Guidance

Annex B: learning and development pathway (experienced sponsorship)

Published 23 May 2022

Departmental specific

• Read relevant PAC documents including the recent report on Government’s Delivery through Arm’s Length Bodies
• Read Cabinet Office’s Annual Report and the Annual Reports and Governance Statements of the ALBS they sponsor

Civil Service Learning

Relationship Management

Title: Assertiveness (3 hours 50 minutes, paid course)

You’ll investigate the impact of assertiveness on your day-to-day working life, as well as the most typical barriers to being assertive. The learning activities will help you determine where you currently stand on the ‘assertiveness continuum’ and identify the emotional triggers that affect your behaviour. You’ll also understand how you come across to different people in different situations, and how you can begin to stretch and flex your personal style in response.

Strategy & Objectives

Start with Why

In this edited TED talk, you find out how the golden circle concept could help you if you’re thinking about setting a strategy for a team or project.

Risk Management

[Managing risk, issues and dependencies](https://learn.civilservice.gov.uk/courses/f_ezQdqDSwqAW7HKrI3nDQ)

You are shown processes and best practices for managing issues and risk, including the different tools and methods you can use for logging and tracking. You also explore risk appetite and tolerance and how these can vary between projects and project team members

Financial Oversight

Commercial awareness (free course)

This topic explains the benefits of commercial understanding when you’re developing and implementing policy and programmes. You learn about the importance of effective preparation, procurement and management of services, as well as the stages of the commercial cycle.

Awareness of finance in government (free course)

You examine the sources of government money and how it is allocated, as well as the financial processes at a departmental level, and who administers them. After completing this topic, you will be more aware of the government’s budgetary cycle and processes, and more confident when dealing with finance professionals in your day-to-day work.

Governance and Accountability

Governance, funding and financial management guidance e.g. MPM etc. (free course)

Explore the issues involved in governance, assurance and audit and how these interrelated subjects should be handled to manage and mitigate risk, across government and in arm’s length bodies.

Outcome Assurance

Collaboration across departments, government and beyond (free course)

This topic starts you thinking about building and maintaining relationships and sharing control. It introduces the value of collaboration and how to maximise the benefits it brings.

Supplementary Learning

Open Learn

• Commercial awareness
• Environmental factors and organisations
• How to frame a business case
• The public policy - action relationship
• Influences on corporate governance
• Collective leadership
• The importance of interpersonal skills
• Effective communication in the workplace
• Exploring career mentoring and coaching
• Making decisions
• Risk management

Civil Service College

Access these courses on the Civil Service College website.

Accountability & Governance

This series offers a number of speciality courses for those in the Public Sector and Civil Service. Whether delegates are new to their senior roles or would like a refresher into ever-changing observations of what is acceptable.

Financial Management and Commercial Skills

This selection of courses offers a number of essential skills for those working in, or with, financial aspects of organisations that address key financial aspects such as risk management, attaining value for money, assessing organisational finances and making the best of often limited resources.

• Introduction to Public Appointments; The Public Appointments Process; Reappointments**

This set of three training sessions is offered around quarterly by the Cabinet Office’s Public Appointments Systems Team. They are for anyone in departments new to, or needing a refresh on, the regulatory system and processes for public appointments. Please contact publicappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk for information about the next available training.

Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching: Full details of the coaching offer are on the learning website (learn.civilservice.gov.uk)

Coaching is a way of developing your skills and abilities and unlocking your potential. It provides one-to-one support to improve your performance at work, or help you work towards a goal. It can also help you manage issues, barriers and challenges before they become bigger problems.

Mentoring: Executive Coaching and Mentoring

Advanced professional coaching and mentoring qualification £1,368 + VAT

Professional and Qualifications

Consider courses from the Corporate Governance Institute