Audience
All departmental employees and applicants applying for employment within the Department of Education.
Purpose
This procedure outlines the responsibilities and processes for the consistent application of recruitment and selection standards and directives across the Department of Education.
The recruitment and selection of public sector employees must be in accordance with the principles and criteria prescribed in sections 44 and 45 of the
Public Sector Act 2022
(PS Act).
The principles underpinning recruitment and selection apply to all permanent, temporary and casual decisions.
Overview
The department is committed to the principles underpinning recruitment and selection as defined in the
Public Sector Act 2022
and Queensland Government’s Recruitment and Selection Directive (07/23). This procedure aligns to the requirements of the
Public Sector Act 2022
and Recruitment and Selection Directive (07/23).
The department acknowledges the Queensland Government’s commitment to maximising permanent employment where possible, and recruitment and selection should be undertaken in the context of determining the appropriate workforce mix for current and future needs.
All employees involved in recruitment and selection decisions have an obligation to put the public interest first by selecting the eligible person best suited to the position in a fair and unbiased way. Selection processes must be free of discrimination, mitigate conflict of interest and bias, and must consider equity and diversity at each stage of the process. Recruitment and selection decisions must not be influenced by self-interest, private affiliations or the likelihood of personal gain or loss.
This procedure does not apply to the recruitment and selection of the chief executive officer, external contractors, or volunteers.
A vacancy can be filled through a variety of ways, including the transfer of an existing employee. Recruitment and selection is the last approach to managing a vacancy and is only used after all other vacancy management approaches are considered. See the Recruitment (other than classroom teachers) (DoE employees only) for further information.
Where a vacancy is exempt from advertising in accordance with the Recruitment and Selection Directive (07/23), the principles of recruitment and selection continue to apply.
Responsibilities
Applicant
- understand the role they are applying for to ensure they have VISA work rights for Australia (if applicable) and for Queensland public sector employment
- provide an honest account of qualifications, skills, capabilities, and any mandatory requirements of the role (including mandatory registrations and authority for working with children)
- seek feedback as desired
- maintain confidentiality of selection processes.
Selection Panel Chair
- understand and apply the principles underpinning recruitment and selection
- ensure an approved role description is available
- develop and contribute to a recruitment strategy and, with the panel members, choose appropriate selection tools
- manage the request to advertise and approval processes
- form and manage appropriate panels commensurate with the role and the position, including the consideration of equity and diversity
- declare or declare the absence of actual, perceived and potential conflicts of interest, actively participate in strategies to resolve any conflict, including removing themselves or members of the panel to manage the conflict before continuing with the selection process
- independently assesses applicants for positions
- ensure all applicants are treated consistently, ethically and fairly
- provide factual and professional advice to panel members relating to all recruitment and selection matters
- is not pressured or influenced by other panel members, the delegate or an external party in determining the selection outcome
- prepare the selection report and provide all relevant documentation to the decision maker (HR delegate)
- provide quality feedback to applicants as requested
- maintain records relating to the recruitment and selection of employees in accordance with the Whole of Government General Retention and Disposal Schedule (GRDS)
- maintain strict confidentiality at all times.
Panel Members (including independent panel members)
- declare or declare the absence of actual, perceived and potential conflicts of interest, actively participate in strategies to resolve any conflict, including removing themselves from the panel to manage the conflict before continuing with the selection process
- independently assesses applicants for positions
- contribute to the development of the recruitment strategy and selection tools, as required
- ensure all applicants are treated consistently, ethically and fairly
- provide factual and professional advice relating to all recruitment and selection matters
- is not pressured or influenced by other panel members, the delegate or an external party in determining the selection outcome
- assist with final recommendation for the selection report
- provide quality feedback to applicants as requested
- maintain strict confidentiality at all times.
Decision maker (HR Delegate)
- must not be a member of the selection panel
- understand and apply the principles underpinning recruitment and selection
- declare or declare the absence of actual, perceived and potential conflicts of interest with the panel and applicants, and decide on the selection panels declarations and how any conflict of interest will be managed
- review all documentation to decide on the outcome of the selection process
- must be satisfied the proposed appointee is the eligible person best suited to the position and, where applicable the selection process complies with the
Public Sector Act 2022
and the Recruitment and Selection Directive (07/23)
- is not pressured or influenced by others or an external party in determining the appointment outcome
- must act and make decisions in a way that is compatible with human rights and the
Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld).
