Recruitment, appointment and induction

All manager's must ensure the post specification for the vacancy is accurate and graded correctly. A central post specification library exists that contains the most up to date post specification versions that have been graded in line with the Cumberland Council job evaluation scheme.

Post specifications approved for use in recruitment campaigns can be found on the sharepoint site.

• Legacy Cumbria County Council managers should access this site to locate the post specification for their vacancy and if needed, review it for accuracy. Further guidance on the initial steps needed to either create or review a post specification can be found on the sharepoint site.
• Legacy District managers who do not currently have access to this site, so should contact their HR/OD representative for input and support when seeking recruitment authorisation and completing this form.

Only very minor changes should be made to a post spec without the need for consultation and post moderation. If other changes are needed that may impact the grading of the role, please contact the Pay and Rewards Team.

For vacancies that commence in the new authorities, the following vacancy authorisation forms should be used:

Cumberland Council: Vacancy Authorisation form (DOC 70KB)

Authorisation level and approach

Authorisation to recruit is required from any confirmed Extended Leadership Team (ELT) officer in Cumberland Council from 1 April 2023.

For vacancies that report directly into senior managers, or above, Chief Executive authorisation is required.

For vacancies in Adult Social Services, authority to recruit has been delegated for Senior Managers (Adults Operations) and Service Managers (Care Services) for posts that are within the current establishment or budget would still need to be authorised as described above; by an ELT member or Chief Executive as appropriate.

Authorisation to recruit is valid for 4 months.

The Central HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Team will process the vacancy so it is advertised on the appropriate authority job site. 

To advertise your vacancy, you will need to submit:

• Authorised Vacancy Authorisation Form
• Recruitment Advert wording

You should not submit your advert request to the HR Admin team until the post specification has been finalised and uploaded to the Job Families SharePoint site.

• For legacy Council Managers; Once the relevant authorisation form has been completed and authorised, create a recruitment ticket on the HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Portal and attach your authorised form and advert. Once you have submitted the request you will be given a ticket reference number. You can access the portal at any time to view the progress of your request. 
• Legacy District Recruiting Managers should contact their HR representive for support in completing this process.  Legacy District HR/ Recruitment Contacts - please email your requests directly to Mohan.injeti@cumbria.gov.uk (HR Service Centre Team Leader), these requests will then be allocated to one of the HR/OD Administration Team, who will then be your contact throughout the recruitment process.

The relevant Post Specification and generic Role Profile (taken from the central post specification library), along with any supporting information about the role will be published in the advert on the appropriate council website for applicants to view and refer to when completing their application.

Support with your advert

A compelling and well written advert, coupled with the use of the most appropriate advertising channels can make a significant impact when attracting good quality candidates for your role. 

Our central resourcing team can support recruiting managers with this process, where needed. If this is something you require, please contact Resourcing@cumbria.gov.uk.

After the application closing date, a shortlisting pack, including all application forms, will automatically be sent via email to the main recruitment contact for the campaign. For legacy County Council employees, this will be the recruiting manager, for legacy district employees, this pack will be sent to their HR Representative initially who will be in touch with the recruiting manager to support the shortlisting stage. 

All panel members should be involved in the shortlisting process and a shortlisting form should be completed for each candidate.

Shortlisting Form (DOC 50KB)

Feedback to unsuccessful candidates

All shortlisting forms and outcomes should be sent submitted to the HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Team. 

• for legacy county council managers, this should be done by attaching the competed shortlisting forms to your open ticket on the HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Portal
• for legacy district managers, this should be done via your HR representative who will liaise with the HR Administration Team

HR/OD Administrators will then notify the unsuccessful applicants and answer any applicant queries.

Interviews can be held in person or using MS Teams.

Recruiting Managers should email the invite to interview letters and Teams Invitations with guidance to on-line interviews (where applicable) to the applicants using the templates below:

• invitation to on-line interview (DOC 23KB)
• guidance to on-line interview (DOC 18KB)
• invitation to in-person interview (DOC 25KB)

It is recommended these are sent by email for speed and ideally the candidate is given at least five day's notice. 

