Webinar Series

What’s New – Revisions to the NICE Framework

July 15, 2020
Timeline of Framework Updates

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Attributes of the New Revision

• Agility— The NICE Framework enables organizations to keep pace with a 

constantly evolving ecosystem.

• Flexibility— The NICE Framework enables organizations to account for 

the organization’s unique operating context.

• Interoperability— The NICE Framework enables organizations to 

exchange workforce information using a common language.

• Modularity— The NICE Framework enables organizations to 

communicate about other workforces within an enterprise (e.g., Privacy, 

Artificial Intelligence , etc.).

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Feature: “The Work” and “The Learner”

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Feature: Building Blocks

• Task: an activity that is directed toward the achievement of objectives

• Knowledge: a retrievable set of concepts within memory

• Skill: the capacity to perform an observable action

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Feature: Work Roles

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Feature: Competencies

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Q & A 

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Feature: Work Roles

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Pam Frugoli

Senior Workforce Analyst

Employment and Training 

Administration

U.S. Department of Labor
Use of NICE Framework by Private Sector 

and Role of Employment and Training Administration

▪ The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and industry partners 

collaborate to develop and maintain dynamic models of the foundation and 

technical competencies needed in various industries and sectors of the American 

economy. 

▪ The goal is to promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies that 

are essential to educate and train a globally competitive workforce.

▪ The models are a resource to inform collaboration among industry leaders, 

educators, economic developers, and public workforce investment professionals 

to:

▪ Identify specific employer skill needs

▪ Develop competency-based curricula and training models

▪ Develop industry-defined performance indicators, skill standards, 

or certifications

▪ Develop resources for career exploration and guidance

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DOL-sponsored online resources

Occupational Information Network 

(O*NET) system Competency Model Clearinghouse

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O*NET Focus on Careers and Occupations

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O*NET NICE Cybersecurity Framework

974 Occupations 52 Work Roles

41 Knowledge Areas 614 Knowledge statements

35 Skills 359 Skills

55 Abilities 119 Abilities

19,566 Tasks 928 Tasks

The NICE Framework is an unparalleled in-depth resource
O*NET Profile for Information Security Analysts

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Feature: Competencies

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Socializing the NICE Framework to a Wider Audience

https://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/Competency-Models/cybersecurity

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Q & A 

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Matthew Isnor

Senior Program Lead

Cyber Workforce Development

Department of Defense, OCIO

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DoD Cyberspace Workforce Framework 

(DCWF)

Establishes an authoritative lexicon based on the work an 

individual is performing, not their position titles, 

occupational series, or designator

Develops qualification requirements for cyber work roles 

outlined in DoD Manual 8140.XX

Facilitates uniform identification, tracking, and reporting 

required by the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce 

Assessment Act (FCWAA)

The DCWF has been adapted at the national 

level in NIST Special Publication 800-181

Used to develop an international framework 

under the NATO Multinational Cyber Defense 

Training & Education Project.

NICE Cybersecurity 

Workforce Framework 

USCYBERCOM JCT&CS

JP 3-12 Lines of Operation

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DoD Organizational Building Blocks 

ENTERPRISE (Government) FUNCTIONAL OWNERS (DoD)

DoD Baseline Requirements

Aligned to Work Role(s)

The 8140 issuances will establish enterprise baseline 

standards and requirements according to DCWF work 

role(s).

Enterprise Baseline Requirements

Aligned to NICE Framework

Establish enterprise baseline standards and 

requirements according to NICE Framework Series 

requirements

Organizational

Requirements

Components will be expected to add additional 

requirements to enhance readiness based on 

environment specific factors.

Mission

Requirements

This structure will enable reciprocity while 

enhancing interoperability and cyber 

readiness.

