The competencies for Principal Engineer (People Manager) in Engineering are outlined below. Before reviewing them, it is helpful to review how to use these competencies.
Effectively manages activities within the available people, resources and keeps to expected or communicated timelines. Includes contributing to task break-down and estimating.
Ensures their team’s projects are well scoped and planned, and estimates are accurately made. Works with team leadership to set long-term goals, ensuring that technical work required to achieve business outcomes is delivered efficiently, within available budget and to a high standard.
Works independently as an individual at each level, showing self-reliance and initiative, and takes responsibility for completing tasks and seeing them through to completion.
Leads teams and projects autonomously, ensuring that team members operate at peak efficiency while driving key initiatives to successful completion.
Makes well-judged and timely decisions, identifies problems, and creates effective solutions.
Oversees problem-solving across projects, ensures decisions align with strategy and available budget, and mentors teams in decision-making.
Recognises the broader business context and strategically aligns actions to support organisational goals.
Leverages their teams’ strengths in projects that drive significant business outcomes within available budget. Spots opportunities to meet business and technology goals in new or more effective ways, including vendor-supplied products & services.
Effectively listens, understands, and conveys messages in a way that is appropriate to the audience - including verbal, written, use of diagrammes. Uses a range of techniques to influence and make persuasive arguments. Adopts a patient, empathic style, avoids jargon, and checks for understanding in others.
Role models effective communication, presents teamwork to the business, communicates difficult messages, and uses feedback to drive improvements. Skillfully adapts communication to engage diverse audiences, including stakeholders and vendors.
Collaborates effectively across the organisation.
Inspires teams to collaborate towards common goals, fosters knowledge sharing, and promotes an inclusive culture. Able to troubleshoot conflicts and problems in teams and help to find solutions.
Continuously seeks and creates opportunities for learning and growth.
Role models continuous learning and curiosity by researching, using and sharing learning materials, experimenting with new approaches and solutions to meet team development needs.
Guides oneself and inspires & develops others to achieve common goals. Reflects on their personal growth to identify areas to enhance their performance and for further development.
Leads change to shape the technical vision, builds trust and motivation, and mentors team members. Fosters a safe, inclusive environment. Strengthens leadership through mentoring and coaching.
Demonstrates and shares technical and domain expertise, and develops high-quality, secure and reliable software solutions following industry standards.