The WCO delivered a blended workshop on competency-based HRM from 9 to 13, 2022, to the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA). HRM experts from Liberia and Canada delivered a virtual/in-person workshop on Competency Based Human Resources Management (CBHRM) to the MRA Steering Committee, which consisted of seventeen (17) members of the Executive Management Team. 

The objectives of this mission were to equip the Steering Committee with the necessary competencies and tools required to align their HRM strategic plan with the MRA corporate strategy and to develop their competency based tools with a final short-term goal of operationalizing these tools once completed.  In addition, this mission was delivered with an aim to securing the buy in of the Steering Committee and to ensure members of the Executive Committee understood their role in assuring accountability as well as their obligations to ensure the success of the project to implement the CBHRM, by committing to provide the necessary resources, actively monitoring timelines and validating the CB tools to guarantee excellence.  

This mission was the first of its kind where the WCO delivered a tailored CBHRM workshop to an Executive Steering Committee with an aim to increasing a positive outcome with respect to CBHRM implementation. In that regard, the mission was tied to the previously delivered two-week mission where a WCO HRM expert provided tailored support to the MRA HRM Working Group in their development of the CBHRM tools. 

At the opening, Mr. John S. Biziwick, Commissioner-General of the Malawi Revenue Authority, conveyed his plans to provide the necessary resources to the Working Group to complete the tools and implement the system. He further stated that the support from the WCO is timely because the MRA is at the place of redefining the strategic directions of the organization.

The last day of the workshop brought together members of the Steering Committee and the HRMWG in one session. The purpose of this gathering was to provide the HRMWG the opportunity to present to the Steering Committee, progress on the project activities, action plans to complete pending activities, and the communication strategy, approved by the Commissioner-General. The newly appointed Director of the Human Resource Division expressed his excitement and stressed how the implementation of the approach will enhance the HRM processes and empower the HRD to become strategic, thereby improving the professional relationship between the HRD and the Executive Team. During this time, individual members of the SC elaborated their understanding of the CBHRM and vowed to continue playing their roles.

The project for CBHRM implementation in Malawi is being supported by the Sida-WCO TFCM Programme with funding from the Government of Sweden, and within the framework of the WCO Executive and Professional Competency-Based HRM Programme (EPCB-HRMP).

For further inquiries, please, contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.