Policy statement
UKRI is committed to recruiting and retaining people with the diverse skills and competencies needed to enable the delivery of the UKRI corporate plan, ensuring everyone in society benefits from world-leading research and innovation. UKRI is committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality and inclusion for both internal and external candidates during all stages of the recruitment and selection process. As part of the retention process, UKRI is committed to supporting opportunities for personal development, which includes secondments.
This policy and associated documentation are designed to ensure that recruitment and selection decisions are based on a fair and objective assessment of the suitability of the applicant to meet the requirements of the role. There may be some exceptional circumstances in which appointments can be made without open competition, without assessment or both, which are defined in this suite of information. UKRI will be as open and flexible as possible in supporting and identifying and arranging suitable agreed secondment opportunities for existing employees.
This, and all human resources (HR) policies, must be read and delivered in conjunction with the associated guidance and procedure documents, as well as any other relevant policies that may apply.
UKRI employees should refer to the guidance on The Source. Employees should familiarise themselves with the UKRI People Standards.
Management statement
This policy is owned by the HR Policy team and the content has been shaped in conjunction with the HR Recruitment Team. Responsibility for any future amendments will be shared between the HR Policy Team and the content owners, the HR Recruitment Team.
The policy is agreed with the UKRI Trade Union Side and UKRI management via the formal Joint Negotiating Consultative Committee (JNCC) structure and complies with legislation.
1. Purpose
1.1 The aim of this policy is to:
- set out the legal and contractual foundations upon which UKRI seeks to build an effective, inclusive and transparent recruitment process
- promote equality, diversity and inclusion principles and best practice, to ensure recruitment is free from discrimination in respect of those who may have one or more protected characteristic as per the Equality Act 2010 (age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity). Northern Ireland has different equality legislation which can be found on the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland website
- promote consistency across UKRI in all aspects of recruitment, to ensure all opportunities are advertised in an open and fair way, with exceptions clearly defined
- set out the basis for secondments, with a view that UKRI will endeavour to support existing employees to access such opportunities, recognising they provide an excellent platform for development and growth
These are the principles that employees responsible for recruiting must follow.
2. Outline
2.1 UKRI is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and does not tolerate any form of discrimination.
2.2 Recruitment will be subject to open and fair competition and will normally involve the use of a diverse selection panel in shortlisting and interviews or other suitable assessment. Applicants will be assessed objectively on their suitability for the role and will be selected on merit. Exceptions to this process must be discussed with the HR Recruitment Team and clearly defined and documented for future audit. Details on appointment without competition are provided in this policy.
Advertising vacancies
2.3 All vacancies will be advertised internally and will normally be placed on the recruitment system for a minimum of 10 working days.
2.4 Internal and external advertising can run concurrently in situations where it can be demonstrated that a broader advertising reach is required, in order to provide a wider pool of applicants with relevant knowledge, skills and capabilities.
Flexible working
2.5 Flexible working requests will be considered from successful candidates for all vacancies as per the UKRI Ways of Working policy. Role requirements should be confirmed prior to advertising the role on a job description, between the recruiting manager and the HR Recruitment Team.
Redeployment
2.6 Priority will be given to employees in the UKRI Redeployment Pool and therefore, roles should not be advertised until they have been considered for employees eligible for redeployment (overseen by the HR Operations Team). Please see the redeployment guidance for further information.
Recruitment agencies
2.7 UKRI will, on occasion, make use of specialist recruitment agencies, for example, when looking for specific specialist or scarce skills, subject to approval in line with the UKRI HR delegated authority framework.
Contract types
2.8 UKRI recognises the advantages of appointing applicants on open-ended (permanent) contracts and will use such contracts where possible, consistent with business needs. However, it is also recognised that there can be a need for fixed-term roles to cover items such as project work, planned absence, including where employee movement is on a temporary basis.
Pre-employment checks
2.9 Appointments will be made subject to relevant checks such as security, right to work and health screenings. For more information, please see the associated recruitment policy guidance on the UKRI intranet.
Disability Confident scheme
2.10 UKRI is an adopter of the government’s Disability Confident scheme. As such, any candidate who shares a disability will be shortlisted for interview, providing they meet the essential criteria of the role applied for.
Secondments
2.11 A secondment is an arrangement whereby an employee works with another organisation for a specified temporary period but continues to be employed by their employer. Secondments out of UKRI are available to all employees and will be supported by UKRI wherever possible. Employees can find further details in the secondment guidance.
