Recruitment and selection

​

This policy and procedure replace all previous circulars, policies, and procedures relating to recruitment and selection within the Jersey Public Service.

​This policy forms part of the Code of Practice for talent development​. The Code of Practice is reviewed at the start of each States Employment Board (SEB) term, or earlier if legislation or regulations change.​

Recruitment and selection policy​

Policy statement

The Jersey Public Service aims to be an organisation where everyone can thrive. We recruit from the widest possible pool of talent and look to attract people with diverse backgrounds, skills, and experience. We recruit people who enhance the quality of our services and contribute to the success of public services in Jersey.​

Policy purpose

The policy sets out clear information and guidance on how we recruit and select people to work for the Jersey Public Service.

Policy principles

All our policies are grounded in our organisational values and behaviours. This policy ensures that:

• safer recruitment policies and procedures are adhered to as part of the recruitment process
• we treat all candidates in a fair, consistent and equitable way, free from discrimination and victimisation
• we are compliant with the Employment (Jersey) Law 2003, Discrimination (Jersey) Law 2013 and other relevant legislation and regulations
• the recruitment experience is fair, positive, and supportive
• we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity of thought, background, and experience is not only respected but celebrated
• we operate within a sound framework for recruitment and selection, following the Jersey Appointments Commission (JAC) recruitment code, local legislation, such as employment and data protection laws, and best practice guidance
• we act without bias and use selection methods that are accessible and appropriate for the grade and type of role being recruited to
• we take steps to identify and select the most appropriate candidate for the role, based on merit and transferable skills​
  

We are committed to providing training so that everyone involved understands their responsibilities. Everyone involved in recruitment must act with honesty and integrity. This includes declaring any conflicts of interest.

For guidance on recruiting senior employees, appointees, or members of independent bodies, please refer to the ​Jersey Appointments Commission recruitment guidelines.​

Policy scope

This policy applies to all stages of our recruitment and selection process. It covers all current employees, unless otherwise stated, all job applicants and anyone involved in the recruitment process.

It applies to all types of roles, including fixed term contracts, casual or supply staff and zero hour contracts.

A separate policy also applies to police officers who are seeking promotion because of police leadership programmes.​

Performance and accountabilities​​

Hiring managers

Hiring managers are responsible for creating a positive candidate experience by adhering to this policy and any related policies, procedures, and codes, such as those set out by Medical Statute for Medical appointments within Health and Care Jersey.

Chief Executive Officer, Chief Officers, and Heads of Administration

Chief Officers are responsible for ensuring that everyone involved in recruitment within their department follows and remains compliant with this policy and all relevant policies, such as the safer recruitment policy.​

Chief People Officer

The Chief People Officer is the custodian of all Jersey Public Service people policies. They must ensure that this policy and its procedures:

• are effective
  
• are clearly communicated across the organisation
• are reviewed in line with the policy control schedule
• have processes in place to monitor any concerns raised
• follow the Corporate Policy Framework, Policy Guidelines, and Our People Strategy

People Services

People Services help create and review recruitment policies and procedures. They also support the recruitment process by:

• advising hiring managers
• monitoring compliance with the policy
• ensuring appropriate residential status and pre-employment checks are in place
• producing offer letters and contracts
• updating the correct systems​

Jersey Appointments Commission

Under the Employment of States of Jersey Employees (Jersey) Law 2005, it is the duty of the Jersey Appointments Commission to oversee the recruitment of public servants and appointees to ensure that appointments are made in a fair, efficient way and that best practice is followed throughout the process.

The Jersey Appointments Commission are responsible for producing and reviewing recruitment related guidelines and codes and are required to participate in senior level appointments.

States Employment Board

Under Article 8 of the Employment of States of Jersey Employees (Jersey) Law 2005, the States Employment Board (SEB) issues Codes of Practice. This policy forms part of the Code of Practice for talent development.

The Board are also responsible for approving all posts remunerated at £100,000 per year and above. Refer to the P59 process below.​

The procedure

Reviewing the need to recruit

Chief Officers or their delegates will encourage a review to happen when there is a vacancy. This should take place before any recruitment request starts as part of ongoing workforce planning. The hiring managers will review the need for the role, its duties, responsibilities, and the grade.

