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Reviewing new or vacant jobs

All newly established jobs must be evaluated or benchmarked using HERA before an SRF is submitted for review.

Approval to recruit

In line with your approved budgets set during annual planning, all newly established jobs must be evaluated or benchmarked using HERA before an SRF is submitted for review. For the replacement of existing vacant posts, there will normally be a check to make sure that any changes to the job description do not have a significant potential impact on the grading of the job.

The appropriate line manager is responsible for preparing a job description and person specification in the standard format to assist with the evaluation process.

Job grading review panel

This panel will normally meet on a weekly basis (usually on a Thursday) to consider grades of new and vacant jobs. This panel consists of a minimum of three HR Business Partners, and will be normally chaired by the HR Business Partner (Reward). All panel members are fully trained in the application of the HERA scheme and the University’s local scoring rationale.

All paperwork relating to a new or vacant job must be forwarded to the relevant HR Business Partner or HR Advisor in the first instance. If the job requires a new HERA profile the HR Business Partner or HR Advisor will need to discuss timescales for completion of the grading review. The HR Business Partner or HR Advisor may wish to discuss any queries arising from the paperwork with the line manager concerned, and to recommend any amendments to the paperwork.

Once the HR Business Partner or HR Advisor has completed the initial grading for the role, the documents must be made available to the moderation panel with a minimum of one week's notice. Restructures require two week's notice. Where these timeframes are not met, the role will be instead taken to the following week's panel. This is to allow the panel members enough time to prepare.

Evaluation process

As part of the evaluation process the panel will consider three approaches:

  • if the job is identical to an existing job it can be benchmarked to the relevant existing HERA profile

  • if the job is similar to an existing job it may be benchmarked to the relevant existing profile with a small number of changes to the existing HERA profile

  • if the job is new and no existing comparable job is identified it will require a new HERA profile

Outcomes

Confirmation of the grading outcome and any feedback will be given to the line manager by the HR Business Partner or HR Advisor as soon as possible after the meeting. The line manager can then complete the online Staff Request Form.

The grading decision relating to a new or vacant job made by the Job Grading Review Panel is final.

Document control

Date of last review: 23 July 2020

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