Redeployment for hiring managers

By using the Redeployment Service to fill your jobs you can reduce how much time and money you spend on recruitment. Redeployment can also help you get someone started much quicker than typical external advertising and recruitment.

All jobs have to spend two weeks on the redeployment job portal before they can be advertised elsewhere. You can also look at the online Redeployment register which will give you an anonymous list of staff available. It shows the skills, knowledge and experience they have so you can see if there is anyone who matches the requirements for your job.

By hiring a redeployee, you can keep the knowledge, skills and experience of staff that are committed to working at the University and already understand the University culture. This can save you time and money as training could be reduced and would prevent advertising time and costs.

Redeployment offers your employees extra support, security and helps to proactively manage change. If you have a job that you need to fill then please contact your local HR Manager/Officer.

Who are redeployees?

Redeployees are staff whose jobs are at risk. This is normally due to:

  • the external funding for the job ending;
  • organisational change which means the job is no longer needed;
  • medical reasons (supported by Occupational Health);
  • other substantial reasons (e.g. a breakdown in working relationships).

We won’t force anyone to join Redeployment register – it is their choice.

Redeployees are staff who have significant skills and knowledge of the University and who want to carry on working here. They can only move into a job through redeployment if it is at the same or a lower grade.

HR Managers support all redeployees. They will be given guidance on completing skills profile forms, supporting statements and CVs. They can also go on training to develop their skills.

How do I advertise my job on redeployment?

When you have written the job description and person specification and had the job graded and got financial approval you will need to send it to HR.

They will then work with the Redeployment team to arrange for it to be advertised to redeployees on the redeployment portal for 14 days.

Redeployment will let you know the closing date and reference number of the job.

Reviewing applications

If any redeployees apply for your job you will be sent their skills profile, supporting statement and CV (if supplied).

The Redeployment register has an anonymous summary of all current redeployees. You should have a look at these to see if anyone at the same or higher grade looks suitable for your job and contact Redeployment to request their full skills profile.

You will then need to decide if they are a potential ‘match’ for the job. Matching is similar to short listing as you will need to judge whether the redeployee meets the essential person specification criteria.

There will be a potential match if:

  • the redeployee meets 70% or more of the essential criteria and;
  • the criteria they don’t meet could be met in a reasonable time (normally within a three month trial period) through training, development or experience.

You should use a matching form to help you assess redeployees and to record your decision. You will find a blank form and an example of a completed matching form below.

Remember that this is an initial assessment only

  • If you think there might be a match contact Redeployment to arrange an interview to decide whether the redeployee is a 70% match to your job.
  • If the redeployee isn’t a match to your job you will need to give them feedback.

Matching example

A redeployee meets nine out of 10 of the essential criteria. One of the criteria they don’t meet is to have a PhD in a relevant field. They are a 90% match but the 10% they don’t meet can't be addressed in reasonable time. In this case, the redeployee wouldn’t be a potential match to your job.

Interviews and other tests

You should interview any redeployees who you think might be a potential match and also think about using additional selection methods. You should follow the interview panel framework to decide who is on the panel and the interview guidance will help you plan the interview and decide what questions to ask. Please see our recruitment guide for further information. 

These will then help you to properly assess the redeployee’s ability and whether they are at least a 70% match to the job.

You will need to let Redeployment know the outcome of the interview(s).

If there isn’t a match you will need to give feedback to the redeployee using a matching form.

What happens after a successful interview?

You will need to wait for the job to close on the Redeployment portal and consider all applications before offering the job to anyone.

You should then make the job offer and speak to the redeployees current manager to arrange a start date and let Redeployment know what you agree.

Redeployment will then email you to request the appointment details so that a formal contract letter can be sent.

Trial periods

All posts filled via redeployment are normally subject to a standard three month trial period. This trial period acts as a form of ‘probation’ whereby objectives are set to be completed over this period, with the inclusion of regular meetings to discuss progress, training requirements, development and how the redeployee is settling in to their new department.

We have trial periods because:

  • it provides you with an opportunity to assess a redeployee’s suitability for the post in practice over a three month period, before committing to offering the post for the full term of the appointment;
  • a redeployee may have concerns over their suitability for the role, the location or, for example, working in a large team. A trial period therefore also provides them with an opportunity to assess their suitability for the role;
  • it provides a mechanism for clear objectives to be set (relating to the requirements of the post), and for plans to be put in place to support the redeployee in working towards achieving these objectives. This is mutually beneficial as it provides a framework to ensure that redeployees are supported through the initial stages of their appointment and ensures that the needs of the area are met;
  • provided that a trial period is carried out with due care and attention, a department is not obliged to offer the full term of a post to a redeployee if the three month trial does not prove to be successful. In such a case, the department would then be able to make arrangements to appoint a more suitable candidate to the post, although this would be done only after consultation with the Redeployment Manager.

Giving feedback to unsuccessful redeployees

You will need to give feedback to all unsuccessful redeployees via Redeployment.

Send your completed matching forms to Redeployment making sure you have provided relevant, constructive feedback based on the person specification.

The feedback you give will help redeployees identify training needs, clarify the types of roles they are suitable for and help them in future job applications.

What if I haven't found someone through redeployment?

We hope you can find someone for your job through redeployment but if you don’t, you will normally need to advertise the job.

When you have sent any matching forms to Redeployment and given feedback to all unsuccessful candidates you will be able to start planning your advertising approach.

Redeployment will let you know when it can be advertised and send the job details to the relevant HR team. HR will then speak to you to arrange the necessary advertising.