A6: Main page
Page contents:
1. Getting promoted
2. Personal promotion scheme
1. Getting promoted
The success of BBSRC's mission depends on the contribution of staff who fulfil many different roles. Opportunities for career development and progression within BBSRC are open to all BBSRC staff, irrespective of race, religion or belief, age, sexual orientation, disability, sex, pregnancy or maternity, marriage or civil partnership, or gender reassignment.
There are a number of ways in which you can obtain promotion within BBSRC.
First of all you can gain promotion by applying for a post at a higher grade when it is created or becomes vacant. All vacant posts are open for applications from internal candidates and such applications are actively encouraged. It is a requirement that no posts in BBSRC are filled by a candidate employed at a lower Band without a selection interview.
Another possibility is Individual Grading Review (see Appendix A6:10 including information about the Senior Management Review Group). In certain circumstances this may result in you effectively obtaining a promotion through your job being evaluated at a higher grade. When your post was created or at a time when it was significantly changed, it would have been graded using the analytical job evaluation system that BBSRC and a range of other public sector employers make use of; this is called 'JEGS' (Job Evaluation and Grading Support). If your post has changed, for example, as a result of a restructuring, it is possible for you or your manager to request that a re-grading is undertaken.
You will also come across opportunities for Temporary Promotion - for example, covering for a colleague who is on maternity leave or absent for another reason (see Appendix A7:10). There is also a process for the award of Performance Pay (see Appendix A7.3).
Finally, there is a scheme for Personal Promotion - which results in a move to a higher grade on the basis of your performance and personal contribution to the positive impact that your current role has on the success of BBSRC. The Personal Promotion Scheme is open to all employees in all areas of work. You should be aware, however, that Personal Promotions will always be exceptional within the organisation. Certain roles will offer less opportunity for an enhanced personal contribution than others, and it may be more appropriate for you to seek promotion through a different route (e.g. applying for an internal vacancy).
There should be no expectation of a Personal Promotion just because you have reached the top of your pay band, or are a long-serving member of staff, or have a particular track record of outputs.
Your local establishment (i.e. Institute or Swindon office) has a statement of local guidance regarding their use of the Personal Promotion scheme and how it fits into other available career progression opportunities.
2. Personal promotion scheme
2.1 Introduction
The Personal Promotion Scheme aims to recognise and reward those staff who develop their role, for the benefit of the organisation, to a higher level through their experience, expertise and application of a particular set of personal skills.
In essence, Personal Promotion seeks to recognise that the post-holder has enhanced their job by their own efforts and is contributing at a level that consistently exceeds that expected at that Band. A yardstick by which suitability for Personal Promotion can be judged is that the individual's contribution and value to the organisation is such that it would be necessary to recruit at the higher grade if the organisation wished to secure an equivalent level of impact and contribution.
When a Personal Promotion is awarded, it is made, as the name suggests, on a personal basis. However, personal promotion is awarded to individuals on a substantive basis - they are seen as fully meeting the requirements of the higher band with the expectation that they will sustain this level of performance. For this reason, individuals will be expected to show that they have the overall requirements and adaptability expected at the higher level.
BBSRC does not operate quotas for Personal Promotion. The costs of the Scheme are justified by the higher outputs expected of individuals who receive promotion. However, the Scheme is rigorous and based on clear criteria and indicators that staff will be expected to meet before they can be considered. Equally, staff who are promoted to the higher level will be expected to maintain their performance at this level.
2.2 Preparing a case for personal promotion
Following the annual PPDR round, your establishment will consider all staff and identify any potential cases for a Personal Promotion. Following this, your line manager may discuss the submission of a nomination with you.
While it is appropriate for such a dialogue to take place during PPDRs, this is not the only time when discussion of promotion prospects is appropriate and it may be possible in exceptional circumstances for a nomination to be accepted outside of the normal timetable.
To gain Personal Promotion you and your line manager will need to demonstrate clearly that your case meets the criteria listed in Appendix A 6.1. These cover:
- Knowledge, skills and experience
- Benefit to the organisation
- Performance and achievements to date
- Potential
If you consider that you meet the criteria for Personal Promotion, you should first seek the support of your line manager in the development of a nomination. If they are not supportive, you should seek to discuss prospects with your co-signatory or another more senior member of line management.
It is usual that cases for Personal Promotion will have the clear support of immediate line management. However, self-nomination is allowable and will be dealt with in an identical fashion to more regular nominations that are initiated by management.
It is also possible that as part of the process for the nomination of enhanced performance awards your line manager may discuss your suitability for Personal Promotion with you.
2.3 Equality and diversity
Nominations for Personal Promotion are welcomed from all staff irrespective of one or more of the 'protected characteristics' under the Equality Act 2010, namely: race, religion or belief, age, sexual orientation, disability, sex, pregnancy or maternity, marriage or civil partnership, or gender reassignment.
All individuals involved in the assessment process must act fairly and not discriminate unlawfully on the grounds of any of the above 'protected characteristics' or due to part-time working, fixed-term contract or trade union activities.
It is a requirement that all members of the establishment's local Personal Promotion Panel (PPP) have undergone relevant diversity training within the last three years. This training will be delivered by the establishment.
The Personal Promotion Panel also has the right to access relevant career based information (such as qualifications, promotion history, publications) and to have the opportunity to speak to line managers of staff in under-represented areas of the establishment to assure itself that all staff are afforded fair treatment and opportunity.
Staff who believe that they have been discriminated against have recourse to the BBSRC grievance procedure.
2.4 Submitting your nomination
The assessment of your case for promotion will require the completion of a nomination form and supporting documentation by you and your line manager. The documents required are specified below, and, on completion they should be submitted to your local HR office by the announced deadline.
For staff seeking promotion to band F and above external references will need to be sought and an interview involving external members will also have to be arranged; consequently, arrangements for senior staff will take longer than for other staff. Your establishment will keep you informed of the progress of your nomination.
2.4.1 Nomination form
A nomination form should be completed - see Appendix A6.2
The nomination form comprises three sections, and asks you to provide a number of attachments to support your case.
You should read and carefully follow the guidance notes on how to complete the nomination form.
Section 1: This covers a personal career statement, including:
- Name
- Name of Institute/Site/Division
- Present band
- Qualifications/training and development
- Current job description
- Organisational position
- Case for promotion
- Potential
Job roles within BBSRC are very varied, and in order to help you ensure that your case is considered properly, guidance has been developed to help explain how to make the strongest case. This guidance is provided as part of the nomination form.
Section 2: Line management support
- Your line manager will need to provide a statement providing a clear case about why the organisation will obtain greater benefit from you continuing to perform your current role, but at a higher grade, rather than encouraging you to seek promotion by moving to a new role at a more senior level (on the assumption that such an opportunity is likely to exist within a reasonable period of time). A statement will also be needed from your co-signatory. For more senior promotions (to band F and above) this statement should be provided by the Director)
- In cases where you are making a self-nomination without the support of your line-management, you will need to provide the above case for organisational benefit yourself
Section 3: Other supporting information
This section of the form lists a number of attachments which you may need to provide, depending on your role and seniority. It is important that you read the guidance in the form carefully, so that you can see which attachments are relevant. In some cases, further information and documentation is required to assess your nomination - for example, for scientists, your six most significant publications need to be identified and summarised.
The Personal Role Evaluation Form needs to be provided by all candidates, except those seeking promotion to band G or above. Your line manager should complete the form in
Appendix A6.3 to identify where your personal contribution has changed, compared to the normal expectations of your post. You will have the opportunity to provide any additional comments. In cases where you are making a self nomination without the support of your line management, you will also need to complete this form as well as your line manager
Your line manager (and yourself in the case of self nomination) should then send the completed form to the local Head of HR where it will be attached to your nomination
2.5 How your nomination is assessed
Your nomination is considered by a local Personal Promotion Panel (PPP) set up for your establishment (i.e. institute or Swindon office), and managed by your local Head of HR
Your local Head of HR will seek nominations each year, but may also agree to consider nominations made at other times where there are special circumstances.
2.5.1 Personal Promotion Panel
The role and make-up of the local Personal Promotion Panel is given in Appendix A6.4.
2.5.2 Referees
For more senior promotions (to band F and above), the Personal Promotion Panel will seek the views of referees on your nomination. The Panel will look at the list of referees provided as part of your nomination form, if this is relevant to you, but may also choose to approach other referees in addition to these. The referees will be contacted by your local HR office, which will also be responsible for chasing for responses, if necessary.
The referee's report form and guidance are given in Appendix A6.5.
