/ DfT Recruitment
Recruitment guide for hiring managers
This guidance sets out the policy and process for recruiting staff and must be applied when managers wish to fill a vacancy in DfT. There are a few exceptionsto this, documented on your intranet site, which your HR Business Partner (HRBP) can advise on.
DfT Recruitment
Recruitment guide for hiring managers
Introduction
Fair and open competition
Recruitment process
Before advertising a vacancy
Recruitment steps
Step 1: Managed Moves
Step 2: DfT-wide Priority Movers Lists (PML)
Step 3: DfT-wide Level Transfer - Optional (Stage 1 Civil Service Protocols)
Step 4: Civil Service Surplus (Stage 2 Civil Service Protocols)
Step 5: Civil Service-wide Level Transfer Promotion via CSJobs website (Stage 3 Civil Service Protocols)
Step 6: External Recruitment (Stage 4 Civil Service Protocols)
Sifting and interviews
Before a sift or interview
After a sift or interview
Roles and responsibilities
Hiring manager
HR Business Partner
DRG (DRG)
Shared Service Supplier
General terms and conditions linked to recruitment
Eligibility for internally advertised posts
Flexible working
Interviewing priority movers
Pay on appointment
Releasing staff
Relocation costs
Staff with disabilities
Voluntary or compulsory terms
Handling the paperwork
Confidentiality
Monitoring
Record keeping
Further information
Appeals process
Commissioners exceptions
Recruitment costs
Short listing
Two Ticks scheme
Annex 1: Example of recruitment process
Annex 2: Completing Vacancy Request uidance...... 15
Annex 3: Vacancy Request Form...... 18
Glossary
Introduction
DfT’s recruitment policy is designed to ensure that we:
- have the right people, in the right place, with the right capabilities, to contribute to the effective delivery of the Department’s objectives
- comply with the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Principles, employment law and promote best practice.
All our staff and job applicants have the right to be treated equally and fairly in all aspects of employment including recruitment, promotion and training.
The Department is a committed equal opportunities employer. You must not discriminate on grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, religion, age, part-time status or trade-union status.
Advertising vacancies gives you the flexibility to select staff. However, it also places on you the responsibility to ensure that the selection procedure is fair to all applicants. The Department does not tolerate discrimination and you will be held liable for any such discrimination, whether it arises consciously or more subtly, for example by:
- setting requirements that are not essential to the job
- excluding staff with domestic or other responsibilities
- excluding staff because of disability, age, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Where new skills have to be acquired, you must be realistic in your assessment of the achievement expected.
Fair and open competition
The Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Principles require that (with certain, very limited exceptions) appointments must be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. The Departmental Resourcing Group (DRG) advises managers of these principles and ensures you follow them appropriately.
- Selection on merit means that no one should be appointed to a job unless they are competent to do it. If two or more people meet the criteria for appointment, the job should be offered to the person who would do it best. All applicants must be considered equally on merit at each step of the selection process.
- Fairness means ensuring there is no bias in your assessment of candidates at any step of the selection process. Selection is based on relevant criteria applied consistently to all candidates; techniques are objective and reliable.
- Openness means that jobs are accessible by ensuring that opportunities are made known and publicised so that individuals are not unfairly excluded. Applicants must be given equal and reasonable access to adequate information about the job and its requirements and about the selection process.
Recruitment process
DRG owns the DfT recruitment process. It works withhiring managers, Human ResourcesBusiness Partners (HRBP) and suppliers to ensure that the selection process is effective and efficient for the department.
The DRG team is available to provide support to managers through each step of the recruitment process.
Before advertising a vacancy
Before you, as the hiring manager, advertise a vacancy, you must consider whether:
- rearranging work within the team meets the Department’s requirements so that the vacancy does not need to be filled
- the job is correctly graded
- See Treasury grading guidance on Transnet for further advice.
- there is scope for flexible working arrangements, including part-time working and job sharing/job splitting.
- See Guide to part-week working on Transnet, or speak to your Equality and Diversity representative.
- Refer to guidance on flexible working in the Department or your agency staff handbook.
- the job can be used as a brokered development opportunity
- See Transnet or your Agency’s internet.
- there is money available.
Your director must confirm all vacancies, in line with signed-off corporate workforce plans, before you take any action.
Directors and managers must first look within their team, division, directorate and group for any suitable staff at the pay band, who have been identified as ‘displaced’ as a result of reorganisation.
The Deputy Director needs to decide whether any surplus or displaced member of staff in the team or the division is suitable for the role and, if so, they should be offered the post. If not,they should contact their HRBusiness Partner to discuss further options.