Hiring managers should also consider whether the work could be done in a different way, such as using technology, restructuring, reorganising work within the team or offering more hours to existing part-time staff.

As part of this review, an exit interview should be carried out wherever possible with the person leaving. The aim is to understand why the employee is leaving, help reduce unnecessary turnover, and improve our recruitment processes.​

Creating or reviewing a job description

A current, evaluated job description that accurately reflects the role must be in place before the position is advertised. This helps us support candidates by giving them clear and fair information.

The job description must clearly outline the duties and responsibilities of the role. It must list the essential and desirable criteria, such as required skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience. The job description must be directly relevant to the role.

If the job is new, or if the existing job description has changed significantly, the hiring manager must submit it for evaluation through the job evaluation process. Find more information in the job evaluation policy.​

Vacancy approval​

The decision to fill a vacancy or to create a new role lies with Chief Officers and their delegates who are responsible for managing staffing levels in their department.
Before the hiring manager raises a job requisition in Connect People, whether for an existing post or a new one, they must:

Early in Careers internships

Early in Careers Internships are short term placements that give students insight into working in the Jersey Public Service. Because these internships do not fill permanent or established roles, they do not go through the standard vacancy approval process.

They are managed through a single job requisition handled by the Early in Careers team in People Services and are employed on zero hour contracts.

The programme is designed specifically for students, and it is not open to employees on the redeployment register. This is due to the developmental nature of the programme and the use of zero hour contracts.

A formal selection panel is not required but, hiring managers must still follow good practice. This includes:

• being fair and consistent
• avoiding conflicts of interest
• following the organisation's policy on employment of close relatives
• keeping a written record of decisions
  
• getting advice from the Early in Careers team

All decisions for Early in Careers roles must be made in consultation with the Early in Careers team. This ensures consistency and supports the aims of the Early in Careers framework. Early in Careers roles also include apprenticeships, traineeships and internships.

Pre employment checks are still required for all Early in Careers roles, even for short placements. The checks should be proportionate to the role but must be fully completed before any employment starts.

Hiring managers must also make sure the preferred candidate understands any learning agreements, training commitments, or developmental requirements before confirming the offer.

Successful interns may be added to an Intern talent pool, where they will receive information about Jersey Public Service vacancies, including internal vacancies, for up to 6 months after their placement ends.​

Agency workers​

Agency workers can apply for internal vacancies only after they have completed 6 months of continuous service as an agency worker with the Jersey Public Service.

Licensed or registered roles​

All licensed roles must be contracted for more than 25 hours per week. Hiring managers must make sure the role has the correct licence permission in place before starting any recruitment process or raising a job requisition.​

Approval of license applications

Approval to be obtained through the Talent and Resourcing team

• license applications for roles with a salary of £60,000 or more and that meet the qualifying criteria in section 5.4.3 of the Business Licen​sing and Employee Status guidance​
  
• license lease only applications for roles with a salary of £54,000 or more and that meet the qualifying criteria in section 5.4.4 of the Business Licensing and Employee Status guidance
  

Approval to be obtained through the departmental HR Business Partner

• license applications for roles below the £60,000 salary listed in section 5.4.3. of the Business Licensing and Employee Status guidance​ and that meet the qualifying criteria
• license lease only applications for roles below the £54,000 salary listed in section 5.4.4 of the Business Licensing and Employee Status guidance and that meet the qualifying criteria
  

Finance Business Partner approval is also required for recruiting to any licensed role. For further guidance email recruitment@gov.je.

Hiring managers must attach the email approval from the Talent and Resourcing team or HR Business Partner, and the Finance Business Partner in the attachments section of the job requisition.​

Licensed appointments are only permitted in limited circumstances, such as when a role is hard to recruit to. Hiring managers must get advice from the recruitment team before beginning any recruitment for a licensed post.

