Cognisant of the budgetary sign off requirement attached to new/replacement positions and the associated ECF implications, University Leadership Team (ULT) agreed, at its meeting on 30^th October 2019, that any request for a new/replacement position will be subject to a revised post approval process as outlined below.

Posts will progress through the normal local approval process within the College/Central area and the relevant Post Approval form (PF3) must as part of the local process be considered, reviewed and approved by the relevant hiring manager and HR Business Manager with final approval required by Head of College/Central Area as evidenced through formal sign off. The local approval and review process must give due regard to the ECF ceiling and budgetary constraints. Specifically, budget holders are reminded that:

• Where a budget holder identifies a critical post to be approved by ULT, but is not within the ECF, then consideration should be given to filling this as a non-exchequer post if the relevant funding stream is identified;
• In proposing any further positions for recruitment, all senior managers must carry out a review of the need for/level of the post and maximise the potential for the consolidation of service delivery through reassignment, redeployment and new models of working. Evidence of this review should form part of any request to ULTO to approve an appointment (through completion of the ULT Post Review Template).

Posts for approval will be then forwarded to HR Co-ordinator (Recruitment & Contracts) for a budgetary/ECF consideration by a Finance/HR group in the first instance. Following the initial review a strategic review will be undertaken by a group consisting of the President, Deputy President & Registrar, Bursar, Director of Human Resources, Vice President for Research & Innovation, Vice President for Learning & Teaching, Head of College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences, Head of College of Medicine & Health, Head of College of Business & Law and Head of College of Science, Engineering & Food Science with onward recommendation for decision under ‘Staffing’ at each meeting of ULT (meetings occur on a fortnightly basis). The submission to ULT will clearly identify for each post the relevant funding source and associated ECF implications. This process will comprehend all proposed posts, irrespective of duration, new or replacement status or funding source and will provide full oversight for ULT.

HR Business Managers have been briefed on the requirements of the revised process and will work with budget holders to ensure the requirements are met and the necessary needs review takes place. 

It is anticipated having due regard for budgetary and ECF constraints outlined, that the number of posts that will be considered under the new post approval process will be small, reflecting a critical University need.

ULT Sub-group Meeting Deadline for receipt of PF & ULT Post Review Template*

*PFs received after the deadline will be put forward for consideration at the next meeting of the ULT sub group

Forms

Post Approval Form (PF3) (Mar 2022)

ULT Post Review Template