Each portfolio should have a headcount allocation for the portfolio and all its sub-portfolios. This should be agreed alongside its budget as part of the Annual Balance of Investment process – ensuring both budget and headcount are aligned to its roadmap and objectives.
Portfolios should be free to veer and haul their headcount across their work, potentially within agreed guardrails, but noting that this may be constrained by the skills and professions available within the portfolio, and therefore an escalation process may be required if this requires headcount moves across portfolios.
Each portfolio will need to ensure it has the correct balance of skills, professions and experience, that this is reviewed and adjusted to meet the current and future needs of its sub-portfolios as indicated by their roadmap, and that this drives recruitment and hiring.
Leadership of career and professional development, ideally through the management of professions, is expected to come from outside the portfolios. This should drive good practice, training, performance management and ways of working.