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CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY
RECRUITMENT POLICY

1. The CNPA seeks to implement a recruitment policy which encourages and supports
the development of the Authority and its staff, which is open, transparent and
accessible to all, and which ensures the efficient and effective recruitment of the
appropriate individual for each vacant post.

2. The Authority’s management statement requires the Authority to ensure that the
recruitment of its staff is based on fair and open competition and equality of
opportunity, and that the level and structure of its staffing, including grading
structure and numbers of staff, is appropriate to its functions and the requirements
of efficiency, effectiveness and economy.

3. Prior to any form of recruitment there is a requirement to scrutinise and challenge
staffing proposals, whether these arise from a vacancy within existing establishment,
bids for new posts or plans for restructure. This process of scrutiny will allow an
organisation-wide view to be taken on the potential effect in operational, financial
and human resource terms, of any staffing proposal. The process also considers the
fit of any proposal with longer term corporate plans and strategies. This scrutiny
will be undertaken by the Chief Executive and if requested by the Corporate
Services Director or others as deemed appropriate by the Chief Executive.

4. The Chief Executive and/ or the relevant Directors have responsibility for the
appointment of all posts below the level of Director. Responsibility for recruitment
at Director level or above remains with the Board. The Corporate Services
Director will report to the Staffing and Recruitment Committee at least every 6
months on recruitment activity and decisions taken on staffing proposals.

5. Following agreement that a staffing request should progress to recruitment, the job
description has to be agreed and evaluated. Once line management structures and
the grade have been confirmed, the post will always be advertised internally in the
first instance, to all staff and secondees (inwards and outwards). This will include
posts that are partner funded, but with the CNPA as the lead employer. The only
exception to the internal recruitment process will be Director level posts which will
be advertised both internally and externally.

Internal Recruitment Process

6. An internal vacancy would be advertised to all staff by email and applications invited
on the CNPA standard application form to be submitted by the stated closing date,
which will typically be two weeks from the advertisement date. Internal applications
would be reviewed and short-listed on the basis of the applicants’ abilities,
qualifications and experience as measured against the job description and person
specification.

7. Provided that internal candidate(s) meet the essential criteria, the recruitment
process would progress to interview, with the selection panel then making a
determination on whether to appoint following the interview process.

8. The selection panel will usually comprise the post’s line manager, HR and another
senior manager with a knowledge/understanding of the role. The selection panel for
partner funded posts will be the post’s line manager, HR, and up to two members of
the partner organisation(s).

9. If an appointment is made, an offer would be made to the successful internal
candidate, and a new contract issued when a transfer date has been agreed.

10. If an appointment is not made at this stage, the process would move into the
external recruitment process.

11. Feedback on application forms and interviews will be offered to all internal applicants
when they have reached the end of the internal recruitment process.
External Recruitment Process

12. If the post is not filled through the internal recruitment process, applications would
be sought externally. Such vacancies would be advertised on the CNPA website and
in newspapers, professional publications, other external websites or any other
medium deemed suitable to reach the required target audience.

13. Applications will be invited on the CNPA standard application form to be submitted
by the stated closing date. The advert and application pack letter state that
alternative formats are available and that candidates should contact the HR Manager
if they require adjustments to be made to the process due to disability. CNPA
application forms are divided into Part A which has all the personal and equality
monitoring information, and Part B which contains the information about
qualifications, experience and knowledge. Part B of the applications only is passed to
the short-listing/selection team, with an indication of any which should be considered
under our Positive About Disability commitment.

14. Short-listing is carried out by a minimum of two people, usually comprising the post’s
line manager and HR, based on the requirements set out in the Job Spec. The
essential and desirable criteria for the sift form must be agreed with the HR Manager
in line with the requirements on the Job Spec prior to short-listing. The applications
will be reviewed and short-listed on the basis of the applicants’ fit with these agreed
selection criteria. Applications from any candidate who indicates that they have a
disability will be automatically short-listed if they demonstrate that they meet the
essential short-listing criteria.

15. The selected candidates will be invited to attend an interview, with the selection
panel making a determination on whether to appoint following the interview
process. The selection panel usually comprises the post’s line manager, HR and
another senior manager with a knowledge/understanding of the role. In some
instances a second interview stage may be required before a decision on
appointment can be made. The interview will seek to draw out competencies in line
with the requirements of the post and will cover the same general questions for each
candidate. Following each interview an interview marking form is completed by each
member of the panel independently, and notes made which may be used in giving
feedback to candidates.

16. Once all interviews have been completed, the interview panel will discuss and
compare their scores for each applicant interviewed. The panel will then agree a final
score for each applicant. The panel will then agree whether to make an offer or not.

17. An offer of employment will be made to the successful candidate(s), and at this point
references will be followed up, usually in writing. Unsuccessful candidates are
informed by letter. Once the candidate has formally accepted the post, and a start
date has been agreed, the contract will be issued.

18. Feedback on application forms and interviews will be available to all candidates on
request.

Secondment Recruitment Process

19. Where appropriate to development of services, secondments may be invited for
fixed term posts. It will not always be appropriate or economic to use typical
recruitment advertising for posts deemed suitable for secondment. In such
instances a direct approach to suitable organisations may be made to invite
applications for secondment opportunities.

20. The CNPA would seek to preserve the substantive post of any internal staff member
in undertaking such a time-limited role as an internal secondment.

June 2010