Free tool · for HR managers & team leads
Competency Framework Starter
A competency framework defines what good looks like at a role — the level someone should reach on each ability, from communication to leadership. This free starter builds one role's framework on a single tab: set a target for each of fifteen competencies, rate one person 1–5 against it, and the gap shows per row. Download it, fill it in, and see where the development is.
Take it with you — free, no signup
Direct download. No email, no account — just the files.
What it does
- One role at a time: set the target level (1–5) each competency should reach, then rate one person against it — the gap and a Meets? flag fill in per row.
- Fifteen competencies grouped into Core, Functional, and Leadership, on the same 1–5 proficiency scale (Awareness to Expert), with cells shaded by level.
- Comes pre-loaded with a fictional example role and person so you can see it working, then overwrite it with your own.
- Opens in Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice — no macros, no signup, nothing saved anywhere but your own file.
Own it, don't rent it
Ready for the whole team?
This free starter drafts one role. The full Competency Matrix / Framework Builder builds every role at once and scores your whole team — rate each person and it computes their gaps against their own role, flags team-wide focus areas in priority order, and adds an editable 15-competency library, a Proficiency Levels reference tab, and a review log, in one owned 7-tab spreadsheet (Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice) plus four guides.
A one-time purchase you keep and reuse every review cycle — the structured framework between a blank spreadsheet and a rented per-seat HR platform.
A framework-building and development-planning template, not HR, legal, or professional advice, and not an assessment of any real person. A competency level is a starting point for a conversation, not a verdict. The example role, ratings, and person are fictional and illustrative. Competency frameworks are a generic people-ops practice, not affiliated with any consultancy. Free to use; please don't resell or redistribute.