Academic, Academic Related & Professional Staff
Employees applying for promotion in this year’s exercise should take time to study the criteria, and particularly the Guidance Notes for Applicants, to assist in completing documentation as some key changes have been introduced.
In particular, a process of anonymised applications for promotions will be trialled. There are numerous studies that support the introduction of anonymous review in hiring, promotions and other evaluative processes in order to remove the potential for any unconscious gender bias. Research suggests that this may result in greater equality of successful promotions. Please see the Blind Review tab below for further information and detailed guidance.
Academic-related staff are now required to adhere to the word limits specified in the appropriate application form.
The 2017 Promotion Exercise Timetable is below.
Support Staff
Applications for promotion may be submitted at any time in the year, but a minimum of 12 months of service is required before staff are eligible for consideration for promotion. Further information can be found under the Support Staff tab below.
- Promotion Timetable
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2017 Promotions Exercise Timetable
Event Date Formal Launch
9 December 2016
Local Information Sessions
- 12 – 1pm, Tuesday 13 December 2016
IMS Building Level 7 Conference Room, Foresterhill - 12 – 1pm, Wednesday 14 December 2016
Taylor Building A21, Old Aberdeen - 3 – 4pm, Wednesday 14 December 2016
IMS Building Level 7 Conference Room, Foresterhill - 12 – 1pm, Thursday 15 December 2016
Taylor Building A21, Old Aberdeen
Closing date for applications to be submitted to Head of School/Section
30 January 2017
Closing date for Head of School/Section to submit paperwork to HR
6 February 2017
First meeting of Committee
March 2017
Final meeting of Committee
May 2017
Staff Promotion Committee
30 June 2017
Appeals
Concluded by the end of October 2017
- 12 – 1pm, Tuesday 13 December 2016
- Academic Staff
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Guidance The University runs an annual Promotions Exercise for Academic Staff members seeking promotion (Grades 5-9). The following documents have been developed to provide further information about this year's exercise:
If you are interested in applying for a promotion, it may be beneficial to review the following guidance documents before submitting your application:
Forms If you wish to apply for a promotion, please complete the relevant Application Form and Standard CV Form from the list below:
Teaching and Scholarship
- Level 5 (Personal Chair, Grade 9)
- Level 4 (Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), Grade 8)
- Level 3 (Lecturer (Scholarship), Grade 7)
- Level 2 (Teaching Fellow, Grade 6)
Teaching and Research
- Level 5 (Personal Chair, Grade 9)
- Reader (Grade 8)
- Level 4 (Senior Lecturer, Grade 8)
- Level 3 (Lecturer, Grade 7)
Research
- Level 5 (Personal Chair, Grade 9)
- Reader (Grade 8)
- Level 4 (Senior Research Fellow, Grade 8)
- Level 3 (Research Fellow, Grade 7)
- Level 2 (Research Fellow, Grade 6)
- Level 1 (Research Assistant, Grade 5)
Standard CV Form
Contribution Applications for a Contribution Award (available for members of staff in Grades 5-8) may be submitted by individuals, line managers or senior managers who have the overall responsibility for the area of work.
This form should be completed to apply for a Contribution Pay Award:
Please note, where individuals submit a self application, their Line Manager/Head of School/Section will be asked to verify the accuracy of the submission.
Recommendations for in-year salary increases for members of Professorial/Grade 9 staff are considered through the Professorial and Senior Staff Salary Review process. Recommendations for Heads of College are submitted for consideration by the Remuneration Committee.
- Academic Related and Professional Staff
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Guidance The University runs an annual Promotions Exercise for Academic Related and Professional staff members seeking promotion (Grades 5-9). The following documents have been developed to provide further information about this year's exercise:
If you wish to apply for a promotion, please complete the following application form:
It may be beneficial to review the following guidance documents before submitting your application:
Contributions Applications for a Contribution Award (available for members of staff in Grades 5-8) may be submitted by individuals, line managers or senior managers who have the overall responsibility for the area of work.
This form should be completed to apply for a Contribution Pay Award:
Please note, where individuals submit a self application, their Line Manager/Head of School/Section will be asked to verify the accuracy of the submission.
Recommendations for in-year salary increases for members of Professorial/Grade 9 staff are considered through the Professorial and Senior Staff Salary Review process. Recommendations for Heads of College are submitted for consideration by the Remuneration Committee.
