• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Definitions
• Section 5 - Policy Statement
• Establishment of positions and authority to recruit
• Attraction of Talent, Equal Opportunity, Gender Equity and Diversity in Recruitment and Selection
• Recruitment processes
• Use of external providers / recruitment agencies
• Fixed-term appointments
• Confidentiality
• Complaints about the process
• Section 6 - Procedures

Section 1 - Summary

(1) The purpose of this Policy is to provide the University with the flexibility to attract and appoint high-calibre staff who will enhance its ability to achieve strategic and organisational objectives, while adhering to the principles of merit, fairness, diversity and transparency.

Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(2) HESF: Standard 2.2 Diversity and Equity; 3.2 Staffing

(3) Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs): Standard 1, Standard 7.7.1 (b) 

(4) ESOS Act: Standard 5 Younger Overseas Students

Section 3 - Scope

(5) This Policy applies to all continuing, fixed-term, casual and sessional employee appointments at the University.

(6) This Policy does not apply to: 

1. honorary, adjunct or visiting teaching appointments (unless otherwise engaged as employees); and/or
2. the engagement of independent contractors.

Section 4 - Definitions

(7) Aboriginal

(8) Applicant - A person who has applied for a position.

(9) Appointment - Means the process by which a person is offered and accepts a position.

(10) Casual/Sessional Employee - A person engaged by the hour and paid on an hourly basis.

(11) Conflict of Interest - Occurs when a person in a recruitment and selection decision making role has an interest in the outcome (separate from their professional role), and which may appear to an independent observer to be sufficient to influence the objective exercise of their professional obligations or official duties.

(12) Delegated Officer - An incumbent officer who holds a delegated authority within the VU People Approval Levels.

(13) Direct Appointment - A position filled without a competitive, merit based process.

(14) Fixed-Term Employment - Employment with a specified start and end date. At the end of the fixed-term period, employment with the University ceases.

(15) Hiring Manager - The Manager/ Supervisor leading the recruitment and selection process.

(16) Recruitment - The process of sourcing and obtaining applicants, in sufficient volume and quality, so that the University can select the most appropriate talent to fulfil its workforce requirements.

(17) Selection - The process of gathering information and making a decision about an applicants' suitability for appointment to a position. 

(18) Selection Panel - A panel established by the University for the purpose of assessing applicants' suitability for a vacant position.

(19) Talent - Refers to the capabilities, qualifications and attributes possessed by new or current staff members which are required to ensure the organisation has the capacity to achieve its objectives.

Section 5 - Policy Statement

(20) Victoria University will select and appoint staff in accordance with the principles of this Policy and the requirements of any relevant legislation, industrial agreements, or organisational strategy or commitment.

Establishment of positions and authority to recruit

(21) Positions are established and/or continued based on the following reasons:

1. strategic directions
2. functional needs
3. resource capacity (including budget capacity).

(22) Formal approval must be obtained to establish a new position or continue a vacant position, and to recruit to that position. 

(23) A Position Description or Duties Statement will be developed for all positions. 

Attraction of Talent, Equal Opportunity, Gender Equity and Diversity in Recruitment and Selection

(24) The University is committed to sourcing and securing the best available talent based on a combination of experience, qualifications, behaviours, values and capabilities to meet current and future workforce requirements.

(25) The University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace where all people can achieve. These values are reflected in recruitment and selection practices.

(26) The University believes that diversity of the workforce adds value to the University and creates a stronger, richer working environment for everyone.

(27) Staff participating in selection decisions and processes will ensure that they: 

1. are not influenced by irrelevant attributes of a person;
2. do not unlawfully discriminate in selection based on any protected characteristic as outlined in the University’s 's Discrimination and Harassment Prevention and Management Policy and applicable law; and,
3. make efforts to identify and address any areas of unconscious bias they may possess.