Find more information in the Business Licensing and Employee Status guidance and residential and employment statuses in Jersey and what they mean.​

Senior level appointments and P59 process​

For senior or high value appointments, the hiring manager must prepare a business case and get formal approval. The P59 process applies when:​

• recruiting into roles at Civil Service grade 14, or equivalent, and above
• recruiting into roles where the remuneration, excluding pension contributions, exceeds £100,000 per year, pro rata
• recruiting into roles where an interim resource is to be used to cover a substantive post at a day rate of £380 per day or more
• recruiting contractors providing consultancy as a sole trader or a named individual whereby the contract exceeds £20,000 in any 12-month period

These business cases should be completed using the P59 request form, which must be approved by the departm​ental Chief Officer, the Chief People Officer in People Services and the Minister for the department.

The Jersey Appointments Commission must also be consulted as early as possible for all senior recruitment. Find more information on Jersey appointments Commission guidance on senior appointments on the Jersey Appointment Commission website.​

Securing suitable candidates from the redeployment register

The Jersey Public Service is committed, as far as possible, to protecting the employment of our existing employees. The redeployment register helps departments find suitable candidates before advertising roles more widely. This allows us to retain valuable skills and experience.

Employees on the redeployment register have priority if a vacancy is assessed as suitable alternative employment for them.

When a job requisition is raised in Connect People, People Services will check the redeployment register. They will check to see if a role is deemed suitable alternative employment for any colleagues on the redeployment register. This is done prior to approving release of the role to advert.

The role should only be advertised if it is not deemed suitable alternative employment for any colleagues on the redeployment register. Find more information in the redeployment policy.

Advertising a vacancy​

Vacancies are advertised through Connect People, which helps ensure they reach the right audience. Advertisements should accurately describe the role and the skills and experience required. They should provide enough information for candidates to decide if the job is right for them.

Unless otherwise stated, for example in a recruitment freeze, in general, all permanent posts must be advertised externally. This is so that the successful candidate is selected from the widest possible pool in an open and transparent way. The hiring manager will advertise internally within Jersey Public Service and externally through the Jersey Public Service careers portal concurrently. Find more information on Jersey public service careers.

Senior positions

For senior roles, such as posts that report directly to a Minister, a Chief Officer or roles requiring approval from the States Employment Board, hiring managers must follow Jersey Appointments Commission guidance on senior recruitment.

Additional advertising options

In an increasingly competitive market, hiring managers may also need to consider alternative ways of advertising such as, social media and specialist publications. This may also include advertising off island in cases where license permission has been obtained.

These methods can help reach suitable candidates who may not be actively looking for a job or considering a career within the Jersey Public Service.​

Exceptions to open recruitment

To test the market for the most appropriate person and to demonstrate that the appointment is unbiased, recruitment should be by fair and open competition and decisions to appoint should always be based on merit. However, certain exceptions to open recruitment are permitted, to provide flexibility where it is genuinely needed.

These exceptions are allowed only when the hiring manager and People Services are confident that the quality of appointment will not be compromised. Exceptions may apply in the following situations:

• succession planning and talent development, including Early in Careers programmes
  
• restructuring and redeployment
• short term appointments up to a maximum of 6 months
• extensions to short term appointments up to a maximum of a further 6 months
• posts requiring specialist skills
• secondments
• social obligations, such as work schemes or candidates with barriers to employment
• acting up arrangements for up to a maximum of 18 months

Hiring managers should always consult People Services before making any exceptions to open recruitment. The reasons must be clearly documented on the Exemptions and Breaches register on MyStates (internal website).

Approval levels for exceptions

For posts up to and including Civil Service grade 13, or equivalent, the HR Business Partner may approve the exception, unless the post reports directly to a Chief Officer.

Extensions to short-term appointments up to a maximum of 12 months may also be approved by the HR Business Partner.

For Civil Service grade 14, equivalent or above, or where a grade 13 or equivalent post reports directly to a Chief Officer, approval must be referred to the Chief People Officer.

Senior posts, for example posts reporting directly to a Minister, a Chief Officer or those requiring States Employment Board approval, will require a P59 form to be completed. Hiring managers must refer to their HR Business Partner and the Jersey Appointments Commission must be consulted as early as possible.

Find more information on the Jersey Appointments Commission website.​

With the candidate's agreement, hiring managers may keep the details of an interviewed applicant who was appointable but not selected. These details may be held for up to 6 months.