Recruitment steps
At each stage of recruitment you should stay in regular contact with the HRBusiness Partner. The DRG will aim to complete each step of the process as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Step 1: Managed Moves
HR Business Partners work across the DfT family to identify any suitable staff available to fill the vacancy internally, including checking the local priority movers lists. Priority movers are employees available to fill a vacancy on level transfer at short notice. Your HR Business Partner is responsible for advising line managers of any priority movers at the substantive pay band or grade.Before authorisingwider advertising of the vacancy, the manager will need to consider these candidates. Where there appears to be a reasonable match, the manager should contact the priority mover to discuss the post – the manager will then need to arrange an interview.
- See interviewing at priority movers section 6.
Step 2: DfT-wide Priority Movers Lists (PML)
If there are no suitable employees on the local Priority Movers List, the HR Business Partner will send a job description to the DRG at
DRG then contact DfT co-ordinators to check the DfT-wide Priority Movers List for suitable candidates.
If a suitable candidate is identified,the DRGputshis/her HRBusiness Partnerin contact with the HRBusiness Partnerof the hiring agency/departments so that a discussion with the hiring manager and the interested candidate can be arranged. Following successful discussions,the two HR Business Partners arrange thetransfer.If a suitable candidate is not found,the DRGnotifies the hiring manager, advising them of their next options.
Step 3: DfT-wide Level Transfer - Optional (Stage 1 Civil Service Protocols)
You may ignore this stage but make sure you inform theDRG account manager of your decision.
However, if you use this option, you need to complete the DRG vacancy request form and forward it to your HR Business Partner for sign off and sending on to the DRG. A detailed guide is available for hiring managers and HR Business Partners to help complete the form. See:
- Guide: Completing a vacancy request form – Annex 2
- Vacancy request form - Annex 3
On receipt of the completed form,the DRGinvites you, via email,to contact your assigned Account Manager to discuss details of the vacancy and the design of the recruitment campaign. The Account Manager then advertises the vacancy on level transfer across the Department.
If the hiring manager delays any of the recruitment process, such as contacting the Account Manager, confirming interview dates, signing off the questions, etc, this may delay the process.
All jobsare advertised on the Shared Services portal in a standard format.
Step 4: Civil Service Surplus (Stage 2 Civil Service Protocols)
As a hiring manager you will need to seek approval to fill your vacancy via your HR Business Partner. Your HR Business Partner will confirm the vacancy is captured on your Business Unit corporate workforce plan. As soon as approval is granted, the vacancy is advertised to Civil Service surplus staff for at least 10 working days.
Step 5: Civil Service-wideLevel Transfer Promotionvia CSJobs website(Stage 3 Civil Service Protocols)
If no suitable candidate from the Civil Service Surplus route is found, the vacancy is automatically advertised via the Civil Service Jobs website, which listsall jobs open to any grade for existing civil servants.
Step 6: External Recruitment (Stage 4 Civil Service Protocols)
If no suitable candidate is found at Step 5, then Departmental approval must be sought for an external recruitment campaign to be launched, via submission to the DRG for consideration by the Departmental Approvals Committee (DAC).
DAC will only approve external recruitment in exceptional circumstances and in line with the Cabinet Office’s austerity measures e.g. highly specialised position or business critical requiring specific skills/knowledge. You should first discuss your external recruitment request with your HR Business Partner; it will need HR Business Partner endorsement to be considered by the Departmental Approvals Committee panel.
Following approval, the DRGwill contact you to discuss suggested media for advertising and associated costs. The Department is moving to on-line advertising wherever feasible, as it is more cost effective. Once media channels are agreed, the DRGsubmits an approval to ensure the expenditure on the campaign isin line with the marketing and advertising freeze across government.
Once approved, the DRG will work with you to develop the advertisement, seeks your final approval and organises placement in selected publications or websites. The DRG pays the costs initially and then recharges back tothe appropriate Business Unit on a quarterly basis.
Sifting and interviews
Before a sift or interview
The Shared Service supplier issuesthe necessary documents to the chair person before any sift/interview, no later than 48hrs in advance.
After a sift or interview
The sift/interview panel chair should send the Sift/Interview Board Report (includinginterview feedback sheets) to the DRG for quality assurance and sign-off to your respective Business Unit inbox (this will be given to you by your nominated Account Manager in the DRG). They will then forward the paperwork to our Shared Service supplier.
All other interview paperwork, including interview notes, should be sent to our DRG via email or post. Please use the appropriate delivery method for the secure transfer of personal information.
Shared Services:
- writes to individuals following interviews informing them of the outcome
- carries out pre-employment checks
- arrange the start date with the manager and successful candidate on completion of the above checks. Although for VOSA and MCA this will be agreed with their HR team.
Once the successful candidate has received a confirmation letter, it is important that you keep in contact with the Shared Services supplier to ensure a smooth transition for the individual into the new role.