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Lisa Dorr, Senior Talent Manager 

Department of Homeland Security Office 

of the Chief Human Capital Officer

• Cybersecurity and Intelligence Talent 

Experience (CITE) Division 

• Cybersecurity Talent Management 

System (CTMS) Innovations Team

• Senior Talent Manager for Strategic 

Analysis & Change Management and 

Talent Engagement & Development 

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Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Trends

Workforce Trends

Government work is 

increasingly knowledge work, 

requiring complex problemsolving and unpredictable 

application of skills

+

Jobs are becoming 

increasingly nonstandard and complex+

Employee expectations no 

longer always map to the 30-

year federal career

+

Highly-competitive labor markets

exist in which the Federal

Government is only one employer

1 2 3 4

Practices to Revisit

Position classification from 

the first half of the 20th century 

cannot describe cybersecurity 

work or talent

+

Self-rating and brief 

interviews cannot 

measure cybersecurity 

expertise

+

Rigid, tenure-based 

approaches to pay and career 

progression are not competitive

1 2 3

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DHS Cybersecurity Talent Management System 

• Modernize talent management to align to and 

keep pace with cybersecurity work

• Take a comprehensive, mission-focused approach 

to recruit and retain talent

• Understand and customize leading private and 

public sector practices for DHS

• Department's cybersecurity human capital 

challenges are about more than just pay 

• The world of work—especially cybersecurity 

work—continues to evolve 

• Conventional civil service approaches, including 

position-based hiring and pay, are showing their 

age

Background Challenge Solution

Congress granted the Secretary broad 

authority to establish an alternative 

personnel system to recruit and retain 

cybersecurity talent

Simply eliminating a step in the hiring 

process or adding a pay grade will not make 

DHS competitive, especially given the global 

shortage for cybersecurity talent

DHS is preparing to launch the CTMS and 

Cybersecurity Service (DHS-CS) to better 

manage cybersecurity talent in the 21st

century 

Methodology

Sourced input from key DHS 

cybersecurity and human 

capital stakeholders

+

Reviewed all major federal 

personnel transformations 

since the 1970s

+

Benchmarked leading private sector 

practices, including those for hiring 

assessment and compensation

+

Engaged with human capital experts 

from the Office of Personnel 

Management and the Intelligence 

Community 

• Passed as part of the December 2014 Border 

Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act

• Broad authority with some restrictions and 

requirements, including producing regulation

• Similar language to authorities for personnel 

systems in Department of Defense and Intelligence 

Community 

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Ken Vrooman, Senior Advisor

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure 

Security Agency

• Cyber Defense Education and Training 

sub-division

• Acting Branch Chief for the Curriculum, 

Evaluation and Support Branch

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▪ As the Nation’s Risk Advisor, CISA leads the effort to ensure there is an appropriate staffing of cybersecurity professionals to

address the increasing demand of protecting the government, critical infrastructures, SLTT, and public/private partners. 

▪ To accomplish this, CISA is standing up the Cyber Defense Education & Training (CDET) Subdivision to consolidate and expand 

the agency’s ability to address this workforce shortage crisis. 

Cyber Defense Education & Training

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CDET Mission

Educating the Nation to Address Cybersecurity Challenges

CDET Vision

Sustain an Adaptive Cybersecurity Workforce as a National Asset
NICE Framework is the Core

17 K-12 courses-- integrated across multiple disciplines to 

promote innovative learning 

Knowledge units mapped to Framework competencies results in 

greater likelihood of success in future work

Suite of tools designed to increase efficiency and effective workforce 

planning and recruitment 

Training courses mapped to Framework for easier professional development

K-12

CAE/SFS

PDs/

workforce

Training 

National

alignment

Creates a standardized lexicon and understanding of work, competencies, and behavioral 

indicators

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Feature: Building Teams with Work Roles

Lifecycle Phase Work Role

Design Security Architect

Build Software Developer

Deploy Network Operations Specialist

Operate Customer Support Specialist

Maintain Database Administrator

Decommission Communications Specialist 

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Feature: Building Teams with Competencies

• Example: Red Team

– Competency: Engagement Planning

– Competency: Rules of Engagement

– Competency: Pen Testing

– Competency: Data Collection

– Competency: Vulnerability Exploitation

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Q & A 

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Thank You for Joining Us!

nist.gov/nice/webinars

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Upcoming Webinar: Educating Youth for a Cybersecurity Future

When: Wednesday, September 16, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. EDT 

Register: https://nist-nice.adobeconnect.com/webinarsep2020/event/registration.html