Within this 6 month period these employees may be offered the same role without the requirement to undertake further selection activity. The hiring manager should still ensure that they have the authority to recruit to the role and that appropriate funding is in place.

Being added to a talent pool does not guarantee that a candidate will skip any future selection processes. This depends on the requirements of the vacancy and organisational needs at the time.

Convening your selection panel

Conflicts of interest when convening your selection panel

A conflict of interest can occur if a panel member has personal or private interests which conflict with or could be seen to conflict with or influence their decisions. This means that their independence, objectivity, or impartiality could be called into question.

As soon as the potential candidates are identified, the Panel Chair must ask all panel members to declare any conflicts of interest. These are then circulated to all panel members in advance of the interview. The chair should then assess what impact the relationship has on the recruitment process.​

All conflicts must be recorded using the conflict of interest register form which forms part of the recruitment pack. Hiring managers should use the recruitment pack to record recruitment documentation and paperwork.​

Employment of close relatives​

If a member of the selection panel is closely related to a candidate, they must withdraw from the recruitment process. The panel member should be replaced if needed.

Close relatives must not be in a direct line management relationship, manage each other's performance, disciplinary issues, or grievances. They must not approve each other's financial documents, such as timesheets or overtime claims.​

Work arrangements must avoid any situation that could create a conflict of interest.

Prior to any offer of appointment, the rationale for the decision must be recorded on the close relative's employment form, which is available on MyStates. Final authorisation must also be sought from the Chief Officer or delegate. If approved, the completed form should be placed on the employee's personal file.

Shortlisting​

Shortlisting means deciding which applicants who applied for the role will be interviewed. It must be carried out by at least 2 members of the selection panel as soon as possible after a vacancy closes, and by following the recruitment and selection guide for hiring managers on MyStates.

Ideally, the panel should agree dates for shortlisting and interviews before advertising and interview dates should be included in the advert shared with candidates. The panel should agree what shortlisting criteria they are going to use to decide who they are going to interview. The criteria must be agreed in advance, align with the job description, and be applied to all candidates. Separate shortlisting guidelines apply under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme as referenced below.

How to shortlist

All applications, internal and external, must be compared against the agreed criteria. Decisions must be objective and evidence based.

If an internal candidate clearly does not meet the requirements of the role, there is no requirement to interview them. However, they must receive feedback explaining why they were not shortlisted to support their development.

For senior roles, hiring managers must follow the Jersey Appointments Commission guidelines for the recruitment of senior states employees.

The guaranteed interview scheme, which also applies to care leavers, has its own shortlisting requirements. Find more information in the recruitment and selection guide for hiring managers on MyStates and in the recruitment process for people with a disability.​

Equal Opportunities

The Jersey Public Service is committed to making sure recruitment is fair, inclusive, and equitable for everyone. All candidates and employees must be treated fairly and consistently, regardless of their gender, age, disability, race, religion, or social circumstances, while remaining aligned with current immigration and housing requirements.

Everyone involved in the recruitment must understand and follow the diversity, equity, and inclusion policy. This applies to:

• how job advertisements are written
• how recruitment is carried out
  
• the questions asked at interview
  
• any comments or records made throughout the process

Interviewers must ensure a consistent, fair, and equitable approach for all candidates throughout the process.

Recruitment process for people with a disability

The selection panel must focus on the person's ability to do the job, not on any barriers to employment that are not relevant to the role.

Find more information in the recruitment process for people with a disability.

Reasonable adjustments

Reasonable adjustments may be needed and examples might include, but are not limited to:

• sharing interview questions with candidates in advance of an interview, allowing them time to prepare
• giving written copies of interview questions to the candidates during the interview
• allowing candidates to visit the workplace before interviews to see what the set up might be in advance of an interview

We will work in partnership with all appropriate work schemes and charities to provide suitable employment opportunities for people with a barrier to employment.​

Employing overseas nationals​​

All candidates must have the legal right to work in Jersey. Anyone who is not British or Irish requires immigration permission to work in Jersey. The employer is required to apply for a work permit for those individuals who require immigration permission to enter or remain in Jersey for work. The employing department does not need to pay for a work permit, but the prospective employee will need to pay for their visa through the UK Home Office website. Instructions on how to apply for a visa will be sent to the employer when they receive the work permit. The employer will forward this information on to the prospective employee.