- for more information refer to the HR Delegations (DoE employees only).
HR Branch
- provide timely advice on role descriptions, establishment management, vacancy management, and recruitment strategies
- ensure policies and procedures comply with directives relating to employment and recruitment and selection
- advertise positions according to the Recruitment and Selection Directive (07/23) and provide authoritative advice regarding recruitment and selection processes
- conduct required pre-employment checks and process appointments as required
- conduct quality assurance checks on executive and equivalent selection processes and selection documentation.
Process
Image 1 Flowchart process for recruitment and selection
1. Identify a vacancy to be filled through a recruitment and selection process
The panel chair must:
- Ensure the vacancy cannot be filled through industrial means such as:
- For all other vacancies, confirm the vacancy through the establishment or school budget solution (for school allocations and school purchased positions)
- Obtain an approved and current role description or seek assistance of the Job, Analysis, Design and Evaluation (JADE) Team if the role is specialised or requires updating
- For Senior Executive vacancies (SES profiled positions and s122 fixed-term contracts), confirm with the Office of the Director-General the vacancy can be advertised.
The panel chair may seek assistance from the HR Branch in relation to filling vacancies outside a recruitment and selection process.
Where the vacancy is an entry level role or where the role is exempt from advertising under the Recruitment and Selection Directive (07/23) the panel chair may elect not to advertise the role. For these roles, the principles underpinning recruitment and selection and the responsibilities of the selection panel and decision maker must still be applied. An exemption from advertising is not an exemption from ethical decision making. The panel chair must:
- Conduct a recruitment and selection process in accordance with the principles and criteria prescribed in the PS Act
- Declare or declare the absence of actual, perceived and potential conflicts of interest with the recommended applicant and actively participate in strategies to resolve the conflict
- Seek the approval of the decision maker (HR delegate) to appoint the recommended applicant.
2. Identify recruitment strategy
A recruitment strategy is based on planning, attracting, selecting, and hiring.
The panel chair must:
- Form a selection panel, ensuring the composition and size of the panel is commensurate with the role. Equity and diversity must be considered when selecting panel members
- For senior executive vacancies, include one independent panel memberEnsure all panel members understand their responsibilities and apply the principles underpinning recruitment and selection, including if a role does not require advertising
- Identify an appropriate recruitment strategy (including the use of talent pools and recurring vacancy processes)
- When advertising the vacancy, complete a request to advertise for approval of the decision maker (HR delegate), including:
- Advertisement wording
-
Working with children (blue card) (Blue card/exemption card confirmation)
- Approved role description
- Position number (if applicable)
- Advertising cost centre/internal order number (if applicable)
- Reason for the vacancy
- Instructions for applicants regarding the application process
- Supporting documentation, including the application questionnaire (if applicable).
3. Undertake a selection process
The selection process will evaluate applicants against the eligibility and suitability criteria of the role. All selection processes must follow the principles underpinning recruitment and selection when determining the eligible person best suited to the position.
Applicants must be truthful and provide honest accounts of their qualifications, experience, skills, and capabilities. Applicants should not overstate or overinflate their application to seek selection.
The panel chair must ensure the selection panel:
- Declare or declare the absence of actual, perceived and potential conflicts of interest. The panel chair must manage actual, perceived and potential conflicts of interest in the public interest
- Conduct a selection process:
- The selection panel should use assessment methods relevant to the role which enable the panel to assess the overall eligibility and suitability of applicants, and avoid limiting its assessment to one component or one aspect of the process.
- The department is committed to ensuring that recruitment and selection process attracts and supports all applicants at every stage. Inclusive recruitment helps remove barriers, broadens the applicant pool and ensures the eligible person best suited to the position is selected.
- Reasonable adjustment is a key strategy in achieving this outcome. It is an approach to employment where employers examine the physical and organisational barriers that may prevent the employment, limit performance or restrict career advancement.
