Competency Management

Competency management that turns abstract concepts into measurable behavior

Transform abstract concepts like "strong communicator" or "natural leader" into observable behavioral indicators you can use in both 360° feedback and performance reviews.

Free for up to 10 users, no credit card required
Behavioral Indicator Not abstract concepts, observable behaviors
Position-Based Match competencies with defined company job titles
Single Library 360° Feedback and Performance Reviews use the same competencies
Competency Library 3 BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS
Team Leadership COMPETENCY · LIDR-007
DG1 Recognizes team members' strengths and coaches them
DG2 Takes on a neutral mediator role in conflicts
DG3 Manages individual motivation toward shared goals
Match competencies with defined company job titles
COMPETENCY TREE

Break a competency into observable behaviors, link to job titles.

Each competency is not an abstract concept but a measurable capability fed by observable behavioral indicators. Every indicator becomes the smallest unit of the organization's shared measurement language.

JOB TITLES BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS COMPETENCIES Team Lead Engineering · 1 competency Sr. Software Eng. Engineering · 2 competencies Project Manager PMO · 2 competencies Product Manager Product · 1 competency DG1 Recognizes strengths and guides them DG2 Mediator in conflicts role assumed DG3 Manages motivation DG4 Establishes common ground DG5 Builds persuasive communication DG6 Balances different perspectives 👥 Team Leadership COMPETENCY · LIDR-007 3 BEHAVIORAL IND. 🤝 Negotiation & Persuasion COMPETENCY · NEGO-012 3 BEHAVIORAL IND.
COMPETENCIES Must have at least 1 behavioral indicator
BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS 360° question and Evaluation scoring row
JOB TITLES Can be fed by multiple competencies
CAPABILITIES

Everything you need to build your competency pool.

Competency, behavioral indicator, job title and annual competency assignment, plus five quick wins: import templates, copy from previous year, bulk competency assignment, search, and role hierarchy.

Competency Library

The central pool where organization-specific competencies are defined. Each competency includes at least 1 behavioral indicator, an optional description, and an orderable indicator list.

At least 1 behavioral indicator required
Orderable indicators
Optional description field

Behavioral Indicators

Observable and orderable behavioral statements that make each competency concrete.

Job Title Catalog

The job title catalog that enables position-based competency matching.

Annual Competency Assignment

Tracks which competencies are active for each employee for each year on a yearly basis.

Copy from Previous Year

The most-used feature at year start. Competencies can be copied from the previous year for the entire organization or selected users.

Bulk Assignment

Update a user's entire competency list for the current year in bulk.

Role Hierarchy

Admin builds the library; managers can assign competencies from this pool to their direct reports based on their positions.

POSITION × COMPETENCY

Each role is evaluated on its own competencies.

Competencies are linked to one or more job titles. When assigning competencies to employees, the system guides administrators based on the employee's position.

Job Title
Team Leadership
Communication
Problem Solving
Customer Focus
Results Orientation
Senior Software EngineerEngineering · L3
Team LeadEngineering · L4
Sales SpecialistSales · L2
Project ManagerPMO · L4
HR SpecialistHuman Resources · L2
5 job titles · 5 competencies · 17 active matches

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between competencies and skills?

Skills are things you can do: speak SQL, edit a video, run a meeting. Competencies are how you behave: collaboration, judgment, ownership. A skills matrix tells you who can do what; a competency framework tells you how the work gets done. Modern HR programs use both, with skills mapping role coverage and competencies driving promotion and development.

What are behavioral indicators in competency management?

Behavioral indicators are concrete, observable actions that show whether someone is demonstrating a competency. For "collaboration," indicators might be: shares context proactively, invites input before deciding, credits contributors. Indicators turn abstract concepts into evidence managers can actually rate. Devokr stores indicators per competency and per proficiency level.

Should competencies be the same for every job title?

No. Most competency frameworks combine three layers: core competencies for everyone (communication, ownership), functional competencies tied to specific roles (technical depth in engineering, customer empathy in support), and leadership competencies for managers and above. Devokr lets you define which competencies apply to which title and at which proficiency level.

How are competency assessments used in performance reviews?

Competency ratings sit alongside OKR scores in the performance review. The OKR side captures what was achieved; the competency side captures how it was achieved. Combined, they give managers a structured way to talk about both outcomes and behavior in the same conversation, rather than relying on a single subjective summary.

How does Devokr handle competency management?

Devokr lets you build a competency library, define behavioral indicators per level, assign competencies to job titles, and run formal assessments alongside OKR and 360° feedback cycles. Results feed into the same employee file used for performance reviews, so competency data is part of every promotion and development conversation rather than living in a separate document.

/ Start with Competencies

Build your competency library

Create your own competency pool with behavioral indicators, link them to positions, and assign them to your employees.

Free for up to 10 users, no credit card required