RECRUITMENT POLICY
1.0
Statement of Purpose
The Ministry of Social Development (Ministry) is committed to recruiting people with
the skills and qualities necessary to carry out their roles effectively, efficiently and in
keeping with the Ministry’s values.
The recruitment policy and procedures are intended to assist people within the Ministry
who are responsible for recruitment to make fair and objective selection decisions that
support the Ministry in achieving its vision and goals.
1.1
Background
Recruitment is a key part of the Ministry’s Human Resources function and forms an
integral part of its policies and procedures.
The recruitment policy applies to the appointment of permanent, temporary (fixed
term), and casual staff to positions in the Ministry.
This policy is to be read in conjunction with the process guidelines and should be
followed irrespective of who is managing the recruitment process.
1.2
Guiding Principles
Effective recruitment is one way that the Ministry builds its people capability. Our
recruitment policy and procedures are supported by the following principles:

selection on merit

open, honest and transparent processes

valuing diversity

privacy for the individual
In practice, these principles mean that:

The person best suited to the job is appointed to the position. (s60 State Sector Act
1988).

Applicants are given sufficient information to allow clear and accurate
understanding of the role.
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1.3

Recruitment and selection processes are open, consistent, and fair. Selection
decisions are merit-based and do not discriminate (either directly or indirectly) or
appear to discriminate. (s21 Human Rights Act 1993)

Recruitment and selection processes are professional and objective, with selection
based on relevant, specific selection criteria. All processes and recommendations
are documented.

The Ministry values diversity and works to build a people profile that reflects its
communities and clients.

The privacy of all people who express interest in a vacancy is protected.

Ministry staff are encouraged to apply and be considered for positions within the
organisation thus supporting retention and career development strategies.

Ministry staff can seek a review of an appointment and there are clear procedures
available to support this.
Diversity and Legislation
The policy and guidelines comply with relevant legislation including the Human Rights
Act 1993, the Privacy Act 1993, the Employment Relations Act 2000 and our
obligations under the State Sector Act 1988.
1.4
Definitions
Hiring manager
The manager responsible for the vacant position. This will
usually be the manager to whom the appointee will report.
Approving manager
The manager two levels above the vacant position, i.e. the
person the Hiring Manager reports to. (Note: A General
Manager can approve the recruitment of a level three
manager)
Substantive position
A staff member’s permanent position within the Ministry.
Substantive appointee A staff member who holds a position on a permanent basis.
Backfilling
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Using an acting or temporary appointment, or a secondment,
to fill a position while the substantive appointee is acting in
another role, away on a secondment or is on long term leave.
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1.5
Initiating a recruitment process
Before recruiting for a new or existing position, the hiring manager must determine the
most efficient way to manage the work and to determine whether a genuine vacancy
exists over the longer term.
Permanent appointments are only made to genuine vacancies after considering:
 the position’s current and future workload;
 its fit within the unit or group;
 the Ministry’s strategic direction; and
 any budgetary constraints.
The hiring manager may decide to:
 make a permanent appointment;
 make a temporary (fixed term) appointment;
 use an acting appointment;
 use a secondment; or
 use a contractor or consultant.
The hiring manager must discuss the case for recruitment with the approving manager
and gain his/her approval before proceeding.
1.6
Permanent appointments
Where a new position is being established the hiring manager must refer to the
Ministry’s Guidelines for Establishing a Position.
Vacancies that arise out of formal organisational change processes or other
restructuring (e.g. within a team, unit or group) may be subject to specific processes
developed to manage that change. It is common practice to delay making a
permanent appointment until the change process is completed.
Hiring managers must contact their Human Resources Consultant for further
information in these cases.
1.7
Temporary (Fixed Term) Positions
Temporary (fixed term) appointments can be used for defined tasks or projects that
have a fixed term or limited period – usually no more than twelve months duration.
Temporary appointments are used to employ people with a particular set of skills or
expertise that will only be required for a defined period.
The hiring manager must have genuine reasons for specifying that employment is
temporary and will end on a specified date, or following a specified event, or at the end
of a specified project.
If a temporary position is to be for a period of twelve months or more, this recruitment
policy and the guidelines apply in full.
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The approving manager has the discretion to waive certain recruitment procedures in
cases where it is considered that following the full process will not add substantial
value. In these cases the approving manager should discuss this with their Human
Resources Consultant and document their reasons for not following policy. Note that
the parts of the process that cannot be waived are outlined in the recruitment
procedures.
If a temporary (fixed term) position is subsequently converted to a permanent position,
it must be treated as a new vacancy with the full recruitment policy and procedures
being followed.
1.8
Acting Appointments
An acting appointment can be a useful way to fill a role while decisions are made about
the future direction of the position and its place in the unit or group. An acting
appointment may also be used to backfill a position when the substantive appointee is
away on secondment, parental leave, study leave or extended sick leave.
An acting appointment is usually for a specific period. The acting appointee holds the
delegations of the position for the duration.
Any allowances to be paid to the acting appointee must be agreed in writing with the
approving manager before the appointee begins in the acting role. Further information
about acting appointments (and allowances) is included in the Ministry’s Secondments
Policy and the relevant procedures on iNet.
1.9
Secondments
Secondments provide useful opportunities for staff to broaden their work experiences
and grow their careers, and for the Ministry to undertake its functions flexibly and
effectively. Secondments may be made within the Ministry or between the Ministry
and other organisations. At the end of a secondment the secondee returns to his/her
substantive position which has been held open for the duration of the secondment but
may have been backfilled.
Refer to the Ministry’s Secondments Policy and the relevant procedures on iNet for
further information about secondments.
1.10
Advertising Positions
The Ministry requires that every vacancy (permanent, temporary, casual, contract or
fixed term) that is over six months in duration is advertised at least internally.
Wherever possible the Ministry encourages all vacancies (including short term ones) to
be advertised more widely to build capability within the Ministry and across the Public
Service.
The only exceptions to this policy may be for some secondment positions, some acting
positions and temporary positions of less than six months’ duration, and situations
where recent advertising for an identical position has not identified any suitable
applicants internally or externally.
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Any decision not to advertise internally or externally should be discussed with the
Human Resources Consultant and documented and approval obtained from the
approving manager.
Please refer to the Ministry’s Guidelines for Advertising on the iNET.
1.11
The Selection Process
The selection process for all permanent positions in the Ministry includes the following
components as a minimum requirement:
1.12

