NHRI Leadership: an introductory guide The staff leadership team and its individual staff leaders typically have responsibility to • lead, motivate and develop staff • manage resources • provide advice to the top leaders on the development and delivery of the strategic and operational plans • ensure strategic implementation of plans • set and maintain standards of staff performance • develop and implement processes, systems, infrastructure and ways of working to manage the organisation • ensure the NHRI’s responsibilities of being a good employer • manage the NHRI’s finances, human and other resource allocation • undertake evaluations and performance reporting. In carrying out these responsibilities staff in the leadership team may be delegated with functions and powers by the commission or ombudsperson or by the SEO. 6. Documenting the division of roles and responsibilities The division of roles and responsibilities within the top leadership group, between that group and the SEO, and between the SEO and the other staff leaders needs to be clear and documented. That is the best way to ensure that the division is well known and can be accessed at any time. It is also a good means to articulate the expectations of different categories of leaders. Some NHRIs have developed and adopted manuals or handbooks for NHRI leaders that discuss the kinds of issues in this guide and set out the leaders’ roles and responsibilities. Some of those manuals list the particular responsibilities of different leaders and include a protocol for commissioners. APF has also developed an ‘operational good practices’ guide for SEOs. These manuals and guides can assist other NHRIs in their own development of similar guides that set out the roles and responsibilities.15 Questions for leaders • What are the respective roles and responsibilities of each of the institution head, other statutory officeholders, the SEO and other staff leaders in your NHRI? • Do you think there should be any changes in this division of roles and responsibilities among your NHRI’s leaders? What changes would you propose? • Is there a document that sets out the various roles and responsibilities of the various leaders in your NHRI? If there is, how current is it? Does it need to be reviewed? When should that be done? • If there is no document that sets out the various roles and responsibilities of the various NHRI leaders, do you think there should be? What can you do to promote the development and adoption of such a document? 15 24 See section 6 of this guide, resources.