2.5.3 Promotion Interview Panel
In the majority of cases, the Personal Promotion Panel will convene a Promotion Interview Panel to discuss with you your case for promotion. For more information on when this may not apply see Appendix 6.4. The constitution of the Promotion Interview Panel will depend on the seniority of the candidate. Promotion Interview Panels will be convened as specified in Appendix A6.4.
The Promotion Interview Panel will be required to make a report to the Personal Promotion Panel setting out its conclusions and recommendations. The form which the chair of the Promotion Interview Panel is required to complete is in Appendix A6.6i
2.6 Progress of your nomination
Your local HR office will keep you informed of the progress of your nomination:
- They will acknowledge receipt of your nomination
- Inform you of the date of the meeting of the Personal Promotion Panel which will initially consider your nomination
- Inform you of the date of your interview (if applicable)
- Inform you of the date of the meeting of the Personal Promotion Panel which will confirm the outcome of your nomination
2.7 The outcome of your nomination
The Personal Promotion Panel (PPP) will consider the recommendations made by your Promotion Interview Panel, and decide on whether a case for Personal Promotion has successfully been made. In the case of promotion to Band G and above the recommendations will also be required to be ratified by the BBSRC Personal Promotion Board ( Appendix A6.7)
If your nomination is unsuccessful, you will be provided with the summary report form from your interview, together with any feedback from the Personal Promotion Panel on the strengths and weaknesses of your nomination. This will be copied to the nominating Line Manager so that you can discuss with them development opportunities. There will usually be a period of two years between nominations in order to give the applicant time to incorporate the recommendations of the panel and develop their performance and contribution to the organisation, unless the PPP recommends a shorter period.
2.8 Successful nominations
If your promotion nomination is successful, the effective date of your promotion will normally be the deadline date for nominations in the annual round in which you submitted your nomination. This date is specified in Appendix A 6.9. Where it has been agreed to consider a nomination outside of the normal timetable, the effective date of your promotion will be the date you submitted your full and complete nomination.
Normally a successful nomination results in an ongoing Personal Promotion - subject, of course, to continuing performance commensurate with your new band. Exceptionally, the Personal Promotion Panel may stipulate that the promotion is subject to a review after a specified period (e.g. two years), before confirming the Promotion.
2.9 Appeals
Staff who are dissatisfied with the outcome of a Personal Promotion nomination should submit a written appeal to the Director of their Institute (unless the Director has been involved in the process), or the BBSRC Director of Human Resources and Corporate Services Group (for Swindon office staff, or where the Institute Director was involved in the decision) within one month of being notified of the outcome. The Director's decision will be final.
If the appeal is upheld, the normal Personal Promotion Promotion process will resume, and a promotion to band G or above will need to be ratified by the Personal Promotion Board, (by consideration outside the annual Personal Promotion Board (PPB) meeting if appropriate).
2.10 Continuing your Performance
After you have been successful, you will be expected to continue to perform at the higher level, and your performance will be subject to the usual formal appraisal process (PPDR). There is no separate periodic review process for Personal Promotions, once your promotion has been confirmed. However, as stated in 2.8, the Personal Promotion Panel may stipulate that the Promotion is subject to a review after a specified period (e.g. two years), before confirming the Promotion.
If your performance subsequently becomes unsatisfactory when judged against the expectations for your higher grade, you may become subject to the Capability Procedure (Employment Code A12a). Ultimately, if your performance remains unsatisfactory, your Personal Promotion status can be removed, and your Band may return to the lower level.
2.11 BBSRC Personal Promotion Board
The role of the BBSRC Personal Promotion Board (PPB) is to help ensure consistency and equal opportunities in Personal Promotion assessments across the whole of the BBSRC. All nomination documentation submitted to local Personal Promotion Panels, including Promotion Interview Panel report are scrutinised by the PPB, which meets once a year.
The PPB will report its findings annually to the Chief Executive of BBSRC and Institute Directors.
The role and make-up of the Personal Promotion Board is given in Appendix A6.7.
2.12 Timetable
A flowchart of the whole process for the Personal Promotion scheme with the timescales for each stage is given in Appendix A6.8.
An annual timetable of dates for the Personal Promotion scheme is issued by the Human Resources and Corporate Services Group in Swindon office. The current timetable is in Appendix A6.9.
Last updated 10/07/12
Amendment 144 - July 2012