This procedure is made under the Recruitment and Appointment Policy.
This procedure applies to all staff at the University.
1.1. The head of department or level 2 delegate will seek approval to create a new position or fill a vacant position from the head of budget division or level 3 delegate by submitting:
2.1. A position which has been approved by the head of budget division or level 3 delegate may be advertised in the University approved advertising style and template.
2.2. A head of department or level 2 delegate will arrange for a professional staff position that is a continuing position or a fixed-term position for a period greater than 12 months to be referred to the Manager Staff Transition for consideration of any staff identified as “at risk” or in formal redeployment.
2.3. Where the review by the Manager Staff Transition does not result in the position being filled, the position will be advertised for a minimum of seven days:
2.4. A head of department or level 2 delegate may approve funding for the advertising of a position within an approved workforce plan and budget.
2.5. A head of department may request approval to waive the advertisement of a position and appoint by invitation by submitting a case to:
2.6. There are no “at risk’ staff suitable for such a vacancy and at least one of the following circumstances exist:
2.7. If a fixed term position of less than 12 months which is filled without advertisement is extended or converted to continuing, the head of budget division should consult with the Manager Staff Transition to ensure there are no “at risk” staff. The position may be required to be advertised.
2.8. It is not appropriate to advertise pre-retirement contract positions.
2.9. The Executive Director, Human Resources may approve the waiver of advertisement and appointment by invitation where none of the circumstances listed above exist.
2.10. In the case of a full-time or part-time academic appointment, the head of department will undertake a comprehensive search process in addition to advertising.
3.1. The head of department may agree to pay or reimburse the whole or part of any travel and accommodation costs incurred by an interstate or overseas applicant attending an interview, including the cost of:
4.1. The dean or head of budget division will ensure that a selection committee as near as possible approaches a balance of male and female membership.
4.2. Gender representation on selection committees may be monitored by the equal opportunity observer.
4.3. The dean or head of budget division will ensure that at least half the voting members of a selection committee have participated in a workshop on selection procedures delivered by Human Resources, or a workshop of equivalent content and standing, and that a Human Resources practitioner is involved in the selection committee.
4.4. Members of a selection committee will comply with the Conflict of Interest Procedure.
4.5. At the request of an applicant, the dean or head of budget division will provide information about the selection committee membership to the applicant.
4.6. The recommended membership for a selection committee responsible for selecting an academic staff member level A, B, C and D and the position or delegate authorised to approve membership are set out in Table 1.
Table 1. Selection committee composition – academic staff levels A, B, C and D
Appointment level | Committee members | Approval of membership |
Level A | 1. Head of department
2 and 3. At least two other people, one of whom should be a member of the teaching staff of the department in which the appointment is to be made
A senior member of professional staff may be included. | Level 2 delegate
Equal opportunity observer monitors gender representation |
Levels B and C | 1. Dean of the faculty in which the appointment is to be made, or nominee
2. Head of department in which the appointment is to be made (unless the appointment is to be made to the teaching and research office filled by the head of department)
3 and 4. At least two other people, one of whom should be a Professor
A senior member of professional staff can be included. | Level 2 delegate
Equal opportunity observer monitors gender representation |
Level D | 1. Dean of the faculty in which the appointment is to be made, or nominee (chair)
2. Head of department in which the appointment is to be made (unless the appointment is to be made to the teaching and research office filled by the head of department)
3. At least four other people, of whom at least two are external to the faculty. All members will be at level D or E, or equivalent standing if external to the University. | Head of budget division
Equal opportunity observer monitors gender representation |
4.7. The approval processes for different types of academic staff level E appointments are set out in Table 2.
Table 2. Approval process for level E academic staff appointments
Appointment type | Approval process |
Chair appointments Continuing Fixed Term | Professorial Appointments Committee
Senior Appointments and Promotions Committee
Provost |
Professorial Fellows | Professorial Appointments Committee
Senior Appointments and Promotions Committee
Provost |
Professor/Director | Professorial Appointments Committee or dean - refer Note 1.
Senior Appointments and Promotions Committee |
Note 1: Professor/director appointments are made in conjunction with hospitals and the appointment as director is salaried and administered through the hospital. The University is represented on the selection committee.
4.8. The recommended membership for a selection committee responsible for selecting a professional staff member at HEW levels 1-9 and at HEW level 10 and the position or delegate authorised to approve membership are set out in Table 3.
