Introduction and exceptions to external recruitment

Introduction

These guidelines provide advice and information regarding the recruitment of all staff. The University seeks to recruit the highest possible quality of staff to roles. To achieve this the University aims to:

Secure the widest possible response to employment vacancies.
Encourage candidates from all sections of the community to apply for University vacancies.
Make selection decisions which do not discriminate unfairly against any individual or group.
Give a good impression of the University as a professional and progressive organisation.

To meet these aims, all permanent posts and fixed-term contracts of 3 months duration or longer, should be externally advertised.

(An exception may be made for posts longer than 3 months but less than 6 months duration with the agreement of the link HR Business Partner.)

Please follow the appropriate link below for the recruitment of the following staff:

Exceptions to external recruitment

There may be occasions where a job is restricted to internal-only applicants or restricted to a particular work area or group of staff; examples are listed below and in all instances prior consultation with HR is required.

Acting up opportunities

If a vacancy arises on a short term acting up basis, such an opportunity may be ring-fenced for internal applicants or to a specific team or type of role, in order to deliver key priorities or in response to an urgent business need. The pool of potential candidates will be those who have the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to undertake the temporary appointment in the most effective manner given the short-term nature of the role and the urgency of the need.
In exceptional cases, the short-term opportunity might be offered to an individual where it is not possible to identify a suitable wider pool or where the need for cover is immediate. The urgency of the need will be balanced with the need to be fair in the availability of acting up and other development opportunities for staff.

Internal secondments

Where an internal secondment is being considered on a short-term temporary basis usually no more than 12 months. A 'secondee' will not normally be confirmed in post unless they are successfully appointed following an external recruitment process.

Internal restructuring

A vacancy may be restricted to internal-only applicants or a particular team/pool in order to maximise redeployment opportunities as part of an internal restructuring exercise where existing jobs are at risk.
See Appendix 2: Redeployment and Redundancy policy.

Job share

If a job-share employee leaves their job, the remainder of the post may be offered to the remaining job-sharer in the first instance.

Reserve candidates

Following a normal competitive recruitment process, should a vacancy arise within the six-month period following appointment for the same post or a post with the same or very similar duties / requirements within the same faculty/department, any appointable candidates may be contacted and offered the post to help avoid unnecessarily re-advertising the post.
The appointable candidates can be contacted in order of suitability as ranked by the initial recruitment exercise.

Temporary to permanent status

In circumstances where a permanent role is being covered by a temporary employee (e.g. maternity cover), and the permanent employee chooses not to return to the role, the temporary employee may be confirmed in post providing the temporary employee has been recruited through an external recruitment and selection process, and has been performing to a satisfactory level.
Similarly, if a temporary role has been created and approval has been given to make the role permanent, the temporary employee may be confirmed in post on the same basis as detailed above.

Graduate internship

The Oxford Brookes Graduate internship offers opportunities for Brookes recent graduates to gain valuable work experience with mutual benefits for the University and the graduate.

Named person on research grants

Where a person is named on a grant award it will not be necessary to advertise the post provided a peer reviewed funding agreement or similar document is provided to Human Resources by attaching it to the Staff Request form along with the personal details form and eligibility to work documentation.
The principle that the University works to is that the funding is conditional on the named person being on the project, if that is not the case then the post must be advertised.

Other

The Director of Human Resources may approve that a job is restricted to internal-only applicants for any other reason that is not in conflict with the spirit or principles of the Recruitment and Selection or any other university policy.