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Professional Staff Classification Procedures

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Section 1 - Overview

These Procedures provide guidance on the application of the Professional Staff Classification Policy.
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Section 2 - Procedures

(1) The Supervisor, Head of Cost Centre or delegate, should prepare a new Position Statement, including the position dimensions, objectives, qualifications and selection criteria and to whom the position holder reports. A template is available from the Recruitment Team in People and Culture.

(2) It is recommended that selection criteria does not exceed six (6).

(3) In the case of a reclassification, the Head of Cost Centre or Supervisor should review a current Position Statement in consultation with the incumbent.

(4) Staff in the work area, whose work directly interacts with the position being reviewed, should be notified of the proposed changes.

New positions

(5) The Cost Centre, in addition to the new Position Statement, must provide People and Culture with:

  1. the relevant documentation to classify the position, including appropriate approvals;
  2. the relevant documentation to establish the position, including appropriate approvals; and
  3. an organisational chart which includes the new position.

Reclassification

(6) A change in work performed does not of itself constitute a case for reclassification. Reclassification may be appropriate where the duties and responsibilities of the position have been affected by ongoing change. Some other changes may be better addressed by a higher duties allowance. Where a set of duties are only for a fixed term or where the supervisor and employee agree that the duties are temporary, a higher duties allowance must be paid for the duration as an alternative to reclassification.

(7) The Cost Centre, in addition to the revised Position Statements, needs to provide People and Culture with:

  1. the relevant documentation to reclassify the position, including appropriate approvals;
  2. the former (current) Position Statement; and
  3. an organisational chart which includes the revised position.

Workplace Change/Restructure

(8) The Cost Centre, in addition to the revised Position Statements, must provide People and Culture with:

  1. the former (current) Position Statement/s, if applicable; and
  2. the old and new organisational chart which includes the changed position/s.

(9) Where a reclassification decision is made and results in an incumbent being affected by a decision to reclassify (i.e., the position is regraded), People and Culture will formally advise the staff member the variation to their contract, and provide a copy of the new Position Statement.

(10) Head of Cost Centres, or delegates, are expected to advise affected staff of the outcome of reclassification decisions prior to receiving the written advice from People and Culture.

Appeals

(11) A staff member may appeal the outcome of their position reclassification to the Classifications Appeal Committee (c/- Director People and Culture).

(12) An appeal must be lodged, in writing, within ten (10) working days from the notification of the reclassification outcome.

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Section 3 - Definitions

(13) Classification - means a determination of where a position most appropriately fits within the University's Professional Staff levels (Higher Education Officer Level 1 to 10) and is based on the evaluation of work required to be performed as described in the Position Description.

(14) Cost Centre - means the relevant School, Directorate or other business unit.

(15) Professional Staff - means all employees who are employed at Higher Education Officer Level 1 to 10.

(16) Selection criteria - means an appropriate statement of the skills, knowledge, experience and attributes considered essential for the position.

(17) Supervisor - means the role to whom a position reports to.

(18) Normally  – Where the word "normally" is used, it means that it is the default position that must be followed unless exceptional circumstances exist that require a departure from the default position, as determined by the Policy Administrator acting reasonably.