- Validate the selection through reference checks and the department's referee report template (DoE employees only). At a minimum, reference checking must be conducted in relation to the applicant recommended for appointment.
- Reference checking for other applicants is at the discretion of the panel.
- The panel decides when to conduct reference checks during the selection process. For non-public sector applicants, the panel should consider the possible impacts of seeking references at an early stage.
- Assessing the relative suitability of applicants based on the information available to them. In some instances, this may include adverse information, as a result of a pre-employment check or through panel members’ pre-existing knowledge of an applicant.
- Where adverse information is taken into account by the panel and it adversely affects the proposed selection outcome, the information must be put to the applicant for response. Any response from the applicant must be documented and considered by the panel ahead of making their final recommendation to the decision maker.
- Provides the decision maker (HR delegate) with documentation to decide on the selection recommendation (both advertised roles and roles that are entry level and exempt from advertising).
4. Conduct pre-employment checks
Pre-employment checks must be carried out prior to an appointment to a position.
Internal checks may be conducted on internal employees.
Where required in the role description, pre-employment checks and internal checks must be completed before a selection report is submitted to the decision maker (HR delegate).
The panel chair must:
- Obtain the consent of the preferred applicant to undertake pre-employment checks
- Ensure the preferred applicant is aware that no appointment decision has been made until the pre-employment process is completed
- Confirm:
- Reference checks (including seeking the referee’s knowledge of the applicant’s conduct and performance within the previous two years, unless there are circumstances that would make this requirement impractical (such as the referee being on extended leave) and/or a barrier for a person entering or reentering the workforce)
- Working with children authority (Blue Cards) or working with children clearance (Exemption Cards)
- Mandatory qualifications
- Mandatory registrations
- Citizenship and visa
- Where determined that it is required, request an applicant disclose any previous serious disciplinary action take against them.
5. Make recommendation for appointment
When the selection tools and pre-employment checks have been completed, the panel completes its selection recommendation on the template for consideration by the decision maker (HR delegate).
The selection panel must:
- determine the eligible person(s) best suited to the position taking into consideration all information learned about the applicants during the recruitment and selection process
- complete their selection recommendation on the selection report (DoE employees only) for consideration by the decision maker (HR delegate).
The panel does not have to agree on a preferred applicant. Where the panel is unable to reach agreement on a preferred applicant, the panel chair must:
- Be aware that each panel member's assessment holds equal weight
- Document the panel's differing opinions and their reasons
- Provide all recruitment documentation, including documentation of the panel's differing opinions and reasons, for the decision maker (HR delegate) to decide how to proceed
The panel chair must provide the decision maker (HR delegate) with the following documentation required to decide on the outcome of the selection process:
The decision maker (HR delegate) must:
- understand their responsibilities as decision maker and be free of all conflicts of interest
- declare or declare the absence of actual, perceived and potential conflicts of interest with the panel and applicants, and decide on the selection panels declarations and how any conflict of interest will be managed
- review the selection documentation and be satisfied the proposed appointee is the eligible person best suited to the position and, where applicable the selection process complies with the
Public Sector Act 2022
and the Recruitment and Selection Directive (07/23)
- not be pressured or influenced by an external party in determining the appointment.
6. Appointment and gazetting an appointment from a recruitment and selection process
Once the selection report is approved by the decision maker (HR delegate or, in the case of SES profile roles, the Commission Chief Executive of the Public Sector Commission), a member of the panel can:
- Make an offer of appointment to the successful applicant; however, where a blue card or exemption card is required for the role, a current blue card or exemption card must be verified and validated before an offer of employment can be made,
- Where applicable, instigate a criminal history check of the approved applicant for appointment, and,
- Negotiate a commencement date.
Commencement salary:
- The commencing salary will usually be the first pay point of the classification level. However, the successful applicant may be appointed to any pay point within a classification level based on recognition of skills, knowledge and abilities (excluding Senior Officer and Senior Executive Services roles).
- For Senior Officer roles, the chief executive will determine the relevant Senior Officer pay point to be paid commensurate with the person's skills and expertise, as outlined in the Senior officers - employment conditions Directive (10/23).
