Head of Department
Also known as: Department Manager · Head of Unit
Leads a department with several teams or specialisms, is accountable for budget, staffing and results, and translates organisational policy into departmental plans.
The head of department sits between the executive layer and the team leaders and holds the budget for that part of the organisation. Unlike a team leader, steering is aimed at managers and annual plans rather than individual employees. In practice selection tests mainly professional content, while budget ownership and defending departmental interests in the management team are more often the real problem.
Competencies to measure
These are the behavioural and ability constructs in this profile. Each one shows which hrmforce questionnaire measures it.
| Competencies to measure | Target level | hrmforce instrument | Assessment method | Behavioural anchor at target level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directing and steering people Competency (50-framework): Management Knockout | N5 | Big Fifty, Competency Check, 360 Feedback | Assessment centre | Designs the management line for the whole organisation, addresses managers on their style and defines what good steering means here. |
| Managing workload pressure Competency (50-framework): Stress resilience | N4 | Big Fifty, Competency Check, Pulse Survey | Structured interview | Cuts or shifts tasks independently when busy on the basis of importance, records this and discusses consequences with clients. |
| Safety awareness Competency (50-framework): Discipline | N4 | Big Fifty, Competency Check | Situational Judgement Test | Recognises unsafe situations in own process, intervenes and addresses colleagues without bringing the work to a halt. |
Short profile
The ten heaviest skills in this profile. The full profile with every skill, behavioural anchor and assessment method is in the download.
| T | Skill | Target level | Weight | Knockout | Assessment method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Directing and steering people | N5 | 5 | yes | Assessment centre |
| V | Planning and organising | N5 | 5 | yes | Work sample test |
| V | Monitoring progress | N5 | 4 | no | Structured interview |
| V | Stakeholder management | N4 | 4 | no | Assessment centre |
| V | conflict handling | N4 | 4 | yes | Assessment centre |
| V | giving feedback | N4 | 4 | no | Assessment centre |
| V | holding others to agreements | N4 | 4 | yes | Assessment centre |
| V | Translating direction into goals | N4 | 4 | no | Structured interview |
| V | Delegating | N4 | 4 | no | Assessment centre |
| V | Conducting performance conversations | N4 | 4 | no | Simulation |
See all 28 skills in the full profile
Assessment instruments for this job
Competency Check
Behavioral-Level Competency Assessment
360 Feedback
Multiple assessments based on behavioral anchors
Work sample test
Representative work sample under standardized conditions
Knowledge test (client-specific)
Professional knowledge test, customized for each client
Big Fifty
Personality questionnaire, 150 items, 25 factors
Pulse Survey
Periodic measurement at the team and organizational levels
Development Review
Structured development interview
Conflict Styles
Preferred style in conflict situations
Communication Styles
Preferred communication style
Colour Profile (Jung)
Four color types, linked to Big Fifty factors
Ability Scan
Aptitude Test: Verbal, Numerical, and Abstract Reasoning Skills
Portfolio
Evaluation of prior work against fixed criteria
Comparable jobs
27 skills in the profile · medior
Operations Manager28 skills in the profile · senior
Coordinator24 skills in the profile · medior
Supervisor25 skills in the profile · medior
Shift Leader28 skills in the profile · medior
Working Foreman27 skills in the profile · medior
Site Manager28 skills in the profile · senior
Service Manager28 skills in the profile · senior