• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Nomination
• Conflicts of Interest
• Approval Process
• Agency Employees
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) This policy provides the principles and procedures under which individuals may be appointed to Western Sydney University by invitation.

(2) The policy should be considered alongside the Recruitment and Selection Policy which outlines the University's commitment to selection on merit of new staff.

Section 2 - Definitions

(3) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(4) The University aims to ensure a professional, fair and ethical approach to recruitment that matches the skills, expertise and experience of an individual to the requirements of the operating unit and the University's strategic priorities. This approach should also provide for the flexibility and responsiveness necessary to enable certain strategic priority positions to be filled quickly.

(5) Merit is the overriding criterion for appointment by invitation and must be established by a combination of peer review and other forms of assessment of the qualifications, expertise and achievements of the individual.

(6) The policy applies where the proposed appointment is required to be made in:

1. a short time frame to meet operational needs;
2. a confidential way for senior appointments where an Executive Placement service has been used to fill strategic positions; or
3. other exceptional circumstances with the approval of the Board of Trustees' Board Executive Committee.

(7) The position to be offered can be either ongoing or fixed-term depending on the priorities of the School/Divisional Unit.

(8) In certain situations, the University may offer a position in an operational area to an agency employee who has been able to clearly demonstrate exceptional occupational skills during the term of their placement.

(9) Where the appointment under consideration is an Identified Indigenous position or is to be extended to a person who identifies as an Indigenous Australian, the Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment and Engagement must be notified prior to an offer being made.

Section 4 - Procedures

Nomination

(10) The relevant Dean, Director, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, or Vice-President (the 'nominator') will provide a nomination to the Selection Panel.

(11) The nomination should include the individual's claim for the position (including CV and references) and may also include:

1. a case outlining the circumstances on which the proposed appointment is based;
2. any conditions that might apply to the proposed appointee;
3. reports on the individual's experience and capabilities from no less than three relevant referees or assessors.

(12) The Selection Panel will include a minimum of one Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Vice-President, and a minimum of two nominees from the Vice-Chancellor and President.

(13) The Selection Panel will consider the submission and provide a recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor and President.

(14) On occasion and on the instruction of the Vice-Chancellor and President, the Selection Panel will forward its recommendation to the Board of Trustees' Board Executive Committee.

(15) In exceptional circumstances and on the endorsement of a minimum of two members of senior executive, a nomination may be made directly to the Vice-Chancellor and President for approval.

Conflicts of Interest

(16) The nominator and the members of the Selection Panel should not have a direct professional involvement with the individual. However, where the individual has been working under the operational direction of the nominator, the nominator is best placed to provide the case for placement.

(17) The nominator must include in the nomination a declaration of any conflicts of interest. The declaration must also be included in any subsequent recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor and President or the Board Executive Committee.

Approval Process

(18) The Vice-Chancellor and President will consider the Selection Panel's report and any referees' or assessors' reports. The Vice-Chancellor and President may seek advice from appropriate staff in making a decision.

(19) In exceptional circumstances, the nominator may recommend an appointment by invitation directly to the Vice-Chancellor and President for approval, conditional on submission of the required documentation.

(20) The Vice-Chancellor and President will forward the decision to the relevant School or Division and, if approved, to the Office of People for implementation.

Agency Employees

(21) An appointment by invitation of an individual currently on a temporary limited fixed term agency placement to an operational area will only be considered where:

1. The agency employee was initially engaged following the completion of an unsuccessful competitive selection process.
2. The agency employee has been engaged in the same substantive position in the operational area on a regular and systematic basis for the preceding 12 months or such other time as deemed appropriate by the Vice-Chancellor and President, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, a Vice-President or a Dean.
3. The nominator can clearly demonstrate the agency employee has performed and continues to perform in the position at an exceptional skill level.
4. The operational area has determined that ongoing work involving the same duties is available for the individual.
5. The budget for the operational area can meet the Employment Agency's placement fee where the agency employee is offered appointment to the University.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(22) Nil.