Priority Candidate Support Scheme Process
Guidance on the process for managers, HR and priority candidates
The Priority Candidate Support Scheme (PCSS) aims to support the redeployment of priority candidates who have not secured a new role within their existing department or faculty, and who want help in identifying suitable professional services roles across the University.
The Senior Appointments Team (SAT) run the scheme, and will offer guidance to priority candidates on how best to represent transferrable skills, will help identify current vacancies that match their skills, and ensure they are supported in making the best possible applications.
The PCSS will arrange a conversation with each priority candidate who wishes to use the service, and will maintain contact with the priority candidates to ensure they are well prepared for interviews.
By supporting priority candidates in securing alternative roles, the broader University benefits from the movement of existing staff and the skills and experience they can provide.
The scheme is designed to complement the University’s existing arrangements for priority candidates.
Step 1: Once you have expressed the wish to be considered as a priority candidate for suitable redeployment opportunities, you should make your department aware and provide an up-to-date copy of your CV.
Step 2: If, you would like further support in redeployment to other positions (professional service roles) within the University, please contact the PCSS pcss@admin.ox.ac.uk with your priority candidate letter and completed PCSS form which can be downloaded from this page.
(Please note: if you are only interested in research or academic roles, please visit the careers service who will be best placed to help you).
Step 3: The PCSS will make contact to discuss the types of opportunities you are interested in and record your experience and transferable skills.
Step 4: When a role has been approved and identified for recruitment, the team will review the job description and cross match the essential selection criteria for the role with the key skills and experience of priority candidates.
If the PCSS identifies a role which they feel will be suitable for you, they will notify you of the vacancy.
From here, it is down to you to apply for the role and be interviewed in the normal way.
You should notify the PCSS of the outcome of any interviews and also if you no longer wanting to be a part of the scheme.
Step 1: The Department seeks approval from the relevant recruitment panel (Divisional / Central) and the role is added to Core as a Staff Request with the Job Description attached.
Step 2: If the role is approved for recruitment, the Department should consider priority candidates within their department, and offer the role where there is a match. [This process already applies and is expected to continue].
Step 3: If there are no suitable candidates within the Department, the Department should contact the adverts team adverts@admin.ox.ac.uk to arrange for advertisement. The PCSS will be overseeing the advertisement of roles as per the recruitment protocol process.
Step 4: Once the role has been advertised, the PCSS will review the job description and check for priority candidates across the University to see where there is a skills match.
Step 5: The PCSS will notify the relevant priority candidates that there is a vacancy about to be advertised which aligns with their requirements. For example, a Grade 4 HR vacancy would be recommended to a Grade 4 HR priority candidate where there is a potential skills match.
Step 6: The PCSS will notify the hiring department that there are potential internal candidates who “could” be suitable for their vacancy.
The SAT are offering the priority candidate support scheme and can be contacted by emailing pcss@admin.ox.ac.uk
Once the team have received an email, they will contact you directly either by email or over the phone.
Initially you should contact the PCSS to let them know you would like to engage in the service. If your circumstances change and you no longer want to be a part of the scheme please notify PCSS.
No, the PCSS will support you and signpost you to relevant jobs, but you will need to apply for positions in the normal way. The team can provide resources to help you prepare for interviews and offer advice on your CV and covering letter.
The recruitment freeze and redeployment protocol flowchart here shows which roles may be approved for external advertising.
If roles are externally funded they may proceed immediately to external advertisement. You can still apply for such positions, and the selection panel is required to consider applications from priority candidates before those of other applicants.
The criteria for becoming a priority candidate remain the same.
All priority candidate applicants who meet the essential requirements or could do so with reasonable retraining or a short period of on-the-job experience should be interviewed.
The Internal Jobs Board is accessed via HR Self Service.
You will need to be connected to the VPN before you can log in with your SSO. Once logged in you will be presented with an unfiltered list of job titles, but by clicking on the ‘advanced’ option at the top of the page, you can use the filtering facilities which are used on the main jobs pages.
Whilst the COVID-19 situation has driven a faster solution in creating the function, the Recruitment Project led by the Focus team had already identified that increased support for priority candidates was needed.
During the initial 12 months, the work of the team will be monitored and reviewed as part of the University-wide review of the recruitment freeze and redeployment protocol.
If you are offered a job at one of the Colleges, you will lose your continuous service with the University. Each College acts as an independent employer and has their own terms and conditions, you are not considered as a priority candidate for College jobs.
Yes, you are still able to apply for jobs and to be considered a priority candidate even if you are furloughed. We recommend speaking to your Line Manager or equivalent before you are furloughed so they can provide you with a priority candidate letter which you can then easily attach to your application.
If you are offered a role, the salary offered will reflect the role and your experience and skills. When you contact the PCSS, we will discuss your salary expectations to ensure that we notify you of roles that meet your expectations.
Under the University's redundancy procedures, in some circumstances a limited period of salary protection may be available (for example in some cases where a voluntary severance payment has been offered). You should speak to your departmental contact about whether this applies in your case so that the PCSS team can bear that in mind when reviewing possible vacancies.
The PCSS has been set up primarily to help priority candidates. However, if you are looking to move to another role within the University, we can help signpost you to additional support and career advice.
As a recruiting manager you can contact the team on pcss@admin.ox.ac.uk to discuss a job opportunity you have. The team will discuss the requirements for the role with you and let you know of any priority candidates they are supporting who potentially may be suitable.
If you have no suitable internal candidates within your department, you should contact the adverts team to place an advert so members of the collegiate University can apply.
Email the adverts team on adverts@admin.ox.ac.uk. The PCSS will ensure that adverts are placed internally/externally, based on the approval from the relevant recruitment panel.
Yes, you are required to interview all priority candidate applicants who meet the essential requirements or could do so with reasonable retraining or a short period of on-the-job experience.
PCSS form
See current job opportunities
(Available through University networks/VPN only)
