University of St Andrews

Once the panel has reached an appointment decision, the Convenor should make a verbal offer to the successful candidate.  The discussion with the candidate should result in agreement in principle on salary and start date and cover any other arrangements that need to be taken into consideration. 

Please note that this is for appointment at grades 6, 7 or 8 posts only as the Master or Principal will discuss offer details with Professorial candidates.

Once the candidate verbally accepts the offer, the Convenor should complete a Details of Appointment Form (Academic) (Word, 236 KB) and submit this to the Recruitment team  to allow them to draw up the formal, written offer.  This will also act as a trigger for HR to request any outstanding references which will be a condition of the offer.  The Details of Appointment form (DoA) should also record any candidates to be held in reserve (see Dealing with unsuccessful candidates).

While most academic offers will be made several weeks or even months in advance, please allow a minimum of 14 working days between receipt of the Details of Appointment form (DoA) and the start date of the candidate.  HR will endeavour to issue the formal offer as soon as possible but the DoA will be in a queue of offers to be issued, ordered by start date.  This timeline gives the team time to

• gather salary details and seek approval (when starting above the bottom point of the scale)
• obtain pre Right to Work information for visa purposes
• check the funding situation with Finance now a firm salary has been agreed (for externally funded posts)

This timeline also gives the candidate time to read and return their signed paperwork and to resign from their existing post. 

HR will initiate the visa process for candidates who do not have the right to work in the UK once the Details of Appointment form (DoA) has been received. Please note that the preferred start date may need to be altered if there are delays in obtaining the visa.

If the panel wishes to appoint a candidate who will be wholly or largely based overseas, the Convenor must consult the Overseas Procedure and discuss with the Overseas team prior to making an offer.

In those instances where the recruitment exercise has resulted in an exceptional field of candidates, it may be possible to make more than one appointment to a singly advertised post.  However, this must be discussed with and agreed by Finance for externally funded posts and the Master for internally funded posts prior to making a verbal offer to candidates. 

If Finance confirm there is enough funding to sustain a further appointment or the Master gives approval for an additional appointment, then a separate Details of Appointment Form (Academic) (Word, 236 KB) for each candidate should be submitted to the Recruitment team along with the written approval.

In line with the University’s commitment to equal pay principles, most new starts are expected to be placed on the bottom point of the grade for the job.  However, appointment higher up the scale will be considered for those candidates in receipt of a salary and benefits package above the starting point combined with, or as a result of, significant experience, knowledge and skills beyond the essential criteria of the post.  Justification should be made in the Details of Appointment Form (Academic) (Word, 236 KB) and HR will seek evidence to support any such request (eg copy of recent payslip) - please refer to the University’s Starting Salary policy for further details.

If the new role is a higher grade than the employee’s current role, they should be placed on the bottom point of the new role’s grade.

If the new role is a lower grade than the employee’s current role, they should be placed on the top non-discretionary point of the new role’s grade. The discretionary points are shaded in grey on the the salary scale eg for grade 6, the non-discretionary points are 30-36 with the discretionary points being 37-38. 

If the new role is at the same grade as the employee’s current role, they should be placed on the same point ie moved directly across. 

As soon as a verbal offer has been accepted by the successful candidate, the Convenor should let any internal candidates know that they have been unsuccessful. 

It is good practice, if more than one candidate is appointable, to hold a second candidate in reserve in the event that the first choice does not work out (the offer may be declined, your preferred candidate’s circumstances may change after they have accepted the offer or they leave within a few months of taking up post).  Any reserve candidate's application will remain ‘live’ for six months following the date of the interview and they will receive a system generated email updating them to this effect.   

HR will regret all other candidates (including formally notifying the unsuccessful internal candidates) via the e-recruitment system at this point.  It is very likely that candidates unsuccessful at interview will request feedback and this remains the responsibility of the Convenor. 

HR will regret all other candidates (including formally notifying the unsuccessful internal candidates) via the e-recruitment system at this point.  It is very likely that candidates unsuccessful at interview will request feedback and this remains the responsibility of the Convenor. 

If the panel is unable to make an appointment following interview, or the preferred candidate declines the offer and there is no suitable reserve, the Convenor should let any internal candidates know that they have been unsuccessful and then update the Recruitment team who will formally regret all candidates via the e-recruitment system. 

The Principal Investigator should consider next steps which may include:

• an immediate readvertisement with the same job remit
• a delayed readvertisement
• advertising a different post (changes to grade or remit) following discussion with Finance to check the funding situation
• a decision not to recruit to the post at all

HR will contact the Principal Investigator within four months of the initial interviews to see if the post is still required if no update has been received in the interim.