- Support Staff
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Guidance Applications for Support Staff seeking promotion to Grades 2-4 may be submitted at any time in the year, but a minimum of 12 months of service is required before staff are eligible for consideration for promotion. The following procedure has been developed to provide further information:
If you are interested in applying for a promotion, it may be beneficial to review the following guidance documents before submitting your application:
Forms If you wish to apply for a promotion, please complete the relevant application form from the list below:
Grade 3
Grade 4
Contribution This form should be submitted by an individual's line manager (following discussion with the individual) to apply for a Contribution Pay Award:
Line managers are expected to regularly consider the contribution of all members of their team and submit applications which meet the criteria as appropriate. However, recommendations that an application be submitted can also be drawn to the line manager’s attention by:
- Individual members of staff
- Colleagues wishing to nominate an individual to receive an award
Please read the following Procedure for full details:
- Job Evaluation
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Overview The University of Aberdeen uses a job evaluation system (HERA) which measures the different elements of each non-clinical role within the institution. This information is used to grade roles in a fair and consistent manner.
The job evaluation process aims to:
- Establish the relative value or size of jobs or roles
- Produce the information required to design and maintain equitable grade and pay structures
- Provide as objective as possible a basis for placing jobs within a grade structure
- Enable consistent decisions to be made about grading jobs or roles
- Ensure that the organisation meets legal and ethical equal pay for work or equal value requirements and that the legal and ethical requirements do not discriminate
Grade Structure
View the University's grade structure and salary scales.
For further information please contact your HR Partner.
Higher Education Role Analysis (HERA) The University uses HERA as its job evaluation tool. HERA is a tool used to evaluate roles found in higher education - this process is also sometimes referred to as job analysis. Job evaluation is the process of measuring different elements of a job in order to grade it in a fair and consistent manner.
HERA involves fourteen 'elements':
- Communication (oral and written)
- Teamwork and motivation
- Liaison and networking
- Service delivery
- Decision making processes and outcomes
- Planning and organising resources
- Initiative and problem solving
- Analysis and research
- Sensory and physical demands
- Work environment
- Pastoral care and welfare
- Team development
- Teaching and learning support
- Knowledge and experience.
These elements have been designed so that roles can be analysed in such a way as to reflect the values of higher education and the aspects of those roles seen as most important.
What is HERA used for?
HERA is used to create a role description or profile and a total points score for a role. The profile is used to support recruitment, selection, training and career development. The total points score is then used to assign roles to grades or bands in the University salary structure.
Why do roles need to be analysed?
The National Framework Agreement (2006) required all higher education institutions to implement a new single spine and grading structure for all staff. To do this, a series of representative roles within each institution had to be identified and analysed to allow each institution to develop (in consultation with its recognised trade unions) an appropriate pay and grading structure.
HERA provides an analytical approach that reflects the values of the sector and provides transparency to the process. Also, using an analysis tool such as HERA ensures that roles within the University are receiving equal pay for work of equal value.
Job Descriptions The University has developed a job description template to gather accurate and up-to-date information about all non-clinical jobs in the University. Guidance on how to complete the form is available, including a number of worked examples (please see links below). If you experience any difficulties completing the template, please contact your HR Partner.
The template was developed and agreed in partnership with the local representatives of all the recognised campus trade unions as part of the Framework Agreement (2006). The template is laid out in such a way to allow Role Analysts to score each role and place this in the University's grade structure.
- Job description template (electronic): this document is designed to be completed on your PC.
- Job description template (hard copy): this document is designed to for completion by hand.
Completion/Guidance Notes
To help you complete the job description template, guidance notes are available to download by clicking the link below:
Worked Examples
A number of worked examples have been produced as guidance for completing job descriptions:
If you require further information or guidance regarding job descriptions, please contact your HR Partner.
National Academic Role Profiles The Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES) have produced a paper providing guidance on the National Academic Role Profiles.
For more information regarding NARPs, please contact your HR Partner.
FAQs Has the Framework Agreement Affected All Staff?
The Framework Agreement included all staff with the exception of staff paid from clinical academic salary scales and a small number of staff whose terms and conditions are excluded from the JNCHES national negotiations. All new non-clinical posts under the University's terms and conditions following the Framework Agreement in 2006 have undergone a job evaluation process using HERA to grade it accordingly.
What is Job Evaluation?
Job evaluation is the process of measuring different elements of a role in order to grade it in a fair and consistent manner. HERA has been used by the University since 2006 to assist with this process.
What is HERA Used for?
HERA is used to create a role description or profile and a total points score for a role. The profile is then used to support recruitment, selection, training, performance and career development. The total points score can be used to assign roles to grades in the salary structure.
Why do Roles Need to be Analysed Using HERA?
The National Framework Agreement required all higher education institutions to implement a new single pay spine and grading structure for all staff by August 2006. To do this, a series of representative roles within each institution had to be identified and analysed before the remaining roles could be allocated into the grading structure as developed by the University (in consultation with the campus trade unions). All new non-clinical posts on the University's terms and conditions have been analysed to identify what grade this equates to. Roles are also analysed as part of the University's annual Promotions Exercise.
- Blind Review
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The Promotions Review Working Group has agreed that for the 2017 Promotions Exercise, a process of anonymised applications for promotions will be trialled. This will be introduced by the first step of assessing applications being a ‘blind review’ by role analysts. Please see the following document for further information: