Background
To support effective generational renewal in its leadership ranks, the Administration decided to integrate the Assessment Center methodology into the pre-selection phase of its public recruitment processes. This approach enabled the evaluation of not only technical and specialist skills, but also the managerial and behavioral competencies essential for senior positions—starting from the earliest stages of selection.
The objective was to identify candidates who could successfully integrate into the municipal organization and effectively manage human and financial resources, contributing to improved administrative performance and service delivery.
Project
In partnership with PRAXI consultants, the Municipality launched a project involving two public competitions —for the roles of Administrative Manager and Technical-Management Manager.
The goal was to assess candidates against seven core behavioral competencies outlined in the calls for applications:
-
Planning, prioritizing, and organizing work around goals and deadlines
-
Process oversight and timely identification of critical issues
-
Leadership, coordination, talent development, performance evaluation, and delegation
-
Problem-solving and organizational innovation
-
Communication, social and emotional intelligence
-
Teamwork
-
Flexibility and adaptability to change
A dedicated Assessment Center was designed for each competition, consisting of five in-person tests conducted over a single day and supervised by PRAXI assessors:
-
Group Exercise: A simulation of a realistic organizational scenario requiring teamwork
-
Personality Test: An internationally validated tool providing standardized scores to identify individual traits
-
Personal Reflection Document: Completed by candidates to describe their professional path and motivations
-
Business Role Play: A simulation involving a critical workplace scenario, with a PRAXI consultant playing the role of an employee
-
Structured Behavioral Interview (BEI): A one-on-one interview exploring candidates’ past professional experiences
Results
The Assessment Center enabled the selection of candidates based on objective, transparent criteria:
-
53% of participants in the Administrative Manager competition
-
64% of participants in the Technical-Management Manager competition
advanced to the next phase of the recruitment process.
Beyond the figures, the true value of the initiative lies in the qualitative leap made by the City of Padua. By adopting a robust, internationally recognized assessment model and placing behavioral competencies at the heart of the selection process, the Municipality anticipated by nearly two years the guidelines later introduced by the National School of Administration for access to public management. This forward-thinking approach underscores a strong orientation toward innovation in public sector recruitment.
