The University aims to be a first-choice employer and destination for students in each of our communities we serve, embedding a values driven and talent-focused culture, ensuring contribution and commitment to the candidate and employee experience.
Our recruitment and appointment decisions are aligned to the strategic goals and priorities of the University. They will support our values of inclusion, innovation, excellence, empowerment and collaboration as outlined in Federation’s Living Values Charter. As Australia’s leading regional University, we will recruit and appoint talented people who will continue to transform lives and enhance communities; ensuring a strong and sustainable university for all.
Appointments are made on the principles of merit and achievement relative to opportunity, ensuring adherence to equity and equal opportunity employment.
The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidance and clarity in the facilitation and management of temporary appointments (TAP), secondments and expression of interest campaigns and to ensure compliance with relevant legislative frameworks. This allows for the sharing of expertise across organisations, career development opportunities, enhanced industry engagement and commercialisation and the development of cross-organisational links and relationships.
All temporary appointments, internal secondments, and expressions of interest at the University should be initiated and managed via, the University’s e-Recruitment system, to support consistent and timely appointments.
- Federation University Australia Union Enterprise Agreement 2019–2021;
- Federation University Australia TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement 2019;
- Fair Work Act 2009 (C’wealth);
- Worker Screening Act 2020 (Vic);
- Worker Screening Regulations 2021 (Vic);
- Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic);
- Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000 (QLD);
- Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic);
- The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act) (C’wealth);
- Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 (C’wealth);
- National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (C’wealth);
- Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 (C’wealth); and
- all other Commonwealth and State legislative Acts applicable to the location of employment.
For further definitions, refer to the University’s Recruitment and Appointment Procedure and the Federation University Australia Union Enterprise Agreement 2019–2021 and Federation University Australia TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement 2019. A further list of definitions specifically relevant to this procedure is included below:
| Term | Definition |
| Expression of interest | The process whereby staff impacted by organisational change within an area, express their interest for an established position/s. |
| External secondment |
External secondments could be:
|
| Impacted area | An area within the organisational structure undergoing workplace change that has an impact on the way work is being performed. |
| Internal Secondment |
Current University staff voluntarily moving into a position for a period up to 12-months and can only be used as per the requirements for fixed-term appointments in the relevant enterprise agreements.
|
| Limited Expression of Interest | A process whereby only a limited pool of staff impacted by an organisational restructure express their interest in and are selected for a specific position/s within the structure. |
| Organisational Change | Change that affects a School/Directorate and results in changes to staffing. These changes may include the creation and deletion of positions, changes to the duties or grading of several positions, or employees becoming excess to requirements. |
| Redeployment | Transfer of a staff member to another position within the same organisation. Can be in a position at the same classification level or at a lower classification level. |
| Staff Exchange | An arrangement made with the mutual consent of two staff members (at the same HEW classification and employed as a continuing or fixed-term employee), and their supervisors whereby a staff member is released to work in another area within the University's organisational structure. |
| Temporary appointment | Used to fill vacancies of six-months or less and can only be used as per the requirements for fixed-term appointments in the relevant enterprise agreement. |
A conflict of interest occurs where a person’s personal interest could improperly influence, or may appear to improperly influence them when making a work-related decision/s as outlined in the University’s Managing Conflicts of Interest Procedure.
A conflict of interest exists whether it is:
- actual, it currently exists;
- potential, it may arise, given the circumstances; or
- perceived, members of the public could reasonably form the view that a conflict exists, or could arise, that may improperly influence the performance of their duties to the University, now or in the future.
Where an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest occurs within the Recruitment and Appointment process, the following steps must be undertaken.
Where a potential conflict of interest exists (or may exist at some time in the future) it must be declared in writing to the Director, People and Culture.
It is at the discretion of the Director, People and Culture, in accordance with relevant policies and procedures, to determine if the disclosure may impede the Recruiting Manager’s impartial decision making.
The University is committed to ensure that no undue advantage or disadvantage occurs as a result of the existence of a personal relationship. Staff members should access the Staff Code of Conduct Policy for further information.
The Recruiting Manager must first contact People and Culture to ascertain any suitably qualified and experienced redeployees.
The Recruiting Manager must:
- develop a position description, ensuring it accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities of the position and the Living Values Charter and classification by People and Culture;
- identify a pool of applicants who align to the Key Selection Criteria and the University’s Living Values Charter as defined within the position description;
- make a selection from the identified pool of applicants and document rationale of recommendation for appointment;
- conduct referee checks; and
- complete a recruitment request via the e-Recruitment system for Delegated Officer approval, attaching:
- a copy of the applicant's resume; and
- the position description.
Temporary appointments for TAFE staff will be subject to a Disallowed Persons Check prior to final approval.
Following Delegated Officer approval, an employment contract will be issued to the successful applicant no later than two-working-days prior to the proposed commencement date. A successful applicant must not commence employment prior to receiving and accepting an employment contract.
We recognise that internal secondments provide staff with professional development opportunities, foster cross-functional knowledge and collaboration, and address resourcing issues by drawing on the broad skills and expertise of our existing workforce.
Secondments are subject to requirements surrounding organisational change.
The secondee must not commence acting in the secondment, prior to receiving and accepting an employment contract.
During any period of secondment, the Delegated Officer for the substantive position is responsible for adherence to any change notification and consultation requirements regarding the substantive position. Any request to extend a secondment arrangement will require mutual agreement between the leadership teams within the relevant School/s and/or Directorate/s.
Secondments for TAFE staff will be subject to a Disallowed Persons check prior to final approval.