- For SES profile roles, the chief executive will determine the package point within the work value range for the role that the SES officer will receive, as outlined in the Senior executive service - employment conditions Directive (09/23). Unless exceptional circumstances apply, the SES officer will receive remuneration at the minimum package point on initial appointment. Exceptional circumstances will require support of the Commission Chief Executive (of the Public Sector Commission) for remuneration above the minimum package point.
- Where the successful applicant is a Queensland Government employee, reappointed within 12 months of cessation of employment, they may have their previous service counted for the purpose of pay point (recognition of service will be considered in accordance with the Recognition of Previous Service Directive (12/18)).
- Where the successful applicant is a permanent Queensland Government employee and is being appointed to under the provisions of a Higher Duties appointment, the commencing salary will be the first pay point of the 'higher classification level', as outlined in the Higher Duties Directive (16/24).
For advertised positions, the panel chair must advise HR Branch of the outcome:
The HR Branch, in consultation with the panel chair, must gazette the following appointments within one month of the appointment decision:
- all senior executive and senior officer appointments from an advertised vacancy
- promotions of tenured public sector employees from an advertised vacancy
- promotions of tenured public sector employees arising from the use of the recurring vacancy provision.
The panel chair must:
For further information about the appointment process, including letters of appointment, contact HR Branch.
7. Appeals
At the end of every recruitment and selection process all applicants (regardless of whether they were successful or not) have the right to request feedback. Feedback must be timely, specific and constructive from a member of the selection panel sufficient to explain the panel’s recommendation and the decision maker’s decision.
A person cannot appeal against a fair treatment decision relating to the recruitment or selection of a public sector employee.
A public sector employee may appeal certain decisions that affect their employment. However, as per the Appeals directive (04/23) an appeal may be lodged by a public sector officer or tenured general employee aggrieved by the decision (an aggrieved officer), provided the following conditions are met:
- the decision relates to the gazetted promotion of a public sector officer or tenured general employee
- the aggrieved officer’s application to the role being appealed was received on or before the deadline for the receipt of applications or in the case of continuous applicant pools, the application was received prior to the date of distribution to the selection panel for the relevant promotion
- the aggrieved officer has sought post-selection feedback in accordance with the provisions of the directive relating to recruitment and selection, and
- for an appeal against a promotion from a limited advertising process conducted in accordance with the directive relating to recruitment and selection, the aggrieved officer was covered by the invitation to apply.
Members of the public can make a complaint about a recruitment and selection outcome via the department’s Customer complaints management framework.
Definitions
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Term
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Definition
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Appoint
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To employ a public sector employee, general employee or fixed term temporary employee covered by the Recruitment and Selection Directive 07/20.
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Approved role description
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An approved role description has been through the Job Evaluation Management System process.
Positions to be advertised require role descriptions. A role description provides the opportunity to understand the position to be filled. To successfully embark on a recruitment and selection process and to advertise a position an approved role description is required. The panel chair is able to source a diverse range of teaching and non-teaching role descriptions on the department’s website. If the role is specialised, or the current role description requires updating, the panel chair may seek the assistance of the JADE team.
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Conflict of interest
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Chief executives, senior executives (and equivalents), and public sector employees have an obligation to disclose any interest that conflicts or may conflict with the performance of official duties (Public Sector Act 2022).
A conflict of interest occurs when private interests interfere or appear to interfere with the performance of official duties.
Private interests include personal, professional or business interests, as well as the interests of individuals that you associate with, such as family, dependants and friends.
An actual conflict of interest involves a direct conflict between a public sector employee's current duties and responsibilities and existing private interests.
A perceived conflict of interest can exist where it could be perceived, or it appears, that a public official's private interests could improperly influence the performance of their duties – whether or not this is in fact the case.
A potential conflict of interest arises when a public sector employee has a private interest that could conflict with their official duties in the future.
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Entry level
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Entry level roles, in relation to the Queensland Public Service Officers and Other Employees Award – State 2015 are those roles at classification levels 1 and 2 of the administrative, technical, professional and operational streams. A role at classification level 3 of the operational stream may also be considered entry level where the role does not represent a career path for staff of the agency and the role has no supervisory responsibility.