(28) The University is committed to achieving gender balance in its workforce at all levels, and will strongly encourage its female staff to apply for roles at senior levels. The University’s Gender Equity Strategy requires shortlists for positions at or above HEW9 and Lecturer C to include 50% female candidates. The gender composition of these shortlists are monitored and reported to the Gender Equity Committee. Where there is an under-representation of female candidates for shortlists, hiring managers are encouraged to consult with the Director, Capability, Culture and Talent to review sourcing candidates.

(29) The University is also committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce. The University will take proactive steps to address diversity in its workforce profile through recruitment and selection processes. This will identify barriers to the inclusion and advancement of equity target groups in accordance with the relevant Equity and Diversity Strategy for Staff.

(30) The University is committed to increasing the number of Aboriginal people employed at the University. The University Yannoneit Employment Strategy 2019 – 2021 supports the work of the Bathelmun Yalingwa Strategy which commits to the Universities Australia aspiration of increasing Aboriginal employment to 3% of the workforce. The Bathelmun Yalingwa Strategy outlines the ways we can gamadji (grow), dambunmon (share) and jerrboongun (connect) our Aboriginal community and culture through employment. The aspiration is for Victoria University to be a University where Aboriginal people can work and flourish in community with other Aboriginal staff and with all our staff.

(31) Hiring managers are encouraged to contact the Aboriginal Employment & Community Coordinator to discuss sourcing appropriately qualified Aboriginal candidates for roles and promoting awareness of roles within the Aboriginal community to attract candidates.

(32) The University is committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process for candidates with particular access needs. Candidates who require adjustments are encouraged to contact the designated contact person for the job to discuss their needs.

(33) VU may, at its discretion and in accordance with applicable law, target positions or recruitment specifically at under-represented groups. 

Recruitment processes

(34) Vacant positions may be filled using:

1. competitive selection processes; or, 
2. direct appointment (without advertisement).

(35) Whether a position is advertised or not, the principles of merit and equity will still apply. 

(36) It is expected that an interview and required pre-employment checks will be conducted for every position, no matter what selection process is used. No appointment may be made without satisfactory results in all required checks and qualifications.

(37) Selection Panel members must declare any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest to the Chair of the Panel as soon as they are known. If the Selection Panel member or Chair of the Selection Panel believes they are unable to be impartial, the Chair of the Selection Panel is to seek a replacement.

(38) In the case of the Chair of the Selection Panel declaring a perceived or real conflict of interest, the relevant Delegated Officer will be responsible for appointing a new Chair for the Selection Panel.

(39) Recruitment and selection processes will be continually reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose and align with contemporary practices.

Use of external providers / recruitment agencies

(40) The use of External Providers/Recruitment Agencies should be minimal across the University, and only considered for the recruitment of highly specialised roles and/or senior roles; and only after other avenues of recruitment have been eliminated. 

(41) Hiring Managers must not directly engage with any External provider/Recruitment Agency (or request candidate applications) prior to speaking to their P&C Advisor and then seeking the necessary approvals.

(42) Any quotes from External Recruitment Agencies and contract reviews must be managed through the Director, Capability, Culture and Talent.

(43) Approval to use an External Recruitment Agency must be sought in writing from the Chief Human Resources Officer. A ‘justification’ must be included and all anticipated agency costs should be included as a reference on total recruitment costs.

Fixed-term appointments

(44) Fixed-term appointments can be for a maximum period of 5 years for Australian citizens or residents and up to 4 years for non-Australian residents who hold particular types of temporary working visas. The particulars of each type of visa will determine the maximum period of employment and any applicable conditions.

Confidentiality

(45) The principles of appropriate confidentiality and privacy are critically important in recruitment and selection processes. All staff participating in the recruitment and selection process must keep confidential the details of the process, including details of candidates and other individuals involved. Such details should only be disclosed on a need to know basis in making a decision for the purposes of making a hiring decision.

Complaints about the process

(46) Complaints about the process may be addressed to the Director, Capability, Culture and Talent.

Section 6 - Procedures

(47) Recruitment and Selection Procedure