CSO Recruitment Policy
Objective
CSO recognises the importance of well-managed recruitment processes. The procedures contained within this Policy will be communicated to all staff involved in the recruitment process. Training will also be provided to ensure anyone involved in the recruitment process understands the need for rigorous processes.
Revision History
Scope
This policy applies to anybody undertaking recruitment activity within the organisation.
Policy Statement
Safer recruitment principles apply to all people working with refugees children and adults at risk. The policy is designed to provide robust and clear standards for recruiting people and minimising the risks to vulnerable people, whatever their age.
Definitions
Service Users: Refugees and internally displaced persons
Roles and Responsibilities
The Appointing Board of Managers has specific responsibilities for managing the process, risk assessment and ‘sign off’ of all appointments/placements. All job descriptions, person specifications and selection criteria should be reviewed prior to advertisement.
Procedures
Selection and Testing
Appropriate selection and testing methods should be drawn up to cover all criteria relevant to the job. This should form the basis of the selection decision. Selection panel members must be suitably trained.
A range of specific and detailed checks must be undertaken before employment can be confirmed.
a) References
A character reference should be obtained from an individual the candidate has worked with within their respective organisation or any of the CSO-affiliated organisations to satisfy the regulatory requirement that the individual is of good character.
- B)Qualifications verification
No qualification is required but candidates are expected to have basic experience in humanitarian services.
- C)Identity verification
Photographic evidence of the person’s identity and the address where the person lives must be provided. Usually, the individual will be required to provide a current passport, birth certificate or a photo card driving licence and, to verify where they live, they should provide a bank statement, council tax statement or utility bill from within the last 3 months.
Copies should be taken, and the copy signed and dated by the individual who inspected the original. All checks must be signed off by the Appointing Manager.
Job descriptions and Person Specifications
Prior to advertising a vacant position, the job description and person specification should be reviewed to ensure that they are up to date, reflect accurately the main components of the job role and that the knowledge, skills and experience are relevant to what is required. The job description should help to ensure that both management and applicant expectations are aligned.
The person specification provides details of the essential and desirable qualifications, skills and experience, person qualities and knowledge required. It is an essential part of the recruitment process and assists when compiling the job advertisement, the short-listing process and to define the appropriate selection criteria. Each criterion must be identified as either essential or desirable. The essential criteria would be the minimum required to perform the job to the required standard. The desirable criteria would be the standards that would enable the person to perform the job more effectively.
When a vacancy is advertised the application pack should include an up to date job description and person specification.
Advertising
Where possible applicants should be encouraged to apply online as this allows the applications to be managed in a more efficient and consistent manner.
The advertisement should include a statement of CSO’s values, details of the job description and person specification, the job title, salary, hours and location of the role, details of the type of contract being offered, the closing date and potential interview date, as well as contact details for further information regarding the role.
Shortlisting
The short-listing criteria should be decided following a complete review of both the job description and person specification. All short-listed applicants should be contacted by the individual responsible for recruiting for the vacancy.
Interview/Vetting
Upon being invited to attend an interview the applicant should be asked to inform CSO board of any adjustments that may be required to facilitate their attendance at interview. Where possible, interviews should be carried out by a minimum of 4 board members. If interviews are to take place over several days, best practice dictates that the interview panel should remain consistent where possible. By way of preparation, the interview panel should meet before the interview or vetting to agree the ordering of questions and how the interview will progress. All applicants should be asked the same questions. The interview panel must be mindful not to ask any questions that may be perceived as being discriminatory, such as questions relating to childcare or sickness records.
Prior to ending the interview, the applicant should be informed of the next steps in terms of when the decision will be made and how they will be informed of the outcome.
Where the vetting team can not arrived at a common decision it can be passed to the entire board members for voting.
Making an Appointment
All decisions made with regards to an appointment should be based on an objective assessment.
Where possible, the successful applicant should be advised first, to offer them the opportunity to accept or decline. If the successful applicant declines the offer of the role, the next most suitable candidate should then be offered the role.