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Applied Cybersecurity DivisionNICE

## NICE Framework Resource Center

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# NICE Framework Success Story: Competency Program

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By Lynx Technology Partners​*Use: Functional Competency Assessment and Development Program*

View this Success Story as a PDF

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#### ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE

Founded in 2009, Lynx Technology Partners (“Lynx”) was named one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest-growing private companies and ranked among the top U.S. security companies for consecutive years. Lynx delivers dynamic cybersecurity and risk-management solutions for their customers, helping them understand and navigate their threat landscapes. The Lynx team comprises experienced, industry recognized experts who have led governance, risk management, compliance, and cybersecurity programs and have served as subject matter experts for Fortune 500 enterprises, small and mid-sized businesses and Federal agencies. Lynx combines risk management professional services with an integrated risk management platform to better manage risk throughout the people, processes, and technology lifecycles. This enables simplification, automation and integration of strategic, operational and IT risk management processes and data, helping companies reach higher levels of program maturity, performance, increased resilience, assurance and compliance.

“Clients who choose the Lynx Competency Program for their organizations are forward thinking and proactive in their approaches to Risk Management, Talent Management, and Workforce Development. They are able to reduce risk by merging planning, people, processes, and technology in an innovative manner while enabling and maximizing their biggest assets – their employees.”

–Kerstin Zell, Director, Risk and Operations, Lynx

Lynx is passionate about helping clients understand and reduce risks they may face, including potential hazards associated with competency gaps. Lynx trusts that a standardized approach improves their clients’ hiring, training, and succession processes as well as enables employees to better understand what capabilities are needed for desired positions and upskill accordingly. Lynx therefore utilizes the NICE Framework, as it is both far reaching and lends itself to competency assessments and career pathing activities.

#### DRIVERS

                  - 1 in 3 companies say that a shortage of skills makes their organizations more desirable hacking targets. (McAfee, 2016)
                  - Widespread difficulty with recruiting and hiring security talent across organizations.
                  - The emergence of competency-based management as a strategic talent management approach that defines the competencies required for successfully delivering an organization’s business strategy.
                  - Recognition that competencies are crucial to all aspects of talent management, including lowering turnover rates, hiring the best talent, increasing revenue per employee, and improving employee performance.

#### PROCESS

By using competencies as building blocks, companies can create an integrated talent management network within their organizations to ensure that they are hiring, developing, and promoting the right people in the right positions. Lynx Technology Partners utilized the NICE Framework to develop a holistic competency program that includes:
                  - A comprehensive, multi-level, and customizable service offering Functional Competency Assessment and Development Program Services.
                  - Competency-driven solutions that define talent requirements, addresses skill deficiencies, and improve individual and overall organizational performance within security operations.
                  - Utilization of a well-researched, easily adopted, and defensible out-of-the-box approach that includes libraries of competencies, knowledge areas, job responsibility statements, education, and certifications.
                  - A strategic partnership with the Human Resource Systems Group (HRSG), a world leader in the field of competency-based talent management, with Lynx applying configuration based on the NICE Framework and client requirements.
                  - A leadership team with the ability to address risk through people, processes, and technology in a strategic approach to best serve the individual client’s needs.

#### TIE-IN WITH THE NICE FRAMEWORK

The Lynx program uses the NICE Framework to map positions and align them with needed Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. It includes functional self-assessments and career pathing that:
                  - Utilizes NICE Framework Knowledge, Skill, and Ability statements to assess cybersecurity teams’ effectiveness regarding relevant competencies.
                  - Structures NICE Framework Work Roles to develop career-pathing options based on shared competencies, effectiveness, and organizational structure.

In doing so, Lynx is able to provide assistance and advisement in communication approach as well as conduct an analysis of gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities.

#### BENEFITS & IMPACT

“If developing talent is critical to the future success of organizations, then understanding and using competencies to create a more talented workforce is key to maintaining a competitive edge.”

– Association for Talent Development (2018/19)

                  - Just some examples of the impact of this approach include the ability to:
                  - Identify and proactively address the risks organizations may face due to competency gaps.
                  - Assess employees’ competencies based on industry standards.
                  - Maximize the talent potential of existing and future human capital.
                  - Improve the allocation of training and resource spending.
                  - Accelerate motivation among all levels of employees and inspire a performance-based business culture.
                  - Support additional organizational competency-driven efforts based on standardized language within a tool.

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##### CONTACT INFORMATION & RESOURCES

Contact:Kerstin Zell*Director, Risk and Operations, Lynx Technology Partners*kzell [at] lynxtp.com (kzell[at]lynxtp[dot]com)

Website:www.lynxtechnologypartners.com

Cybersecurity education and workforce development

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