It is for each individual department to decide which posts within their own area should be restricted to British and Irish nationals only.

Employers must allow enough time for both the work permit and the visa to be processed before the employee travels to Jersey.

More information on work permit requirements, exemptions, and processing times is available in the work permit policy.​

It is essential in all cases that we check candidates are who they say they are and have the qualifications or professional status they claim.

To avoid delays at the offer stage, this should be done by the hiring manager who may choose to check qualifications at interview stage.

After a conditional offer is made, formal employment checks will be carried out before confirming an unconditional offer.

Using alternative or additional selection methods​ 

Interviews alone may not show who is best suited to a role. Other selection methods can give a clearer picture of a candidate's ability. These may include:

• asking candidates to do a short presentation
• giving a practical task that reflects real job duties
• using appropriate tests, such as, numeracy, literacy or tests based on personality

Any selection method used must be fair, proportionate, and relevant to the job. The selection panel must agree in advance how much weight each test carries in the final decision. The same testing conditions must apply to all candidates, excluding any allowances made as reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability. Selection tests must not be unfairly discriminatory. Advice is available from People Services for those wishing to use selection tests during the recruitment process.

Guidance on interview questions is available in the recruitment and selection interview toolkit.

Informing candidates of selection panel decisions​

Hiring managers should inform all interviewed candidates of the outcome personally, wherever possible. If the decision is delayed, candidates must be kept updated.

The preferred candidate must be told that the offer is conditional, and employment will only be confirmed once pre-employment checks and references are complete. Before contacting other appointable candidates, the hiring manager must confirm that the preferred candidate intends to accept the conditional offer. All unsuccessful candidates should be informed verbally and be offered the opportunity to receive interview feedback.​

Moving to offer stage

After the hiring manager has informed all candidates of the outcome of the interviews, they should ensure that interview records and all recruitment paperwork is compiled in the recruitment pack and sent to the Operational Recruitment team to store on Connect People. They should then access the Connect People system to move their preferred candidate to the offer stage.

Pre-employment checks

Pre-employment checks are completed through the Operational Recruitment team and an external provider. These checks must be finished before the candidate can start work. Types of checks will depend on the role and may include:

• medical clearance
• references
• criminal record checks
• identity checks

The preferred candidate will be issued with a conditional contract of employment and a conditional offer of employment whilst pre-employment checks are carried out.​

Medical clearance​

The recruitment team will send a pre-employment health declaration to the successful candidate. The need for an occupational health assessment will be determined based on the candidate's response but may not be required in all cases.​

Reference clearance​​

References help confirm a candidate's employment history, qualifications, experience and overall suitability for the role.

The Operational Recruitment team, supported by an external provider, manages the reference checking process once the selection decision has been made. Hiring managers may need to help if references are delayed.

Candidates must give permission before references can be obtained. All conditional offers depend on satisfactory references, and the employer reserves the right to withdraw the offer if there are reasonable grounds to do so.

Reference requirements

For non-regulated activity roles, references should cover the last 3 years of employment.

For regulated activity and roles involving work with children and, or adults at risk the following must apply:

• references must cover the last 5 years
• at least 2 references are required
• 1 reference must be from the current or most recent employer
• there must be a reference from their last care role if they are not currently working in a care role but have done so previously

For roles involving regulated activity and working with children or adults at risk, additional reference information will be included to ensure safeguarding requirements are met. Find more information in the safer recruitment policy.

Hiring managers may ask for additional references if any risks are identified during the clearance process. Delays in receiving references may delay or prevent an unconditional offer.

References will be required for current Jersey Public Service employees appointed to regulated activity roles working with children or adults at risk.

The Operational Recruitment team will ask the hiring manager to review all references before employment is confirmed.

All staff moving internally should be aware that a hiring manager may contact their current manager for handover information. This includes any live disciplinary matters and formal sickness management issues.