Substantive roles
2.12 A substantive role being temporarily vacated should be backfilled on a fixed-term basis as the norm, unless there is a specific reason not to do this.
2.13 Where it is not possible to keep the substantive role available for a return, employees need to be made aware that they will be leaving their substantive role and at the end of the temporary action, in the event there is not an equivalent role available, they will be eligible to enter the Redeployment Pool as part of the formal redundancy and ‘at risk’ process. See the UKRI Ending Work policy for further information. Agreement should be sought via the HR Operational team prior to any movement, in order that advice can be given accordingly and any employee leaving a substantive role for a temporary period is fully and properly informed of the implications of the change.
2.14 There is enhanced redundancy protection for those on maternity, adoption and shared parental leave. See the UKRI family leave and pay policy for details.
3. Responsibilities
3.1 For information on delegated HR authority, please refer to the UKRI HR delegated authority framework (PDF, 173KB).
3.2 Security requirements for roles are outlined in the UKRI HR delegated authority framework, these can apply directly to screening and National Security Vetting as well as broader personnel security.
3.3 Applicants can request adjustments at any stage in the recruitment process, and recruiting managers have responsibility to consider all requests to be inclusive in supporting the diverse needs of applicants. Those involved in the process can refer to the Reasonable Adjustment guidance on the UKRI intranet and take advice from the HR Recruitment team. This also applies to line management responsibility regarding other processes covered by the guidance which underpins this policy, including (but not limited to) internal movement, secondments, redeployment.
3.4 Employees involved in recruitment processes should respect and maintain confidentiality.
4. Scope of policy
4.1 This policy applies to all UKRI employees and contingent workers.
4.2 The principles of the policy apply to external applicants (in respect of recruitment: the secondment guidance is only applicable to UKRI employees going out on secondment).
4.3 A number of other policies may be relevant to review when reading information set out in this policy and associated documentation.
5. Recruitment: stages
Job description and selection
5.1 The job description forms the basis for the selection process, and applicants will be assessed against this throughout.
5.2 Typically, applicants will initially be selected by scoring of their application against the essential criteria set out in the job description. Desirable criteria may be used if relevant. Employees in the Redeployment Pool will be screened prior to any formal internal or external advertising.
Interview and assessment
5.3 Those shortlisted will be invited to interview and assessment.
5.4 UKRI may assist with expenses to travel to a UKRI site from point of entry to the UK or an existing location within the UK to the interview or assessment venue, at the recruiting manager’s discretion. UKRI encourages applicants to consider their environmental impact when travelling. Virtual options are also normally available for interviews or assessment.
Security screening
5.5 Successful applicants will then be submitted for further screening prior to being appointed.
Unsuccessful applicants
5.6 Applicants who have been unsuccessful in a process can request more detailed feedback on the outcome. External candidates have the right to make a complaint via our make a complaint page. Internal candidates have the right of appeal against non-selection and should refer to the HR delegated authority framework (PDF, 173KB).
Recruitment guidance
5.7 Further information can be found in the UKRI recruitment assessment and interview guidance on the UKRI intranet.
6. Pre-employment and during employment (for existing employees) screening and other checks
6.1 UKRI is committed to ensuring a consistent and comprehensive level of pre-employment screening and vetting in its recruitment practices. This is in line with UKRI’s commitment to Personnel Security, maintaining alignment with Government Function Standards.
Conditional offers
6.2 Offers to successful applicants will be conditional, subject to satisfactory pre-employment screening and reference checks which can take a number of weeks to finalise. Some roles will be subject to completion of National Security Vetting (NSV) clearance. UKRI reserves the right to verify qualifications or other documentation as set out in the job description, to confirm the accuracy of information provided by the applicant.
6.3 Where there are areas of concern raised through the screening and vetting process, the recruiting manager should review with HR and the Personnel Security team to determine whether the conditional offer of employment can be supported, or whether it should be withdrawn. See the UKRI Screening and Vetting policy on the UKRI intranet for more information.
Withdrawing an offer
6.4 In cases where an offer of employment is withdrawn, a written explanation stating the reasons will be provided to the applicant. However, screening papers cannot be shared for security reasons.
Updating checks for current employees
6.5 Employees who move to new roles may also be required to undergo updated checks, including security screening, attaining NSV clearance or both, depending on the nature of the move and the new role. See the UKRI HR guidance on security and vetting implications for more information.
