Heads of Institution, with the assistance of appropriate senior colleagues if necessary, can play a positive role in the career development of all eligible academic staff in their Institution. The list of eligible employees will be provided to Institutions via the burst report mechanism at the launch of each year’s ACP R&T exercise. Burst report recipients must share the eligibility lists with the Head of Institution.
Heads of Institution are required to:
- Have supportive and confidential conversations with all employees that are eligible to apply; discuss any perceived barriers, including any relevant Contextual Factors that may be preventing an individual from applying.
- Actively help and mentor employees from groups that are under-represented at senior levels who are potentially ready for promotion/progression to encourage them to apply
- Discuss promotion/progression pathways with under-represented employees not yet ready for promotion.
- Ensure that the ACP CV scheme is actively publicised to all eligible employees.
The decision whether to make an application will ultimately sit with the individual.
The University’s Staff Review and Development (SRD) appraisal scheme, whilst remaining a separate and independent mechanism for reviewing personal contribution and professional development, should be used to discuss career aspirations, assess an individual’s readiness for promotion or progression, and help inform and support the ACP R&T process. These discussions should take place on a regular and ongoing basis throughout the course of an individual’s career. Heads of Institution should have open and honest conversations with academics in their institution about whether it is the right time for them to apply for promotion, and for which office they should apply. They should also provide guidance to individuals on areas they may wish to work on in order to better demonstrate their achievement of the assessment criteria.
Heads of Institution should also ensure that appropriate mentoring opportunities are available and help facilitate this process to support career development and progression, including ensuring employees are aware of the ACP CV scheme.
Heads of Institution are required to review the gender balance and ethnic diversity of ACP R&T applications and to provide an explanation to the Chair of the FC when these are not in proportion to their representation in the proximate less senior office.