Entry level roles are the lowermost classification level of a specific stream or classification structure, provided that the base superannuable salary of that classification level (not including loading or allowances) does not exceed the equivalent of AO5(4).
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Eligible person best suited to the position
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The way in which the selection panel assess an applicant's suitability and eligibility for a role in a holistic way that must consider:
- Whether the person is allowed to the perform the role (the right to work in Australia or holds the appropriate qualifications or registration).
- The extent to which the person has abilities, aptitude, skills, qualifications, knowledge, experience and personal qualities relevant to carrying out the duties in question
And may consider:
- The way in which the person carried out any previous employment or occupational duties.
- The potential of the person to make a future contribution to the department (including their potential for development) and to the obligations of equity, diversity, respect and inclusion.
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Executive recruitment
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Executive recruitment includes SES profiled positions and s122 fixed-term contracts.
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Factual and professional advice
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Factual and professional advice upholds the values and responsibilities of the public sector during any recruitment and selection process.
It is information needed to assist in making a recommendation of a selection outcome.
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Identified roles
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Is a role or a position in relation to which it is lawful to discriminate in favour of a person possessing one of the attributes set out in section 7 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 for the purpose contained in section 25 of that Act.
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Independent panel member
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Someone who has no vested interest in the recruitment outcome and must not be from the same Ministerial portfolio.
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Internal checks
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Internal checks are integrity checks undertaken on departmental employees by central office and includes reporting on any substantiated conduct breach or active conduct matter that may delay an appointment, exclude an appointee or render a person ineligible for appointment.
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Mandatory conditions
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Are inherent requirements of the role and can include certain classes of drivers’ license, statutory restrictions, any requirement for the appointee to undertake regular travel etc.
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Mandatory qualifications
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Mandatory qualifications are qualifications essential for the occupant of a role to hold in order to comply with an industrial instrument or to satisfy legal, accreditation or registration requirements or where a chief executive determination has been made.
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Principles underpinning recruitment and selection
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Requires that recruitment and selection processes must be undertaken in accordance with the following three principles:
- recruitment and selection processes must be directed to the selection of the eligible person best suited to the position
- recruitment and selection processes must be fair and transparent
- recruitment and selection processes must reflect the obligations under chapter 2 relating to equity, diversity, respect and inclusion.
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Queensland Government Gazette
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Is an online publication containing legal notices, such as legislative changes, and appointments to permanent government positions.
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Recurring vacancy
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Are those vacancies that are identical to the original vacancy in terms of title, remuneration, classification level and role description, provided the appointment is made within 12 months of the closing date of the original vacancy.
A recurring vacancy also means a similar vacancy provided that the classification level, remuneration and key capabilities are the same as the original vacancy and the role requirements are similar and the advertisement included a note that applications may be used to appoint to similar vacancies for a specified period up to 12 months after the closing date of the initial vacancy.
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Selection panel
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Are the persons responsible for conducting the assessment of applicants and making a recommendation about appointment to the decision maker. For SES vacancies, the panel must include one member from outside the Ministerial portfolio and is identified as the Independent Panel Member.
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Serious disciplinary check
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Serious disciplinary action is defined in Division 5, under the Public Sector Act as:
(a) disciplinary action under a public sector disciplinary law involving -
(i) termination of employment; or
(ii) reduction of classification level or rank; or
(iii) transfer or redeployment to other employment; or
(iv) reduction of remuneration level
Or
(b) a disciplinary declaration under a public sector disciplinary law that states a disciplinary action that would have been taken against the person if the person’s employment had not ended is the disciplinary action mentioned in paragraph (a)(i) or (ii); or
(c) action taken by a chief executive to end a person’s employment as a public sector employee, or to consider a person’s employment as a public sector employee as ended, as mentioned in part 11.
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Talent pool
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An expression used to describe a database with current and potential future job applicant received by the department that can be used for recruitment and selection processes.
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Legislation
Delegations/Authorisations
Other resources
Superseded versions
Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.
1.0 Recruitment and selection procedure