ideal person profile (where available);

structured short-listing process to identify applicants for interview;

structured interview(s); and

structured reference and other relevant pre-employment checks.
Use of a Recruitment Agency
Hiring managers based in the regional offices will be required to manage their own
recruitment assignments. Hiring Managers based in National Office will work with a
Recruitment Consultant based in National Office HR.
There may be occasions where it is beneficial or necessary to engage a recruitment
agency to manage a recruitment assignment, i.e.:

It is a senior management or key position where a search process in required.

There is a shortage of applicants with the required skills and experience in the
external market and it is necessary to tap into an agency’s pool of applicants
and/or resources.

There is a ‘mass’ recruitment assignment that requires the assistance of external
resources to handle the recruitment and selection process.

It is known that suitable applicants for a position are more likely to apply through a
recruitment agency than respond directly to an advertisement placed by the
Ministry.

The Manager does not have the time or resources to manage the recruitment
effectively him/herself and other staff are unavailable.
Hiring managers based in National Office are advised to discuss this approach with
their Recruitment consultant so that a suitable agency is engaged for the role. If the
use a recruitment agency is required, the hiring manager must prepare a case and
gain approval from the relevant General Manager or Regional Commissioner prior to
entering into discussions with an agency.
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1.13
Variations to Standard Offer Terms and Conditions
On rare occasions there may be reason to consider a non-standard individual
employment agreement or a variation to standard offer terms and conditions of
employment.
Approval for any non-standard provisions can only be given by the General Manager,
Human Resources and must be discussed and approved at this level before it is
discussed with the prospective staff member.
1.14
Commencing in the Position
The successful applicant will not normally start work until the offer of appointment is
accepted (by signing the letter of offer) and relevant checks have been completed.
In some instances the successful applicant may start work before all the checks have
been completed. In these circumstances the appointment remains provisional until all
checks have been completed and cleared, including the Department for Courts
Criminal Convictions Check, Bankruptcy checks through the NZ Insolvency and
Trustee Services website and Baytrace checks for known aliases, as well as the Full
Benefit Declaration checks.
1.15
Recruitment Documentation
Each recruitment process must be well documented to provide a record that may be
used in any review and / or complaints process, or if subsequent questions arise about
the appointment.
Key documents generated by the recruitment panel during the recruitment process e.g.
Memorandum of Decision to Appoint Staff, are to be held on the Manager’s file until
two conditions are met:
 The review of appointment period has passed and any reviews have been
completed. This is outlined in section 1.16 below and refers to the 10 day period
within which Ministry staff may seek a review of an appointment.
 A minimum of twelve months has passed since the recruitment process
commenced or a complaint made about the process under the Human Rights Act
is bought to resolution, whichever is the longer.
The regional hiring manager are responsible for collating and filing the documentation
and holding it in a secure place. Once the above conditions have been met, the
documentation may be destroyed. For national office hiring managers, the recruitment
consultant will collate all the relevant documentation.
In addition to keeping on file documentation on the recruitment process,
documentation about the successful candidate will need to be held permanently on
that staff member’s personal file e.g. their application form. Requirements on what
documents must be held for the successful candidate is outlined in the Recruitment
Procedures.
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1.16
Review of an Appointment
Ministry staff have 10 working days to seek a review of an appointment. The
appointment remains provisional during this time and until any reviews have been
completed.
The review process is intended to provide an effective means of dealing with a staff
member’s concern about a particular appointment process. The review is a process
where an independent reviewer gathers information from all parties and considers the
fairness of the process to the individual staff member and to the Ministry. (The process
has been approved in accordance with section 65 of the State Sector Act 1988.)
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