National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AA1 Develop policies and guidance for archaeology

AA1.4 Prepare and consult on drafts of new policy and guidance

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. ensuring thepolicy is explicitly consistent with the organisation's aims, objectives and priorities
2. ensuring policy is based on the evaluation of identified and prioritised needs of the community
3. ensuring policy conforms to legislative requirements and guidance and is informed by a review of best current practice as identified by competent authorities
4. ensuring policy conforms to related priorities, purposes and values within the organisation and the wider community
5. ensuring that policy recommendations are based on consideration of a range of potentially viable options and their implications
6. agreeing a process and timescale forconsultation and ensuring that appropriate documentation is distributed to all interested parties
7. analysing and prioritising responses, evaluating the implications of any proposed changes and incorporating justifiable amendments in a final policy draft
8. presenting final policy recommendations with supporting justification to decision makers

Occupational Context

1. Policy covers:
   • archaeological sites (including related structures, excavation, , artefacts, surveys and environmental data)
   • the archaeological landscape
   • archaeological collections
   • working methods
   • health and safety
   • personnel
   • financial and contractual procedures
   • use and maintenance of equipment and materials
   • recording and storing information
   • collections
   • relationships with other organisations
   • other legally required procedures
2. Consultation methods
   • correspondence
   • questionnaire based
   • formal and informal meetings
   • oral presentations
   • circulation of draft policies for comment

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know about:

• Why the identified needs of the target community have been prioritised as they have
• What are the relevant legislative requirements or how they can be accessed
• Who are competent national or local organisation who may identify current good practice in the formulation of policy
• What are the known priorities, purposes and values of the organisation as a whole
• Why broad agreement should be achieved before final recommendations are made
• The purpose and context of the managerial action
• Relevant archaeological issues
• Relevant legal issues

Required Skills

You should demonstrate:

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can prepare and consult on drafts of new policy and guidance

This will include documentary evidence that includes:

• Policy documentation in which they have played a significant role

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore how they

• ensure that policy indicates the organisation's view of the service provided, as to its nature, importance, aims and objectives
• ensure that policy is based on an evaluation of the needs of the community
• ensure that policy conforms to legislative requirements and is informed by a review of the best current practice
• ensure that policy conforms to related priorities, purposes and values within the organisation and the wider community
• ensure that policy recommendations are based on consideration of a range of options and their implications
• agree a process and timescale for consultation and that all relevant documentation is distributed to all relevant parties
• analyse and prioritise responses, incorporating justifiable amendments in a final policy draft
• present final policy recommendations to decision-makers

Evidence Rules

• The candidate should have been involved in at least 2 substantive areas of policy development.

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Today's date: 3/9/2010
This page last updated: 27/7/2007 16:17