions understand which roles they are responsible to, and who has responsibilities for them. It can be a useful way to think about how units within an organisation relate to each other, and are assigned responsibilities that work together to achieve the organisation’s overall goals and objectives. There are many examples of organisational chart templates available on the internet that can help prompt the way that your organisation chooses to document its own structure.
9.1.2 Members provide a clear description of roles and performance expectations.
Job descriptions or terms of reference for staff and for key volunteers i.e. those that fill formal roles in the organisational structure
Guidance
Job descriptions or terms of reference outline the main duties and responsibilities that are involved in a particular role. They usually include the purpose, duties, responsibilities, scope, and working conditions of a role, along with the role title, and the name or designation of the person to whom the employee or volunteer reports. Job descriptions provide the basis for recruitment, employment, and performance management. They communicate what is expected of a particular role and how the role will be evaluated.
There are many tools available on the internet that can help your organization prepare a job description or a term of reference. In addition, the Resources section below includes a link to to ‘Writing a Position Description’.
Good Practice Indicators
The following Good Practice Indicators describe a higher standard of practice than that set out in the Compliance Indicators. While Members do not need to meet the Good Practice Indicators to be considered compliant with the Code, they will self-assess against these indicators once every three years. This provides a clear pathway for Members to strengthen and improve practice over time.
- Dedicated human resources are assigned to key areas of organisational responsibility.
- Periodic reviews are undertaken of the human resource needs of the organisation.
- Guidelines are documented for the recruitment of local staff in country offices.
Good Practice Guidance
Here are some practical suggestions for your organisation to further deepen and improve practice over time.
Organisational and Policy
- Develop an organisational structure document to help with future tasks like workforce planning, succession structure, and what to outsource.
- Consult with all units of your organisation to develop a staffing plan that can be considered within the annual budget process.
- Create a job description for each role within your organisation.
- Align performance indicators for particular roles to the organisation’s strategy.
- Conduct recruitment processes that are as open as possible, to attract talent from a broad arena.
- Design a salary structure and assign salaries for various functions within the organisation. Compare and contrast those with fair market value for similar positions.
- Review salaries at least annually to ensure that you stay competitive. Consider providing other compensation to employees such as flexible working arrangements, or extra leave entitlements.
- Develop clear human resource policies and procedures that are accessible to all staff and volunteers.
- Consult with staff to develop a learning and development plan to further develop staff capacity.