SAQCA $$ Operations Team Lead

Competency Based Exercise

Context:

The South African Quality Control Agency $($SAQCA$)$ is a national inspection services provider focusing on fruit exports. Operations is split into $4$ regions. Each region consists of blocks $($team of Assessors$)$; which reports to an Operations Team Lead.

Scenario:

John Jones was appointed as Operations Team Lead: Durban office in Operations by $($SAQCA$)$ after his predecessor was appointed to another role within the organisation.

It is John$$s first day at the office and upon his arrival the Regional Operations Manager is waiting for him at reception. After a very quick welcome he tells John that he would like him to present a six month action plan for dealing with the following issues that came up just after his predecessor left:

$1.$ The annual SAQCA client survey results are in$.$ The CEO is very concerned about the poor service ratings received for this block $($team$)$ and wants it to be turned around with immediate effect. Some of the comments on the survey relates to inspections being very slow but most did not indicate the reason for their perceptions of poor customer service.

$2.$ Reporting suggests that volumes serviced results for the block are positive; however; HR has flagged numerous overtime deviations and flagged the fact that $80\%$ of the blocks employees are exceeding the overtime limit $.$

$3.$ An increase in volumes is expected for Citrus inspections. The ROM must present a consolidated resource allocation plan at the Operations business review meeting next week and requires your block$$s allocations. He emphasises that he does not want a repeat of the previous incident where employees were allocated who were not competent on cold chain $.$

$4.$ Three of the other Senior Assessors who has been with the company for more than $10$ years assumed that they would be successful in their applications. A message is circulating via WhatsApp questioning the validity of the appointment and that $$they intend to make John$$s life as difficult as possible and will only do the bare minimum....$$

$5.$ Relief duty needs to be planned for the citrus season. $5$ employees volunteered but a total of $8$ employees are needed. The block can release all $8,$ but there is a lot of resistance from those who did not volunteer. They suggested that the AETP students can go on their behalf as the students are already working without supervision.

$6.$ The disciplinary process for a long$-$serving employee needs to be concluded. SAQCA cannot afford the reputational damage of an employee sleeping on the job $.$

$7.$ The temporary employees demands a response to their complaint relating to equal pay for equal work and are threatening to stay away should their demands not be met.

$8.$ The roll$-$out of electronic inspections in this block have been met with challenges. Assessors have voiced their concerns that there is a lot of system down$-$time $.$

$9.$ The audit schedule has been received the external audit on your block will be in two months $$ time.

$10.$ All employees have requested laptops to be issued as tools of trade. This was not included in the budget but they feel strongly that they cannot continue work without proper tools $.$

Instructions:

You are assuming the role of John Jones and need to identify problem areas and make relevant recommendations in terms of possible solutions.

$1.$ Prepare a $10$ step action plan that demonstrates your findings and how you intend to address them in the next $6$ months.

There are ten issues as per list above $$ therefore $10$ slides excluding cover page $-$ for $10$ minutes or less.

Ask questions to get to the root cause e$.$g$.,$ as per ISO $3$ to $5$ why$$s or until we can$$t ask any further.

$2.$ Please prepare a Power Point presentation of $10$ minutes $($maximum$)$ on your findings, which you will present to the panel before the interview.

Good luck with your preparation!