Recruitment Transparency and Fairness Policy

	Recruitment Transparency and Fairness Policy
Document Owner: Office of the Dean
Date of Creation: Sept 2024Date of Review: Sept 2025	Members of the Review: John Clark Aebhric O’Kelly
Document Type:	Contact/Creator: John Clark

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish a transparent, consistent, and fair recruitment process for CoROM. Acknowledging that the community is small, and often times faculty are referred to other CoROM staff and faculty, the College needs to ensures that all recruitment activities are carried out in a manner that promotes equal opportunity, diversity, and adherence to established standards.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all recruitment activities for academic, administrative, and support staff positions at CoROM, including both internal and external hiring.

3. Guiding Principles

1. Transparency: CoROM commits to openly advertising all vacancies and ensuring that the recruitment process is clear and accessible to all potential candidates.

2. Fairness: All candidates will be evaluated objectively based on predefined criteria, with no bias or discrimination.

3. Consistency: CoROM will follow official procedures for all recruitment activities to ensure that each candidate is treated equally and fairly throughout the process.

4. Vacancy Advertising

1. Public Advertisement: All job vacancies will be published on the official CoROM website and, where appropriate, in external job portals, professional journals, and other platforms to reach a broad pool of potential candidates.

2. Clear Job Descriptions: Each vacancy advertisement will include a detailed job description, essential and desirable criteria, responsibilities, and required qualifications to ensure clarity for all applicants.

3. Application Deadline: Every job advertisement will clearly state the application deadline and any specific instructions for submitting applications.

5. Selection Procedures

1. Predefined Selection Criteria: Before reviewing applications, the selection committee will establish specific evaluation criteria aligned with the requirements of the role. These criteria will be used to assess all candidates consistently.

2. Shortlisting: All applicants will be reviewed against the established criteria, and a shortlist of qualified candidates will be created for further consideration. The shortlisting process will be documented for transparency and accountability.

3. Interviews: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview conducted by a panel consisting of members with relevant expertise. The interview process will assess candidates based on their qualifications, experience, and alignment with the College’s values.

4. Assessment Methods: Depending on the role, the selection process may include additional assessment methods such as presentations, case studies, or written tests, all evaluated against the same standards.

6. Evaluation and Decision-Making

1. Objective Evaluation: Each candidate’s performance in interviews and assessments will be evaluated against the established selection criteria. A scoring system will be used to ensure fairness and objectivity.

2. Decision-Making: The selection panel will convene to discuss and finalise their decision based on the scores and evaluations. The panel’s decision will be recorded and justified against the evaluation criteria.

7. Communication with Candidates

1. Feedback: All candidates will receive a timely update on the status of their application. Unsuccessful candidates may request feedback on their application and interview performance.

2. Offer of Employment: Successful candidates will receive a formal offer of employment, outlining the terms and conditions of the position, in accordance with CoROM’s hiring policies.

8. Record Keeping

All documents related to the recruitment process, including applications, shortlisting criteria, interview notes, and final decisions, will be securely stored in line with CoROM’s data protection policies. These records may be used for audit purposes to ensure compliance with this policy.

9. Equal Opportunities

CoROM is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. This commitment will be upheld throughout the recruitment process.

10. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with best practices in recruitment. Any revisions will be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.