Table 3. Selection committee composition – Professional staff HEW 1-9 and HEW 10
Appointment level | Committee members | Approval of membership |
HEW levels 1-9 | 1. Supervisor of position
2. Expert in the field
3. Client affected by the work of the position (this person will need to be at the same classification level as the position)
4. Practice Leader (or nominee) where relevant.
5. Local Human Resources representative. | level 2 delegate
|
HEW 10 Faculty General Manager | Dean of faculty (chair)
Senior Vice-Principal
Deputy dean or head of department
Executive Director, Human Resources
Expert nominated by the Senior Vice-Principal in consultation with the dean
Head of budget division | Head of budget division |
HEW 10 Manager within Administrative Departments | Dean of faculty or head of department (academic or administrative)
Supervisor of position
Executive Director, Human Resources or nominee
Expert nominated by the Senior Vice-Principal and supervisor | Head of budget division |
5.1. A dean who wishes to fill a vacant chair or salaried professorial fellow position or otherwise make an appointment of a salaried professorial fellow, or professor/director (Note 1), will establish a Professorial Appointments Committee (PAC). (Note 2)
5.2. Where a faculty wishes to create a new named chair position, a case will be made to the Provost, who after consultation with the President of Academic Board, will determine the matter. All documentation associated with the chair is to be provided to the Provost and the President of Academic Board.
5.3. The dean may establish a PAC for each professorial level appointment or a standing committee which examines all appointments at professorial level.
5.4. The PAC may advertise a chair or professorial fellow position and will establish a search committee to assist in identifying candidates for appointment and actively identify female candidates.
5.5. The membership of the PAC will comprise:
Members nominated to serve on Committees will be those best placed to make informed appointment (and promotion) decisions for the faculty and the University.
5.6. Membership of the PAC must approach gender balance.
5.7. A quorum is four members, with at least two of those members present from either those external to the faculty or from the co-opted members.
5.8. At the request of a person being considered for a professorial appointment, an equal opportunity observer may attend panel meetings. Observers must be external to the faculty.
5.9. The PAC will consider candidates for a vacant position and make written recommendations to the Senior Appointments and Promotions Committee based on the merit of candidates as they meet the selection criteria and the criteria for appointment to professor or professorial fellow.
5.10. The recommendations will include information on committee membership, search processes, female candidates considered, details of candidates interviewed, reference checking, and other matters considered in the selection process.
5.11. The Provost may approve an appointment at professorial level on advice from the Senior Appointments and Promotions Committee.
Note 1: Professor/director appointments are made in conjunction with hospitals and an appointment as director is salaried and administered through the Hospital. The University is represented on the selection committee.
Note 2: Where a staff member is promoted to Australian Professorial Fellow or Senior Principal Research Fellow by the Australian Research Council or the National Health and Medical Research Council, the University accords the title of Professorial Fellow to those staff. These procedures do not apply to such cases.
6.1. The chair of the selection committee will arrange for members to have or have access to the necessary resources, including:
6.2. Selection committee members must be satisfied that the widest possible field of candidates has been attracted through the search and advertising processes and will select the successful applicant based on merit against the selection criteria and the applicant’s potential.
6.3. Assessment of merit for recruitment and selection will be conducted in accordance with the Guidelines for Consideration of Performance Relative to Opportunity.
6.4. A selection committee may use various methods to assess candidates for positions including interview, skills tests, delivery of seminars and reference checks.
6.5. In the selection process for an academic position, the chair of a selection committee will request referees to provide written reports and may ask the candidate to nominate further referees from whom reports will be requested.
6.6. Once a short list of candidates has been compiled by the selection committee, the head of department or position supervisor will validate reports through personal contact with the referee and make a critical appraisal of the reports to assist the committee in its final decision.
6.7. In the selection process for a professional staff position, the supervisor of the position will contact the three nominated referees, ideally covering a range of reporting relationships, of the most highly rated applicants to assist the committee in its final decision.
6.8. In the selection process for an academic position or a professional position that involves or is likely to involve child-related work on an Australian aid project, the Child Protection for Australian Aid Projects Procedure (MPF 1266) must be complied with.
6.9. The selection committee will advise the head of department or position supervisor on appropriate initial probation standards for the successful applicant.
6.10. The head of department or position supervisor may supplement the probationary requirements after the staff member has commenced duty.
6.11. A selection committee should aim to reach consensus in the selection of the successful applicant but where a vote is necessary the majority of votes of members present will decide in accordance with the provisions of Statute 1.3.2(e).
6.12. The selection committee chair (or the department administrator on behalf of the chair) will recommend the appointment of the successful applicant on behalf of the selection committee through the e-Recruitment system. If a panel member does not agree with the recommendation, they can note their view in the e-Recruitment system.
6.13. The selection committee chair (or the department administrator on behalf of the chair) will advise the local Human Resources representative where a selection committee member does not agree with the recommendation.
6.14. If a selection committee is not able to recommend an appointment, the chair will advise committee members, the local Human Resources representative and the appointment approver.
6.15. The proceedings of the selection committee, including all documents and correspondence considered by the committee, are confidential and for the information of members only. These matters remain confidential even after the results of the committee's recommendation are made public.
7.1. The selection committee member delegated to conduct post-selection counselling, or the supervisor, will provide feedback to an unsuccessful internal applicant and, on request, to an unsuccessful external applicant.