References are confidential personal data and must be stored securely in the employee's electronic personnel file.​

DBS checks​

The Jersey Public Service must ensure that candidates are vetted at the correct level through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Hiring managers must confirm with their HR Business Partner what level of DBS check is required. The DBS requirement must be clearly stated in the advert, job description, and person specification. UK DBS guidance, while not directly aligned to Jersey legislation, is a useful indicator when determining the correct level of vetting.

Eligibility checker on GOV.UK​

Standard vetting eligibility guide on GOV.UK​

Enhanced vettin​g eligibility guide on GOV.UK​

Risk assessment​​

In exceptional circumstances, there may be an urgent operational need for an employee to start before all pre-employment clearances have been obtained. This may also apply where an applicant is from, or has lived in, a country where criminal record checks cannot be carried out. In such cases, hiring managers may be able to request permission for employment to commence. Approval will only be granted once a risk assessment form has been completed and authorised.

Risk assessments must be stored in the employee's personnel file. If the risk assessment or pre-employment clearance checks fail for any reason, the hiring manager will need to withdraw the offer of employment.

Requirement for police v​etting​

The requirement for police vetting applies to all individuals engaged with the police on a permanent, temporary, full time, part time, casual, consultancy, contracted or voluntary basis. It also applies to individuals who apply to join the service. Vetting is additionally required for individuals from partner agencies who have unsupervised access to police premises or to police information that is not publicly available.

Contracts of employment​

A conditional offer letter and conditional contract of employment will be issued through Connect People on behalf of the hiring manager before pre-employment clearances are complete. These will be confirmed or withdrawn, depending on the clearance outcome.

Appointments should begin at the first increment of the grade. If a hiring manager believes a higher increment is appropriate due to a candidate's experience, approval must be obtained from the Chief Officer or their delegate.

Agreeing a start date with your preferred candidate

Hiring managers should stay in contact with the preferred candidate to discuss potential start dates. Once all clearances are complete, the manager should agree a formal start date. This should consider the candidate's notice period, payroll processing times and logistical issues, such as equipment, access, and workspace setup.

Retention of documentation and records

At the end of the recruitment and selection process, the panel chair must summarise the selection decision and compile all recruitment documents into a recruitment pack. The recruitment pack should be sent to the Operational Recruitment team who will ensure it is saved in Connect People under the job requisition.

These documents must be kept for 12 months after the year in which the recruitment took place. It is the responsibility of the panel Chair to ensure that the recruitment pack is complete and that all documents held by panel members are securely destroyed. Find more information in the retention schedule.

For senior appointments, involving the Jersey Appointments Commission, all documentation must be sent to resourcing@gov.je.

Documents for the successful candidate, including their application and references, become part of their personnel record. These then follow separate data retention rules.

People Services is responsible for retaining recruitment campaign records. They ensure data protection requirements are followed, especially when external suppliers are involved. Find more information on People Services privacy policy and retention schedule.

Withdrawing an offer of employment

A conditional offer may need to be withdrawn. For example, if pre-employment checks are unsatisfactory, or the candidate fails the safer recruitment risk assessment. Before withdrawing an offer, the hiring manager must seek advice from HRcasemanagement@gov.je and discuss the requirement to withdraw with their HR Business Partner before any action is taken. The candidate must be contacted and informed verbally before any changes are made in Connect People.

Working at pace​

A proactive and timely recruitment process helps secure the preferred candidate. Delays increase the risk of candidates withdrawing, accepting another job and negotiating counteroffers with their current employer. Hiring managers should:

• agree panel members and set dates in diaries for shortlisting and interviews as early as possible
• include interview dates in the advert where possible
• aim to complete shortlisting within 3 days of closing
• aim to interview within 10 days of closing. Licensed roles may require more notice to allow for travel
• aim to make an offer on the same day as interviews, or within 2 working days
• work closely with the Operational Recruitment team and candidate to complete pre-employment checks promptly and prior to making an unconditional offer
• ask the preferred candidate to help secure references if appropriate​

Keep in touch with the preferred candidate​ 

Staying in regular contact reduces the risk of a candidate withdrawing while waiting for clearances and whilst working their notice.

After an unconditional offer is issued, hiring managers may:

• arrange for the new employee to meet the team
• send updates by email or phone
  
• share newsletters or non-sensitive documents mentioning them​