Shared Services Service and Support Desk number 0844 892 0343.
Annex 1 gives an example of the various activities that can be expected throughout the recruitment process.
Roles and responsibilities
Hiring manager
The hiring manager establishes the need for recruitment and seeks all necessary approval.
Specific activities include:
- providing the details of the post(s) by completing the vacancy request form
- arranging suitable panel members, venues, agreeing sift/interview dates with DRG and attending the panel
- ensuring there is an independent chair and the panel is a diverse, and at least one grade above the advertised vacancy .
NB: If the hiring manager sits on the panel, they must ensure there is an independent chair. Independent is defined as either a manager from outside the directorate or outside the line management chain i.e. they are not the line manager or the countersigning manager of the candidates applying for the vacancy. With the exception of hiring manager, if panel members are aware they have staff applying for the vacancy they should, where possible excuse themselves from the sift or interview panels.
- showing commitment in helpingDRG with recruitment campaign
- verifying candidate identification
- contacting the Departmental security officer if they need information on posts which may require security clearance, for example posts that are financially sensitive, have a high level of access to sensitive IT systems or information, and front-line posts such as security or accident inspectors
HR Business Partner
The HR Business Partner ensures that all necessary action is taken before vacancies are sent to the DRG for advertising by:
- ensuringthat recruitment is necessary, is in line with the strategic workforce plans and other options such as reorganisation or restructure have been considered
- ensuring that priority movers list procedures are adhered to
- having final say on suitability of staff on the Priority Movers List for a post(s)
- ensuring they have approval from the relevant Director to fill the vacancy
- advising on justification for external recruitment requests
- advising managers on content and completion of the vacancy request form
- acting as point of contact for Departmental or agency policy information
- ensuring any requests for external recruitment meet the Cabinet Office austerity measures e.g. vacancy is to fill a highly specialist or business critical role requiring specific skills/knowledge, and advising on alternative solutions.
DRG (DRG)
The DRG(DRG) supports and helps deliver DfT recruitment and provides inter-Departmental/Agency links to provide a larger available resource pool. They are the recruitment process owners and team activities include:
- assistinghiring managers with the recruitment process
- quality assuring the process and documentation
- supplier links and governance
- liaising with our Shared Service supplier
- setting up the recruitment requisition on the e-recruitment system
- managing the Department-wide priority movers list
- checking all job adverts, including the essential and desirable competencies, and equality proofing them before the advert is approved; consulting the advertising hiring manager if the DRG believe that changes are required; and being responsible for the final say if, after this consultation, there remains a difference of opinion on the content of a draft advert.
Shared Service Supplier
The Shared Service supplier has an integral role in the recruitment process; providing an administrative service to DfT managers and applicants throughout the process:
- managing the electronic system for e-recruitment
- acknowledging applications
- scheduling candidates for interview
- advising applicants of the outcome of sift and interview
- corresponding with applicants: acknowledging receipt of their applications, informing them of the results of sifts and interviews, and sending out formal offers to successful applicants
- conducting pre-employment checks
- dealing with all contractual and legal recruitment requirements following the selection of suitable candidates.
General terms and conditions linked to recruitment
Eligibility for internally advertised posts
All internally advertised posts are:
- open to:
- permanent staff and fixed-term appointments (FTAs) appointed through fair and open competition within the DfT family
- permanent staff in other government departments whose parent/sponsor is DfT
- permanent staff on level transfer
- not open to:
- inward secondees or those on loan to DfT from Other Government Departments (OGDs)
- temporary agency staff, contractors/consultants and anyone not recruited through fair and open competition
In addition, you will need to check with your HR team whether, staff currently undergoing formal performance management measures; or staff subject to disciplinary action in line with internal procedures and policy such as those regarding conduct or attendance, are eligible to apply.
Flexible working
You must always consider the scope for part-time/job-share staff when advertising a vacancy.
The Department presumes that all posts can be worked flexibly. It has a significant number of high-quality part-time staff and has a responsibility to offer them (as well as to others who may be interested in working part time) a full range of work, including the opportunity for promotion, in order to make proper use of the talent available.
All posts advertised to staff in DfT or in Other Government Departments are open to staff who work flexibly.
If part-time working is not appropriate for the job, it isresponsibility of the line manager to show that is so and justify it to both your HR Business Partner andto the DRG before the post is advertised. If a post cannot be worked flexibly, you must state this in the advert.
If a member of DfT staff currently works flexibly, they will keep their previously agreed flexible working arrangements if they wish, unless the job advert made it clear that the post was not suitable for those particular arrangements.
Interviewing priority movers
You and a suitable representativefrom your business unit conduct the interview. Adopt a light-touch approach in evaluating the competencies and skills essential for the role, and consider the possibility of providing training to develop any gaps in skill or knowledge.