COMPETENCY MODEL

In Austin’s growing social sector, what does it take to be a well-rounded, competent nonprofit leader?

After surveying and interviewing roughly 80 nonprofit executives and managers from different nonprofit fields, YNPN Austin has used the community’s feedback to provide a framework of necessary skills and abilities catered to the unique needs of the Austin nonprofit community. By building on the four competency areas (Self-Management, Communication & Relationship Management, Professional Skills and Nonprofit Competence), young professionals will have the necessary skill sets to excel professionally and personally. These skills are meant to be universal and are applicable to any young professional in the social, public, or private sector.

YNPN Austin will use the Competency Model as the foundation and guide for our professional development and educational programming.

Self Management

 The ability to be responsive to varying situations and personalities.

The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships.

Understanding your limits and having the ability to create healthy balance and excel in productivity.

Personal commitment to the values of creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive work environment and social sector.

Integrating and understanding of your work environment and how to progress professionally.

Communication & Relationship Management

Clearly and effectively communicate at all levels of literacy.

Active process of making a conscious decision to listen and understand the message of the speaker; requires the use of all your senses.

Giving and receiving feedback, negotiation, resolving conflict in environments of high stakes and high emotions.

Includes the ability to network and create meaningful relationships that promote teamwork, collaboration, and partnership.

The ability to manage the interpersonal dynamics of groups and individuals within the workplace.

Professional Skills

Using social media platforms for professional purposes.

Understanding the value of data and the ability to analyze and interpret data in context.

Ability to use a variety of current technological softwares and devices in a professional capacity.

Motivating and inspiring others, including those that do not report to you

The process of supervising, delegating and organizing a project and a team.

Nonprofit Competence

Understanding the role of nonprofit boards, the policies, systems, and structures, and how to effectively advance the mission as a board member.

Identifying, soliciting, tracking, and stewarding charitable relationships and funds that sustain a nonprofit organization.

Understanding, developing, and monitoring budgets and understanding financial sustainability within nonprofits.

Seek to influence outcomes affecting the lives of the people served by your mission (through public policy)

The process of defining the strategy and direction of an organization’s mission, making decisions on allocating its resources to realize the goals and mission.