8.1. Table 4 indicates the position or delegate authorised to approve appointment recommendations.
8.2. By approving the appointment of an applicant, approvers are certifying that all University policy requirements have been observed
Table 4. Approval of appointment recommendations
Type of appointment | Approval |
Professional continuing and fixed-term contracts: HEW levels 1-9 | Level 2 delegate |
Professional continuing and fixed-term contracts: HEW level 10 | Head of budget division |
Academic fixed-term contracts of 12 months or less: levels A, B, C and D (Note 1) | Level 2 delegate |
Academic continuing and fixed-term contracts greater than 12 months: levels A, B, C and D (Note 1) | Dean |
Academic continuing and fixed-term contracts: level E | Provost |
Note 1: In cases where a staff member was unsuccessful for promotion to Level D in the previous 12 months the appointment must be approved by the Provost.
8.3. The head of budget division, after consultation with local Human Resources, may approve the appointment of the recipient of a redundancy or pre-retirement benefit or retirement incentive benefit to a continuing or fixed term position, and a head of department or equivalent may approve appointments to a casual position, where:
9.1. Where an appointment has been approved by the authorised delegate, local Human Resources will:
9.2. To be valid, a contract of employment must be:
9.3. A prospective staff member may not commence duties unless he or she has accepted the contract of employment in writing and completed any pre-employment requirements under the Pre-Employment Procedure.
9.4. A prospective staff member may accept an offer by signing a copy of the contract
10.1. Prior to the commencement of employment, the local Human Resource representative will provide to the prospective continuing or fixed-term staff member a contract of employment which stipulates the type of employment and includes the following details relevant to that employment:
10.2. In addition to the above details, the contract of employment of a fixed-term staff member will indicate:
11.1. Prior to the commencement of employment, the level 2 delegate will provide to the prospective casual staff member a Contract of Employment for Casual Staff form which stipulates the type of employment and includes the following details relevant to that employment:
12.1. Prior to the commencement of employment, the level 2 delegate will provide to the prospective sessional staff member Contract of Employment for Casual Staff form which stipulates the type of employment and includes the following details relevant to that employment:
13.1. Performance based contracts may be offered to persons who are to be employed as or who are employed as:
13.2. A performance based contract may be offered on a continuing or fixed-term basis.
13.3. University policies and procedures relating to unsatisfactory performance, misconduct and termination will not apply to staff employed on performance based contracts, except in the case of a head of department appointed under a performance based contract at a level D or less.
13.4. In such cases, termination will be in accordance with Division 11 of Part 2-2 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) except that the performance based contract will stipulate that the required period of notice of termination of employment will be no less than 3 months.
Term | Definition |
Agreement | Defined in section 27A(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) to mean any arrangement or understanding whether formal or informal, whether express or implied and whether or not enforceable, or intended to be enforceable, by legal proceedings. |
child or children | In accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 'child' means every human being under the age of 18 unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier. For the purposes of this Policy, the University considers a child to be a person under the age of 18 years. |
child-related work | Working on an activity or in a position that involves or is likely to involve contact with children, either under the position description or due to the nature of the work environment. |
Same job | Includes a role that is identical to the role held by the staff member prior to termination of employment and any role that is substantially the same, involving similar duties to be performed within the same department at the same or similar classification level. |
The Executive Director, Human Resources & OHS is responsible for the development, compliance monitoring and review of this procedure and any associated guidelines.
The Director, Employee Relations and Engagement is responsible for the promulgation and implementation of this procedure in accordance with the scope outlined above. Enquiries about interpretation of this procedure should be directed to the implementation officer.
This procedure is to be reviewed by 28 February 2015.
Version | Approved By | Approval Date | Effective Date | Sections Modified |
1 | Senior Vice-Principal | 21 Aug 2012 | 21 Aug 2013 | New version arising from the Policy Simplification Project. Loaded into MPL as Version 1. |
2 | Senior Vice-Principal | 12 Mar 2013 | 12 Mar 2013 | Addition of section 14. |
3 | Senior Vice-Principal | 6 Jun 2013 | 6 Jun 2013 | Addition of new section 6.3. and consequential renumbering within section 6. |
4 | Senior Vice-Principal | 25 Jul 2013 | 25 Jul 2013 | Addition of Note 1 to Table 4 in section 8.2. |
5 | Senior Vice-Principal | 10 Sep 2013 | 10 Sep 2013 | Removal of section 14 - Relocation/removal and establishment expenses. Relocation is now covered in the Relocation Policy and Relocation Procedure. |
6 | Vice-Principal Administration and Finance on behalf of Senior Vice-Principal | 22 May 2014 | 22 May 2014 | Links to 'Guidelines for Consideration of Performance Relative to Opportunity' updated. |
7 | Vice Principal Administration and Finance and CFO | 19 January 2016 | 21 January 2016 | Insert new section 6.8, definitions of child, children and child related work. Updated references to enterprise agreement and delegations manual, Responsible Officer and Implementation Officer title. |
8 | Vice Principal Administration and Finance and CFO | 21 May 2015 | 16 June 2016 | Fix broken links (broken link blanket approval provided 21 May 2015). |
9 | Policy Advisor | 25 June 2019 | 26 June 2019 | Dead links deleted from Related Documents. |