Please include any special instructions in the Invite to Interview letter, including details of date, time, address, presentation, test assessment centre.

Interviewing for People Management positions

When interviewing for a post that has the responsibility of staff - from Chief Executive to Supervisor - no matter what the job grade is - you need to ask candidates questions from our Values-Based Recruitment guidance and gauge their alignment to our values.

• Interviewing for a Grade 18 post or above - 50% of your interview needs to be values-based and candidates must align to our values to be deemed appointable.
• Interviewing for a Grade 17 post or below - 25% of your interview needs to be values-based (or a minimum of 3 questions) and where candidates don't align to our values you should consider whether they're suitable for appointment.

Values Based Recruitment Guidance (PDF 605KB)

Panel members must agree the interview questions beforehand and all candidates should be asked the same questions. 

Interview notes should be taken for each candidate and an assessment and should be made by each member of the Panel normally before the Panel discuss the candidate's performance at interview:

• Interview Scoring Form - Grade 18 Manager or above (DOC 76KB)
• Interview Scoring Form - Grade 17 Manager or below (DOC 76KB)

Interviewing for Non People Management positions

When interviewing for a post that does not have the responsibility of staff - no matter what the job grade is - you don't need to follow our values-based recruitment approach.

Panel members must agree the interview questions beforehand and all candidates should be asked the same questions. 

Interview notes should be taken for each candidate and an assessment and should be made by each member of the Panel normally before the Panel discuss the candidate's performance at interview.

Interview Scoring Form - Non Management positions (DOC 74KB)

All Interviews

Any interview notes taken must be sent to the Recruitment Administration Team using the People Management portal. These notes will be retained for a period of 2 years in line with information retention guidelines.

Any photocopies taken of the successful candidate's personal documents, such as qualifications or right to work in the UK, should be attached to the Recruitment Ticket.

Legacy District Managers who don't currently have access to the Service Centre portal should provide this information to their HR Representative. 

Where there are no suitable candidates and you would like to discuss your next steps or alternative options, contact resourcing@cumbria.gov.uk

The recruiting manager should verbally offer the preferred candidate the position and outline it is subject to pre-employment clearances. An official start date should not be arranged until the HR Admin team have notified that manager that all pre-employment checks are complete.

If the preferred candidate verbally accepts, the recruiting manager, or other panel members should call the unsuccessful candidates to let them know the outcome.  Candidate's may ask for feedback on their interview performance at this time and panel members should provide this and thank the candidate for their interest. 

If the applicant verbally accepts the recruiting manager must complete the appropriate appointment or transfer form below and attach it to the existing ticket using the HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Portal.

Cumberland Council - Appointment Form (DOC 50KB)
Cumberland Council - Transfer Form (DOC 54KB)

As with the other steps of the process, legacy district managers should forward the appropriate form to their HR contact to progress. 

The HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Team will send a formal offer letter along with any details of any relevant pre-employment checks required for the vacancy. 

The HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Team will issue the requests for references. The ticket will be updated as pre-employment checks are completed.  You can view this at any time using the HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration Portal.

Staff induction - new employees (PDF 4MB)

Staff induction - line managers (PDF 2MB)

The recruitment, appointment and induction procedure (DOC 239KB) should be applied when dealing with vacancies and appointments.  

The guidance and templates (PDF 711KB) provide more detailed background information and factors to be taken into account when recruiting and making appointment decisions.

This procedure and guidance should be used in conjunction with the recruitment, appointment and induction policy (PDF 219KB) along with the process map (coming soon).

The Council also has a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (PDF 165KB) for Veterans where an applicant meets the criteria set out in the HR procedure and for external appointments only.

If an applicant has previously been employed within the Fire and Rescue Service and is in receipt of a pension, the Reengagement and Abatement Policy should be referred to. 

Retirement, Re-engagement and Abatement - Fire Service (DOC 258KB)

Politically restricted posts

Politically Restricted Posts (PDF 496KB)

This charter sets out the council's approach to the recruitment of volunteers and our commitment to both them and the professional staff within the service.  This charter also sets out the expectations of the council in terms of the role of volunteers to supplement and complement the delivery of council services, how they will be supported and the responsibilities of all parties.

Volunteering Charter(DOC 257KB)

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

The safer employment pages provide information relating to 

• Safe and fair recruitment,
• The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
• Safer employment and;
• Matters arising due to criminal convictions, cautions, or an individual's actions that may be the subject of a police investigation.

Suitability of Ex-Offenders (DOC 355KB)
 
Safer Employment pages 

All reference requests should be sent to the HR Admin team. The HR Admin team will provide an employment reference as required.

You can request a reference from the HR Admin team via the HR, Payroll and Recruitment Administration portal

Alternative Employment Programme (AEP)

An internal transfer is where an employee is appointed to a new job within the council on a fixed term or permanent basis. For more information, contact your People Management Service.

A secondment is where an individual (the 'secondee') transfers on a fixed term basis, for a specific purpose, either

• into the council from another organisation ('inward' secondment)

or

• out of the council to another organisation ('outward' secondment)

For more information refer to the secondment guidance(DOC 344KB).

Continuous service on transfer back to the council (PDF 224KB) explains how your continuous service is  affected if you transfer out of the council to work for another organisation and then transfer back. 

Resourcing options for managers

Guidance on resourcing options for Managers (DOC 667KB)

Career grade scheme

The Career Grade Scheme is available to Managers to support the recruitment and retention of appropriately skilled staff where jobs are hard to fill or to enable the transition for Apprentices or a person engaged through an agency / consultancy (Externally Provided Workforce) into employment with the Council. There are key principles detailed in the Scheme which must be followed and the employee is expected to commit to working for the council for a minimum of 3 years after successfully achieving the required standards in the full role. The manager must obtain approval and ensure that the appropriate training (including qualification training if applicable) and other support is available before progressing with a career grade. 

Career Grade Scheme (DOC 286KB)

Career Grade Scheme Managers Guidance (PDF 249KB)

Relocation expenses may be paid to new or transferred employees were they meet the eligibility criteria. 

Relocation Assistance Scheme (DOC 288KB)

Application and Authorisation Form (DOC 21KB)

Relocation Expenses Claim Form - This form will now be completed through MyHR

Induction

Staff induction - new employees (PDF 4MB)

Staff induction - line managers (PDF 2MB)

Probation

All external appointments will be subject to a six month probationary period irrespective of any previous continuous service.

Probation period in employment (DOC 635KB)

A market supplement is an additional payment that enhances a basic salary. It can only be applied where there is evidence that the post cannot be filled or occupied at the current rate of pay.

Market supplement scheme (DOC 256KB)  

Casual workers

Casual workers are workers as opposed to employees. This means that they have a limited set of employment rights. The document below provides guidance on the use and management of casual workers.

Casual workers guidance(DOC 475KB)

Externally provided workforce

The Council uses third party providers - employment agencies - to engage agency workers, interims, self-employed consultants or contractors (the 'Externally Provided Workforce', EPW). The document below provides interim guidance for managers on how to engage these individuals in line with procurement and employment legislation and the Council's rules and procedures.

Externally provided workforce guidance (DOC 724KB)

Externally provided workforce Business Case (DOC 220KB)

For each new or extended EPW's the manager must complete an IR35 assessment to determine how and when their tax and NI contributions are paid. Please see the guidance below for further details:- 

Externally Provided Workers IR35 Guidance (DOC240KB)

Settled status

Settled Status is a legal status for EU and EEA citizens that means you can continue Iiving in the UK after Brexit. If you are an EU or EEA citizen currently living in the UK, you can apply for Settled Status.

Process for applying for Settled Status (PDF 80KB)

To find further information on the process and the application form please visit the GOV website. 

Or download the EU settlement status application app (please note this must be done on an android phone)

EU Exit: ID Document Check App 

For more information, contact your People Management Service.