Internal secondment – less than 12-months in duration
For internal vacancies, a current continuing employee of the University (who holds on ongoing substantive position) may be nominated to undertake a secondment without the requirement for a competitive process.
Secondments can only be used as per the requirements for fixed-term appointment in the relevant enterprise agreements.
Any request for internal secondment must be considered and approved by the relevant Dean/Executive Dean/Director in writing prior to the secondment commencing. Secondment requests will not be unreasonably refused. Where a secondment has been approved, any continuing employee who is appointed on a secondment, shall retain their continuing status and will have the right to revert to the substantive position or to any other position at the same classification level upon the expiry of the secondment.
Under exceptional circumstances and with limited application, the Director, People and Culture may approve an extension to initial 12-month period of the secondment without requirement for a competitive process.
Internal secondment –more than 12-months in duration
If the vacancy exceeds 12-months, this above process will not apply and the position will need to be appointed in accordance with the Continuing and Fixed-Term Recruitment and Appointment Procedure. Where the successful appointee is internal and opts to be appointed on a secondment basis, the substantive line-manager, in consultation with the Dean/Executive Dean/Director, must endorse and approve the term of the secondment prior to an employment contract being issued. Reasonable requests will not be refused.
External secondments facilitate sharing of expertise across organisations, career development opportunities, enhanced industry engagement and commercialisation and the development of cross-organisational links and relationships.
Any external secondment must be appointed in accordance with recent professional practice as defined in Federation University Australia Union Enterprise Agreement 2019–2021.
The secondee will be bound by the terms and conditions specified in the services agreement. For further information please liaise with the Federation University Legal office.
TAFE teaching staff are not eligible for external secondments.
Staff appointed under the Federation University Australia Union Enterprise Agreement 2019–2021 on a continuing or fixed-term contract for more than 12-months, may apply to participate in a staff exchange to enhance professional development and career aspirations.
Any two staff can apply for a staff exchange for a minimum of three months and no more than six months, provided they are at the same classification level. During the period of exchange, the staff members will be paid at their current salary.
The staff members’ supervisors are responsible for recommending the approval or non-approval of the staff exchange to the relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor/Pro Vice-Chancellor/Chief, which must take into consideration alignment to the Key Selection Criteria and the University’s Living Values Charter as defined within the relevant position description/s.
Staff exchange applications may be refused, or agreements terminated, on reasonable grounds with appropriate rationale provided.
Following organisational change, an expression of interest process should apply where:
- there are more staff members than positions available; and
- a position has changed significantly and is at the same classification level; and/or
- a position is new and/or at an equivalent or lower classification level.
Expressions of interest may be limited to the impacted area.
Where possible and appropriate, the new organisational structure will normally be undertaken through a cascading process commencing with the most senior position in the new structure.
Any positions that remain vacant following the completion of the expression of interest selection process will be recruited and appointed in accordance with the principles and relevant procedure/s of the Recruitment and Appointment Procedure.
All university Policy and Procedures
Related Items
• Applicant Information via Careers at Federation University website.
Forms
- Expression of Interest - Application Form (DOCX 231.4kb)
- Position description template - ACDA (DOTX 267.4kb)
- Position description template - ACDB (DOTX 267.8kb)
- Position description template - ACDC (DOTX 270.4kb)
- Position description template - ACDD (DOTX 270.3kb)
- Position description template - ACDE (DOTX 271.2kb)
- Position description template - HEW positions (DOTX 263.4kb)
- Position description template - TAFE teacher (DOTX 269.8kb)
- Statement of duties - Course Coordinator (DOCX 169.4kb)
- Statement of duties - Unit Coordinator (DOCX 168.0kb)
The Vice-Chancellor and President is ultimately responsible for the implementation of the Policy and Procedure.
The Chair of the Selection Committee is responsible for ensuring adherence to Policy and Procedure, and making appointments based on an applicant's merit, free from bias and unlawful discrimination.
The Director, People and Culture is responsible for:
- the development of the Recruitment and Appointment Policy and Procedure;
- monitoring recruitment and appointment activities and addressing inconsistencies in the implementation of the Policy and Procedures; and
- overseeing the provision of support and advice on the Policy and Procedure.
This procedure will be communicated throughout the University community via:
- A FedNews announcement and on the ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page on the University’s Policy Central website.
- Distribution of emails to Deans/Directors / Directors / Managers / Universitystaff.
- Documentation distribution, e.g. posters, brochures.
- Notification to Schools.
This procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:
- an Announcement Notice under 'FedNews' on the ‘FedUni’ website and through the University Policy - ‘Recently Approved Documents’ webpage to alert the University-wide community of the approved Procedure; and
- inclusion on the University's online Policy Library.
- Information and training sessions advertised via FedNews and provided by People and Culture to Deans/Directors, Directors and Managers.
| Document title | Location | Responsible Officer | Minimum retention period |
| Recruitment Request Form and Approval | People and Culture | Director, People and Culture | Seven years after contract has expired |
| Temporary Appointment or Secondment Request Form | People and Culture | Director, People and Culture | Seven years after contract has expired |
| Additional Recruitment/Contract Renewal Information | People and Culture | Director, People and Culture | Seven years after contract has expired |
| Selection Committee Report | People and Culture | Director, People and Culture | Seven years after contract has expired |
| Referee Check | People and Culture | Director, People and Culture | Seven years after contract has expired |
| Recruitment and Merit Selection Minority Report | People and Culture | Director, People and Culture | Seven years after contract has expired |
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