Right to work checks
6.6 UKRI will perform a right to work check on all selected applicants, in accordance with prevention of illegal working legislation. If a candidate is moving internally within the business, there still needs to be a Right to Work review. Internal movement, including if employees are moving to a role which requires them to be in a different country or where there is a change in job type, should be flagged to the Immigration and Compliance team by the HR Recruitment team. Further information and support regarding Right to Work can be found in the UKRI visa and immigration guidance on the UKRI intranet. In the event a right to work check has been undertaken but is subsequently not required (for example, the applicant withdraws), copies of documentation will be confidentially destroyed.
6.7 Further information and a template for UKRI employees undertaking Right to Work checks can be found in the UKRI Prevention of Illegal Working policy (PDF, 253KB).
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
6.8 UKRI will perform a DBS check, Disclosure Scotland (DS) check, other equivalent, or a combination as appropriate for the country the role is based in, on all applicants offered a role. The level of check required will depend on the nature of the role.
Applicants with a criminal record
6.9 UKRI is committed to equality of opportunity for all applicants. Therefore, we will consider applicants who have a criminal record on their individual merits. However, our approach depends on the role available, and whether it is covered by, or exempt from, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants must declare any unspent convictions (note: for certain roles, spent convictions also). A conviction will become spent where, after a period of time, the person has not committed another serious offence. Under the Act, employers may not ask prospective employees if they have spent convictions during the recruitment process.
Fitness to work and reasonable adjustments
6.10 UKRI has an obligation to ensure all employees are fit to perform the role they have been appointed to, without harm to themselves or others. Therefore, based on information provided by the successful applicant in the pre-employment health questionnaire, UKRI reserves the right to request an assessment of the applicant’s fitness to work. This will be carried out by Occupational Health. This may include seeking recommendations on reasonable adjustments that will allow the employee to fulfil the duties within the role. Potential applicants who may need an adjustment are welcomed and encouraged to apply. HR should be engaged with during this process where line managers need advice.
6.11 Any internal applicant moving between roles should have a review in respect of potential adjustments required for the new role. With the employee’s consent, previous advice taken or information gathered in respect of adjustments can be utilised if appropriate.
Probation and performance
6.12 Employees should refer to the Probation and Performance policy for information regarding probations for new employees and details about performance management for existing employees moving internally, or other (including career break, sabbatical, family leave, other).
7. Internal assignments and temporary promotions
Internal assignment
7.1 An internal assignment is the reassignment of an existing employee to a new role within the organisation. This could be on a temporary or permanent basis at the same pay band. Full details can be found in the internal movement guidance.
Temporary promotion
7.2 A temporary promotion is the assignment of an employee to a higher graded position for a restricted period of time, normally for up to 12 months, with the employee normally returning to their substantive role and band at the end of the period of temporary action. Temporary promotions are typically used for discrete areas of work such as projects or limited funding, or where UKRI is covering planned absence. It is recognised therefore that in some instances there may be a requirement to extend the initial appointment for a period which will not normally exceed two years.
7.3 If a temporary promotion exceeds two years, in the event the substantive role at the lower band is not kept available for a return or there is not an equivalent role at the substantive band to return to, this will normally mean the employee is eligible to be redeployed at the higher band at the end of the period.
7.4 Back-to-back or separate temporary promotions will be treated as ‘stand-alone’ and will normally see the employee returning to their substantive role, or equivalent at their substantive band. In this instance, in the event the substantive role at the lower band is not kept available for a return or there is not an equivalent role at the substantive band to return to, this will normally mean the employee is eligible to be redeployed at the substantive, lower band at the end of the period.
8. Appointments without competition
8.1 In exceptional circumstances, UKRI reserves the right to appoint without competition in line with standard recruitment practices, in three circumstances:
- appointments from UKRI’s Redeployment Pool
- appointments from UKRI’s Talent Pool, only after a role has been advertised internally, without any appointable candidates
- provisional appointments (for further information, see the recruitment policy guidance)
8.2 Where no competition is held, the HR Recruitment team, in conjunction with the relevant or local HR team, must document on the recruitment file:
- the reasons or circumstances around why no competition will take place
- who took the final decision (as per the UKRI HR delegated authority framework (PDF, 173KB))
- the other individuals considered and the reasons why they were not deemed suitable
8.3 Full details on appointments without competition can be found in the recruitment policy guidance.
9. Secondments
9.1 Secondments in and out of UKRI can be facilitated. Full details on these can be found in the secondment guidance.
9.2 UKRI colleagues should normally have completed their probation period when going on a secondment out of UKRI.
9.3 An employee may be seconded in or out to any type of organisation by mutual agreement, provided UKRI believes this to be in its own and the individual’s interest and the secondment is compatible with business needs. Benefits might include, for example, a training and development opportunity or redeployment to avoid redundancy.
