Recruitment, Retention & Selection Policy

Introduction
Scope 
Responsibilities 
Recruitment & Selection Process 
Managing the advertising process 
Resident Labour Market Test 
Higher Education Role Analysis (HERA) 
Rehabilitation of Offenders 
Shortlisting 
Selection Interview 
Making an offer of employment 
Joining the University 
Impact Assessments 
Job Description Templates (ZIP) 

1. Introduction

1.1. The University is committed to ensuring that the relevant employment legislation and Codes of Practice are adhered to in the recruitment and selection process. The University recognises that its most important resource is its staff and that to achieve its strategic and operational goals it must attract and retain people of the highest calibre.

The University has a broad and distinctive range of staffing needs. The following procedure aims to ensure an effective, efficient and consistent approach to recruitment and selection to meet those needs, complying with current employment and equality legislation, and providing clear guidance to departments.

This document underpins the University’s policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 and as updated.

The University approaches recruitment fairly and transparently to ensure equality across all recruitment activity.

Aberystwyth University is an Equal Opportunities employer, and its aims are underpinned by the University’s Strategic Equality Plan.

2. Scope

2.1. This Policy covers all recruitment activities and applies to all employees and prospective employees of the University including full and part-time employees and those on fixed term contracts of employment, regardless of length of service.

3. Responsibilities

3.1. The Human Resources Department is responsible for:

a. Ensuring job advertisements meet the legislative requirements of the Equality Act 2010, and making recommendations for amendments where required;

b. Coordinating communication to candidates and the recruiting departments throughout the recruitment process;

c. Seeking evidence to be assured that the appropriate pre-employment checks have been completed prior to an employee commencing work:

  • Mandatory:
  • References;
  • Health Declaration;
  • Proof of right to work;
  • Qualifications.
  • Discretionary:
  • Fitness Assessment;
  • Disclosure and Barring Service.

d. Following shortlisting and interviews, ensuring the documentation relating to recruitment activity and selection decisions is recorded in line with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 and Data Protection Act 1998 and can be retrieved to respond to any challenges made in relation to the selection decisions made;

e. Ensuring the correct contract terms and conditions are provided to those appointed to new positions within the legislative timeframes;

f. Providing Recruitment and Selection training for interview panel members.

3.2. All managers are responsible for

a. Writing job descriptions, person specifications and drafting advertisement wording accurately for posts they wish to recruit to;

b. Working with Human Resources to ensure all posts to be advertised have been evaluated to ensure the appropriate salary level is offered commensurate with the recognised role profiles.

c. Working with Finance and Human Resources to ensure authority is obtained to recruit to the post through appropriate channels;

d. Recruiting managers, shortlisting and interview panel members are required to complete the training sessions on ‘Unconscious Bias’ and ‘Diversity in the Workplace’ prior to selecting applicants for shortlisting or interview. These courses can be found at: Blackboard Ultra or Equality Training

e. Making selection decisions, ensuring they work within the recruitment procedure, equality and diversity and legislative frameworks; recording the selection decisions, using documents prescribed by the University;

f. Communicating directly with candidates post interview, advising them on whether they have been successful and providing professional feedback if required after the interview;

g. Responding to candidate’s requests for written professional feedback, when required at any point in the process;

h. All members of staff responsible for recruitment or those involved in the recruitment process will be required to complete the mandatory web-based ‘Diversity in the Workplace’ training.

3.3. The prospective and current employee is responsible for:

a. Completing an Aberystwyth University application form via E-Recruiter;

b. Responding to requests to attend interviews, provide information, etc.;

c. Presenting current, original identification to representatives of the University;

d. Providing a full and honest account of their experience, skills and competencies in both the application form and interview;

e. Familiarising themselves with this policy and the Recruitment and Selection Manual

4. Recruitment and Selection Process

4.1. Faculty/Professional Service Departments are required to request vacancies through the E-Recruiter system. This must include all job details, a job description and essential and desirable criteria suitable for the post. 

4.2. The E-Recruiter workflow requires the following approvals:

  • Welsh Language Level
  • Finance
  • Faculty PVC/Head of Department
  • Human Resources

4.3. The vacancy will be considered by the appropriate persons required in the approvals process outlined in 4.2 above. The vacancy can be approved or rejected. Externally funded vacancies will be confirmed by the Research Office of the relevant funding body and recruitment will commence from there. If the externally funded grant has a named individual then the post does not need to be advertised. A copy of the grant will be kept on the employee’s file as evidence.

5. Managing the advertising process

5.1. HR will co-ordinate the advertising process for approved vacancies with the nominated contact in the Faculty/Professional Service Department.

5.2. All jobs will normally be advertised for at least 7 days for Prior Consideration candidates. If the vacancy is not filled, it will be advertised for at least 7 days for internal candidates. If the vacancy continues to be unfilled it will be advertised externally for a duration sufficient to attract a suitable number of applications or to meet United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements.

5.3. All vacancies (excluding casual posts) will be advertised on the HR website. All external advertisements will be also be advertised with the Job Centre and any other appropriate publications/locations

6. Resident Labour Market Test

6.1. The Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT) is there to protect the settled workforce and provide an opportunity for settled workers to apply for posts.

The University can only recruit a migrant worker if:-

  • It has completed a RLMT in accordance with the Guidance and can show that no suitable settled worker is available to fill the post or;
  • The job is exempt from the RLMT.

If there is any possibility that a role may be filled by a NON-UK national, it will require the University to apply for a certificate of sponsorship in respect of the shortage occupation roles which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-k-shortage-occupation-list. 

6.2. In order to meet the resident labour market test, all shortage occupation roles must be:

  • advertised to settled workers externally for a minimum of 30 calendar days;
  • advertised in Universal Jobmatch;
  • advertised on the Aberystwyth University website.

Please note, currently the University meets this method by advertising such roles on jobs.ac.uk.

6.3. For the majority of vacancies the University can only sponsor a NON-UK migrant if it can be proved that no suitably qualified settled worker can fill it. The exemption to this is for PhD level roles (e.g. Lecturer, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant) where the most suitable candidate can be appointed. It is vital that all recruitment and selection documentation are completed in full to enable the University to start the sponsorship process.

6.4. All roles outside the shortage occupations category can therefore be advertised for a minimum of 7 days externally. Where the Recruiting Manager wants to extend the closing date beyond this, they can do so.

7. Higher Education Role Analysis (HERA)

7.1. Human Resources will HERA assess all new posts before the recruitment process begins. The only exceptions are if the post has been advertised within the last 2 years and there are no significant changes or if the post is a maternity cover.

7.2. Two trained members of staff will independently assess the job description and allocate the appropriate pay grade. This is to ensure that there is equal pay for equal work across the University.

7.3. Academic roles, are matched to an agreed Role Profile, with a confirmed grade, clearly outlining the responsibilities of the vacancy.

8. Rehabilitation of Offenders

8.1. Applicants are asked to disclose whether they have been convicted by a court of a criminal offence for which they are subject to a period of rehabilitation under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Details are required if they are still subject to a period of rehabilitation.

8.2. Disclosures under rehabilitation of offenders will not be given to Recruiting Managers and should not form part of a recruitment decision unless the Director of Human Resources or Depute decides it is directly relevant to the work being undertaken.

9. Shortlisting

9.1. Following the closing date of the vacancy, the Recruiting Manager will receive application forms from Human Resources and complete the shortlisting of the candidates through analysis of essential criteria. The shortlisting must be completed on the University’s standard form by the Recruiting Manager and at least one other person.

9.2. Any member of staff involved in the selection process who has a personal or familial relationship with an applicant is required to bring this to the attention of Human Resources and the Chair of the Appointing Panel. The Chair of the Appointing Panel documents this information on the appropriate form and outlines any action taken e.g. the member of staff may be required to withdraw from the process.

9.3. The completed shortlisting must be sent to Human Resources. Human Resources will then make appropriate interview arrangements.

9.4. In accordance with the Disability Confident Employer Award, the University is committed to interview any applicant with a stated disability who meets the essential criteria for the post.

10. Selection Interview

10.1. The composition of the Appointing Panel will be in accordance with the University’s Composition of Appointing Panels unless otherwise agreed with the Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development or Deputy.

10.2. Each member of the Appointing Panel will receive:

  • A copy of the original job description;
  • A copy of each candidate’s application;
  • Copies of the Interview Assessment Form for each candidate.

10.3. In addition to the above, the nominated Chair of the Appointing Panel will receive:

  • A copy of the University’s current salary scale;
  • An Interview Summary Sheet;
  • An Interview Summary Matrix;

10.4. The Appointing Panel will convene prior to the first interview so that the Chair can clarify the following points:

  • The interview process;
  • The structure of the interview;
  • The questions to be asked and by whom;
  • Any special circumstances pertaining to the post or candidates in accordance with the Redundancy & Redeployment Policy;
  • Declarations of interest.

10.5. At the conclusion of the interviews, the Recruiting Manager will collate the interview scores and facilitate a discussion as required.

10.6. An exception to the interview process will take place in the event of a single application from a candidate under Prior Consideration.

11. Making an offer of employment

11.1. Following the agreement of the Appointing Panel, a conditional verbal offer will be made to the selected candidate as soon as possible by the Recruiting Manager in line with the below:-

The conditions of an offer of employment are as follows:

  • Receipt of evidence of right to work in the UK;
  • Receipt of satisfactory references;
  • Receipt of certificates (as required from the essential criteria);
  • Receipt of a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check (where appropriate);
  • Medical clearance (where appropriate);
  • Evidence of memberships of professional bodies.

11.2. All interview documents, including the AAF1 form, interview questions must be returned to Human Resources by the Recruiting Manager within 48 hours.

11.3. The unsuccessful candidates should be contacted and advised of the outcome of their application by the Recruiting Manager. The notes recorded during each interview may be used to provide constructive feedback, if requested.

11.4. Details of candidates and of selection decisions will normally be stored for a maximum of six months. For externally funded posts, details of candidates and the notes relating to that post will be kept for 25 years. For all appointments made where the candidate is NON-UK and requires sponsorship from the University, the recruitment documentation will be retained until the Home Office have undertaken an audit.

12. Joining the University

12.1. All new employees are required to complete the induction process.

12.2. Sponsored employees are required to visit the Human Resources Office on their first day and prior to commencing work in a department to have their documents checked.

13. Impact Assessments

13.1. The University is committed to embedding the Equality Scheme into its policies, procedures and practices. This policy has been equality impact assessed in accordance with this scheme.

13.2. The University is committed to embedding the Welsh Language Standards 2018 in its policies, procedures and practices. This policy has been Welsh language impact assessed in accordance with these standards.

Policy Review

Human Resources will co-ordinate a review of this policy in order to maintain compliance with legislation and good practice. The review will be undertaken in liaison with the recognised trade unions and any proposed amendments will be submitted to the appropriate relevant committee, University Executive and Council if required.

Version 1.1

Last Reviewed: May 2021

Review Date: May 2022