Introduction
Data & Digital innovation have become increasingly important for Pon. Over the past decade we have created a growing number of positions for people with these (digital) skills both in the business clusters and in the central innovation teams. The organizational pyramid of positions in this domain has filled up over time and people have been promoted throughout the years into more senior roles.
Anticipating further increase of digital positions and growth of talent, we need to understand how to develop these careers and the development paths these employees can take. For that purpose I plan to start a research assignment to understand the current situation, the career paths, the potential limiting factors and the conditions for successfully retaining strategic talent.

Background
Our digital journey has been quite successful so far and talent retention has been high. However in the past year we notice more discussion about future career moves and development opportunities. Looking ahead I expect a further increase in the number of positions in this field. That emphasizes the need to retain employees and offering clearer career paths and opportunities throughout the entire Pon organization, will contribute to our chances to retain and attract digital talent.

Project Objectives
The primary goal is to develop a strategic roadmap for our data and digital innovation organization, focusing on fostering internal talent growth through mobility and ensuring well-aligned career paths and employment conditions.
We do so by understanding the current situation, expected and planned developments, the needs of employees fulfilling these positions and the conditions needed for successful career advancement.

Specific Objectives:
● Comprehensive Structural Analysis: Analysis of our current organizational structure, identifying existing structures, positions and potential career paths.
● Talent Mobility Pathway Design: Research and recommendations for clear, viable career paths that enable movement between central and decentralized data and digital innovation teams. This includes mapping vertical promotions, lateral transfers, and cross-functional growth opportunities
● Employment Conditions Alignment: An assessment of how current employment conditions (compensation, benefits, HR policies, locations, etc.) support or hinder internal talent mobility and career progression. We will propose strategic adjustments for optimal alignment, ensuring fairness, competitiveness, and sustained motivation.
(See appendix for more details)

Scope of Work
The initial scope will be the category of data science and analytics functions in the Netherlands and in a second instance broaden our scope to also include other digital roles (tbd) and geographies.

APPENDIX
Organizational Structure Analysis
● Current State Assessment: A detailed examination of existing central and decentralized digital & data departments, identifying specific functions (e.g., data governance, data engineering, data science) and their placement, along with an evaluation of interaction models, communication channels, and reporting lines.

Career Pathing and Internal Mobility Assessment
● Role Identification and Mapping: Identification and documentation of key data and digital innovation roles across central and decentralized teams, mapping typical career progressions.
● Cross-Functional and Lateral Mobility Analysis: Research and analysis of existing and potential pathways for movement between teams, including role-to-role and project-based mobility, and an assessment of existing mechanisms supporting internal mobility.
● Skill Mapping and Development Needs: Assessment of current employee skills and competencies, identification of critical skill gaps for desired career paths, and evaluation of existing learning and development programs. Recommendations for personalized learning paths will be provided.

Employment Conditions Alignment Review
● Compensation Structure Analysis: Examination of current compensation structures (base salaries, equity, bonuses) for roles in central versus decentralized teams, identifying potential compensation variance and pay inequity.
● Benefits and HR Policy Review: Review of portability and consistency of benefits and an assessment of existing HR policies related to internal transfers (eligibility, notice periods, approval processes).
● Location preference analysis: Understanding the importance of working at specific locations, including remote working.
● Alignment Recommendations: Proposal of adjustments to compensation frameworks, strategies for maintaining benefits continuity, and improvements to HR policies and processes to streamline internal transfers. Advice on communicating the total rewards package will also be provided.

Deliverables
The project will produce the following key deliverables:
● Current State Organizational Assessment Report: A comprehensive report detailing the current data and digital innovation structure, key roles, a SWOT analysis, and
identified challenges.
● Recommended Career Pathing and Talent Mobility Framework: Detailed career maps for key roles and recommendations for a robust talent mobility strategy (including skill and competency mapping, personalized learning and development programs, internal talent marketplace mechanisms, and a communication strategy).
● Employment Conditions Alignment Strategy: A comprehensive analysis of current compensation structures, a review of benefits packages, an assessment of HR policies, and specific recommendations for compensation adjustments, benefits portability, streamlined HR processes, and communication of total rewards.
● Executive Presentation and Strategic Recommendations: A high-level summary of findings, an overview of proposed frameworks, key recommendations for aligning employment conditions, actionable strategic recommendations for implementation, and a discussion of potential risks and mitigation strategies.