Staff Recruitment Policy

1. Purpose

Albion recognises that its staff are fundamental to its success. Albion therefore needs to be able to attract and retain staff of the highest calibre and a strategic, professional approach to recruitment is essential to do this.

The purpose of this policy is to provide a sound framework for the recruitment and selection of staff based upon the principles outlined below.

2. Scope

This policy and procedure cover all activities that form part of the recruitment and selection process. It is applicable to all staff recruitment except casual staff. In order for the policy and procedure to be effective it is essential that any employee who is involved in any aspect of the recruitment and/or selection of staff is aware of this document and follows it.

3. Core Principles

Albion has a principle of open competition in its approach to recruitment.

Albion will seek to recruit the best candidate for the job based on merit. The recruitment and selection process should ensure the identification of the person best suited to the job and Albion.

Albion wishes to encourage the recruitment of staff with disabilities and will make reasonable adjustments to all stages of the recruitment process and as required in order for a successful candidate with a disability to undertake the post.

Albion will ensure that the recruitment and selection of staff is conducted in a professional, timely and responsive manner and in compliance with current employment legislation.

Albion will provide appropriate training, development, and support to those involved in recruitment and selection activities in order to meet this core principle. Any member of staff involved in the selection of staff should satisfy him or herself that he/she is appropriately trained and can comply with the requirements of this policy and procedure.

Recruitment and selection is a key public relations exercise and should enhance the reputation of Albion. Albion will treat all candidates fairly, equitably, and efficiently, with respect and courtesy, aiming to ensure that the candidate experience is positive, irrespective of the outcome.

Albion will promote best practice in recruitment and selection. It will continuously develop its recruitment and selection practices to allow new ideas and approaches to be incorporated.

Albion will ensure that its recruitment and selection process is cost effective.

If a member of staff involved in the recruitment process has a close personal or familial relationship with an applicant, they must declare this as soon as they are aware of the individual’s application and avoid any involvement in the recruitment and selection decision-making process.

All documentation relating to applicants will be treated confidentially in accordance with the Albion’s data protection policies. Applicants will have the right to access any documentation held on them.

4. Recruitment & Selection Procedure

There are a number of key stages in recruiting and selecting for a post. This procedure outlines the key stages.

4.1 Preparation Stage

The recruitment and selection process should not commence until a full evaluation of the need for the role against the area’s strategic plans and budget has been completed.

The recruitment of staff will consider Albion’s need for new ideas and approaches and additionally should support Albion’s commitment to ensuring a diverse workforce by proactively seeking to attract groups that are under-represented in Albion’s profile to maximise its ability to meet diverse student requirements.

Recruitment should form an integral part of the staffing strategy for the area and should take account of the need for any ‘positive action’ initiatives in process.  ‘Positive Action’ is lawful under the Equality Act 2010 and refers to the steps that an employer can take to encourage applicants from people who share a protected characteristic (e.g. a certain gender or race) who under-represented in a particular area of the workforce, for example:

• placing advertisements in the minority ethnic press, the women’s press and any other publication which is targeted at groups which are under-represented; and
• including statements in advertisements that encourage individuals from under-represented groups to apply for the advertised position.

All new or changed posts must be formally role reviewed and graded before they are advertised in order to help ensure equal pay for work of equal value.

Formal authorisation to recruit to a post should be sought before commencing the recruitment process.

4.2 Job Description & Person Specification

A job description and person specification must be produced or updated for any vacant post that is to be filled.

The job description should accurately reflect the elements of the post.

The person specification should state both the essential and desirable criteria in terms of skills, aptitudes, knowledge, and experience for the job, all of which should be directly related to the job and applied equally to all applicants. Care should be taken when writing the person specification to ensure that criteria used do not indirectly discriminate against certain groups of applicants.

4.3 Advertising

As a minimum all positions will normally be advertised within Albion. This will help maximise equality of opportunity and provide staff with opportunities for career development, thus maintaining the skills and expertise of existing staff. In exceptional circumstances the HR Manager for the department may waive the need to advertise. This is likely to include the following circumstances:

• positions requiring specialised expertise where the Recruiting Manager in the department can demonstrate that a comprehensive search has been conducted and the nominated individual is the most suitable person for the position;
• where the recruiting manager can verify that the work is required for a specific purpose of no greater than twelve months duration;
• where current members of staff are named on research grants in order to ensure the individual’s continued employment; and
• where a research project includes a named researcher, and one of the factors for awarding the grant was the strength of the proposed research team.

Staff subject to redeployment will be given access to vacancies before they are advertised more generally within Albion or externally.