Supported secondments
9.4 If a secondment has been identified and can be supported, when deciding on the release date, UKRI’s own business needs will be the major consideration. This includes consideration regarding temporary backfill (unless there is a clear business reason why this backfill needs to be open-ended). However, the needs of the receiving organisation and the wishes of the employee will be considered as far as possible.
Unsupported secondments
9.5 In the event an opportunity for a secondment has been identified by the employee or another organisation but cannot be supported by UKRI, the line manager or both, steps will be taken to ensure the employee and third party understands why this is the case.
9.6 Where a secondment opportunity has been identified by the line manager, the employee has the right to refuse it.
Duration of secondments
9.7 Secondments are normally for a period of up to three years in the first instance, but may be extended up to five years where there is a business need to do so.
Number of secondments that can be requested
9.8 There is no limit on the number of secondments employees can request during their career, however, the number of secondments which can take place is at management discretion.
Secondment eligibility
9.9 Employees on secondment will remain eligible:
- for consideration of general and performance-related pay awards
- for consideration for promotion (where appropriate)
- to apply for advertised posts in UKRI
UKRI employee status
9.10 An employee on secondment out of UKRI remains an employee of UKRI and continuity of service remains. As per 2.12, any substantive role being temporarily vacated should be backfilled on a fixed-term basis as the norm, unless there is a specific reason not to do this (see 2.13).
9.11 An external on secondment into UKRI is not considered as a UKRI employee and should they apply for a substantive role with UKRI and be successful, they would be considered as a new starter with a new contract of employment.
10. Contingent workers and IR35 status
10.1 Beyond employees, a person who is performing work for UKRI may be procured as an independent contractor or temporary worker (collectively, ‘contingent workers’). UKRI seeks to establish clear procedures relating to the engagement and use of contingent workers to perform various services for UKRI as distinguished from UKRI employees.
10.2 Contingent workers should be engaged only for appropriate business purposes. Immediate and short-term business needs should be met by using internal resources wherever possible.
10.3 UKRI is responsible for reviewing the IR35 status of all contingent workers, and further information on IR35 and contingent workers can be found in the relevant guidance and process documentation.
11. Public appointments
11.1 Public appointments are coordinated and managed by the UKRI Public and Senior Appointments team. While the principles of this policy and associated package underpin the public appointments process, these appointments are governed by the Department for Science, Information and Technology (DSIT) and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
11.2 Further information relating specifically to the public appointments process can be found in the Commissioner for Public Appointments Governance Code on Public Appointment.
12. Approval and review
12.1 This policy was formally approved by the UKRI JNCC in January 2024. This policy will be regularly reviewed. An Equality Impact Assessment has been completed.
12.2 This policy complies with statutory legislation and meets the aims of:
- the Public Sector Equality Duty of the Equality Act 2010
- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions Order) 1975
- the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006
- Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002
12.3 The recruitment principles underpinning this policy and associated guidance and documentation are aligned with the Civil Service Commission recruitment principles.
13. Storage
13.1 Information and documentation provided as part of any element of this policy and associated guidance will be processed and stored in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and associated legislation, as set out by UKRI Information Governance on the UKRI intranet.
13.2 At appointment, information provided by successful applicants during the recruitment and selection process will be used to establish their employee record. Further information on how personal data is used by UKRI and UK SBS as part of the recruitment process can be found in the privacy notices for the relevant recruitment systems and each organisation’s own website:
Information regarding general retention
13.3 Information generated by any element of the recruitment process must be handled in line with the UKRI Information Management Policy and UKRI Retention Schedule. This includes ensuring that records of decisions taken by the panel, and that form the official record for the recruitment exercise, are managed appropriately and held within the relevant system. Any additional information generated outside of core recruitment systems or held locally throughout the exercise must be securely destroyed when it is no longer required. Further information and guidance is available by contacting recordsmanagement@ukri.org.
Information management
13.4 We have one source of truth at the end of any shortlisting round and subsequent interview. In addition to applicants being able to request feedback, all information held by UKRI is subject to disclosure under Data Protection and Freedom of Information. All information requests would be considered on their own merits and any relevant exemptions considered and information redacted where appropriate.
13.5 Managing information appropriately, and using the retention schedule effectively, helps ensure only the formal records of decisions and other relevant information is retained, where differing information generated at different stages of the exercise are retained these would need to be considered for any requests and potentially disclosed, which may cause confusion for applicants and reputational damage for UKRI.