SAI Young Leaders Programme

Background

Leadership is a key driver of change, growth and performance for every SAI. The IDI’s SAI Strategic Management Framework recognizes it as a cross-cutting function leading to SAI capacity development, outputs and outcomes ultimately leading to SAIs contributing value and benefits for citizens. There are a number of initiatives in INTOSAI at the SAI and regional level on leadership development. Given the importance of working in this area, the IDI Board decided that IDI should include a leadership programme in its portfolio.

In 2015, the IDI launched the SAI Young Leaders Programme with the Global Leadership Symposium as a kickoff. At this symposium, key stakeholders and partners, current SAI leaders and young SAI leaders discussed different dimensions of SAI leadership. In 2016, the IDI continued with the research and development, exploring a variety of options for conducting the pilot. The first class of SAI Young Leaders (SYL) is expected to come together for a six-month full-time programme in 2017 and eventually graduate in 2018. The IDI plans to take stock after the pilot to determine a future course of action. The projected programme timelines depend on the availability of mentors and IDI resources. If appropriate resources are not available, the timelines will be extended.

Programme Objective

Changed SAI young leader contributing to positive change in SAI’s

Programme Announcement

  pdf SAI Young Leaders Second Screening Workshop from 20-14 November 2017 in Oslo, Norway (1.01 MB)

Participating SAIs

To be confirmed.

Cooperating Partners

All INTOSAI regions

Programme Implementation Strategy

The programme aims at ‘changed SAI Young Leaders contributing to positive change in SAIs’. This is built on the concept of change or transformation. To facilitate a change of hearts and minds of SAI young leaders, the programme highlights leadership as a journey. Leadership starts with oneself. Through a journey of self-discovery, their people, their SAIs and their environments, young leaders are expected to lead a positive contribution to change at the SAI level.

The IDI will start by piloting one round of the programme in 2017 and 2018. The programme will target SAI young leaders up to the age of 40 years who possesses management responsibility. It will be a full-time programme for six months with a combination of interactive sessions, activities, project work and on-the-job training. The programme will consist of the following components:

1. SYL Mentors – For the SAI Young Leaders Programme, the IDI plans to select a team composed of six mentors. This team will be trained in different aspects of leadership development directly relevant to the programme.
2. SYL Selection – In 2017, SAIs will be invited to send in applications of candidates for a position in the programme. SAIs will be requested to nominate candidates based on specified criteria. Each candidate will be required to submit a letter on why s/he would like to join, a strategy document for bringing change in any one area in the SAI’s strategic plan. Each candidate will also identify a local mentor who will sponsor the project together with a project team and write a recommendation as a part of the application. The documents submitted will be vetted by a selection panel set up by the IDI. The selection panel will then interview shortlisted candidates and select 25 candidates. The IDI will aim for a gender-balanced group.
3. SYL Leadership Tree – During the Global leadership Symposium, the group developed an active framework defining the competencies of an SAI leader contained in a Leadership Tree. In 2016, a team worked further on this concept to develop the competency framework, the broad design of the programme as well as the syllabus. Said materials will be further developed by the mentor team as a part of their design and development work.
4. SYL Design and Development – The mentor team will meet before the start of the programme and every after each workshop to design and develop the materials. The courseware will be designed and developed using IDI’s Systematic Approach to Training (SAT). The programme design will follow the 70-20-10 principle with 70% of the programme duration spent on on-the-job training, 20% on peer learning and 10% on formal classroom sessions.
5. SYL Interactions – The six-month programme will comprise three face-to-face interactions of two weeks where all the SYLs and mentors will gather. Each workshop will be a mix of education and exposure activities. A number of leaders from different walks of life will be invited to interact with the SYLs. They will also be exposed to different types of institutions like the UN, various NGOs, and Parliaments etc.

   The period between the face-to-face interactions will be spent mainly at the SAI. Each SYL will develop his/her ‘SAI Interactions Programme’ in consultation with their respective mentors, from the mentor team and local mentor. The SYL will collaborate with the project team in the SAI to facilitate knowledge and skills management. It is expected that knowledge and skills acquired by the SYL will be transferred to his/her project team. It is also hoped that this will create a multiplier effect in terms of building leadership competencies for an SAI team.

   Each interactions programme is expected to include a number of elements that covers exposure to the dynamics of key stakeholders within the SAI, knowledge management and collaboration, among others in the implementation of the change strategy. Throughout the programme, SYLs will be provided online support and online interaction facilities.

6. SYL contribution to SAI change – The IDI will monitor the implementation of the change strategy by SYL even after the programme activities have been concluded. Lessons Learned Exercise will be conducted in 2018 to decide on the next class of SYLs. The programme material will be made available to all regions and SAIs that express interest in conducting such a programme either at the regional or local level.

pdf Emotional Intelligence & Coaching Skills Education Tender TOR (236 KB)

Programme team

Archana Shirsat Deputy Director General This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jade Quarrell Senior Manager Professional and Relevant SAIs Department This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Chithra Ramasubramanian Senior Coordinator Professional and Relevant SAIs Department This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.