Applications will be assessed initially by the committee at a meeting normally held in March. For those where a prima facie case is judged to have been made, external references will be sought to inform a final decision that will be taken at the following meeting.
For applications that are progressing to references, HR will contact the three referees suggested by the candidate. At least three independent external references will usually be required. The committee will have discretion to approach any of the referees suggested by the candidate, or to identify others as appropriate.
At the meeting in July, the committee will normally reach a decision on the basis of the application documentation and the references that are received.
Candidates will receive a letter after the meeting in March and, if applicable, the meeting in July informing them of the progress of their application.
Each unsuccessful candidate will receive appropriate feedback about their application and the potential for re-submission. When re-applying candidates must submit a full application and not just address how they have responded to the feedback offered. Promotions will be backdated to 1st January before the meeting.