In certain circumstances it may be more effective to use a recruitment agency. This will, however, not eliminate the need to advertise the position internally and any external agencies or consultants who assist in the process must act in accordance with this policy and with respect to our equal opportunities requirements.

Applicants should be provided with sufficient information to make an informed decision regarding their suitability for the role. These will be provided to applicants via Albion website or upon enquiry.

Staff who have been in an acting position that subsequently becomes vacant will have to apply for the position when it is advertised, but in such cases the position can be advertised, in exceptional circumstances on an internal basis only.

Applicants are asked to provide equal opportunities details when making their application to enable a robust means of monitoring the success of recruitment in relation to our diversity aims. This information is separate from the job application and applicants are free to indicate that they do not want to provide these details.

Albion has a legal obligation to comply fully with the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

All advertised vacancies will be placed on Albion’s website; academic, research and teaching vacancies, plus certain technical/ specialist roles support roles, may also be advertised on www.jobs.ac.uk.

All advertising must be cost-effective.

5. Selection of Candidates

5.1 Shortlisting

Shortlisting may involve the whole panel but must be carried out by a minimum of 2 people to avoid any possibility of bias, one of whom would normally be the direct line manager.

Shortlisting and selection panels for academic appointments must meet the minimum composition requirements and should be constituted with due consideration to the promotion of Equality and Diversity.

Notes of the shortlisting decisions for each candidate should be recorded by each member of the panel.

Shortlisted candidates should be provided with details of the selection process, including any tests, in writing giving as much prior notice as possible and a minimum of 5 working days before the interview. In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, they should also be asked to advise if there are any particular arrangements or reasonable adjustments that could be made so that they can participate fully in the selection process.

All candidates (internal and external) should be assessed objectively against the selection criteria set out in the Person Specification, and only candidates who meet all the essential criteria should be short-listed. Assumptions about the qualities of internal candidates should not be made.

5.2 Selection & Interview

All redeployment candidates who meet the essential criteria for the post (as set out in the person specification) will be offered an interview.

Interview should normally be carried out by a minimum of two people, one of whom should be the Recruiting Manager.

Selection is a two-way process: candidates are assessing the role and Albion. Those involved in recruitment should consider how best to convey a positive image.

It is recommended that a range of selection methods, that are suitable for assessing both the essential and desirable criteria in the person specification are established as this will enhance objective decision making which is difficult through interview alone.

Interview questions and the structure of the interview should be consistently applied to all candidates and should be based on the person specification.

Notes recording the salient points of the interview should be taken, ideally by the interviewers, so that they can refer to these when assessing candidates against the person specification and making decisions. Notes of the interview and any other notes on the candidate will be kept for a minimum of 6 months following the selection process.

In the event that a candidate requests feedback about their performance in the selection process this should be arranged by the Chair of the panel or the Recruiting Manager, although he or she may delegate this to another member of the panel where appropriate.

Unsuccessful interview candidates should be dealt with courteously and sensitively and will, as a minimum, receive telephone or written notification of the outcome of the selection process.

5.3 Referees

Information sought from referees should be structured around the requirements of the job and the job description should be provided. It should be noted that many organisations have a policy of not providing personal references and therefore references provided may only confirm details of current appointment. This is much less likely to be the case with references for academic posts which are of a more personal nature.

Referees should not be contacted without the candidate’s consent and the information provided should be treated as confidential by the panel members.

5.4 Making the appointment

It is recognised that in many cases it is desirable to make a verbal offer very shortly after the selection process to enhance Albion’s ability to recruit the selected candidate. In such cases the verbal offer will normally be made by the Chair of the selection panel, although he or she has the discretion to delegate this responsibility if felt appropriate.

Albion recognises open contracts as the general form of employment relationship between employers and employees and will appoint new and existing staff to indefinite contracts unless necessary and objective reasons justify use of a fixed-term contract.

Appointments will usually be made at the grade minimum of the advertised salary scale unless directly relevant experience would justify additional increments.

Once a selection decision has been made Albion will produce a written offer of employment (which includes salary recommendation) from the Chair of the selection panel, in line with agreed service standards. Offers of employment are normally subject to satisfactory references, medical clearance, checks of qualifications and any other checks as appropriate, such as Asylum and Immigration checks, Criminal Records Bureau checks (for posts that are exempted from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act).

5.5 Induction

Induction is the final stage of the recruitment process. Once the successful candidate has accepted the offer of employment and a start date has been agreed the line manager/Head of Department is responsible for preparing a comprehensive induction programme for the new employee.