Procedure overview
- 1 Purpose
- 2 Scope
- 3 Procedure Overview
- 4 Procedures
- 5 Delegated Responsibilities
- 6 References
- 7 Schedules
- 8 Procedure Information
1 Purpose
PLEASE NOTE: All human resource management policy instruments are currently under review to ensure alignment with the new Enterprise Agreement. Contact the People Portfolio for more information.
To provide details of the benefits, processes and documentation associated with the Professional Employee Position Progression (PEPP) program available for professional Employees.
2 Scope
This Procedure applies to continuing and fixed-term (more than 12 months service in the position) professional Employee positions.
3 Procedure Overview
This Procedure outlines the PEPP program which recognises that duties and responsibilities of certain positions may have the potential to move beyond the current classification level and require advanced skills, knowledge or experience.
PEPP provides the opportunity for an Employee to advance from one classification level to the next when assessment of the duties is confirmed at the next level by a formal job evaluation. A position will only advance to the next level when it is within approved budgets and when it is demonstrated that the duties are required on a continuing basis.
PEPP may not be suitable for all positions, and some positions may never progress due to the nature of the work, organisational structures or other organisational requirements.
4 Procedures
4.1 Work required at the next level
PEPP provides Employees with the opportunity for further development and extended career and salary progression which is recognised through advanced duties and responsibilities and demonstrated increased knowledge, skills and experience. However, the program is not a mechanism for rewarding individual performance. PEPP is coordinated through the performance management process based on organisational requirements and identifies increased knowledge, skills and abilities, not on recognition of individual performance.
In determining whether a position is required at a higher level, the following will be taken into consideration:
- appropriate support at all levels (i.e. Supervisor, Category 4 Delegate or above);
- availability of adequate funding as determined by the Divisional Head to support the full range of the proposed position progression levels;
- the needs of the organisational area and consistency with long term strategic and operational plans (e.g. how the position/s meet the University's strategic and operational needs, identified niche areas, workforce planning considerations etc.);
- sufficient need for work at a higher, more complex level which requires advanced skills, knowledge and experience to justify progression to a higher level;
- clearly demonstrated career path opportunities where duties and responsibilities increase in complexity and depth in line with the needs of the organisational area and are consistent with the classification standards of the next level;
- relativity issues with other positions in the work area and across the University as appropriate.
Movement to a higher level is not automatic and can only occur if all the following criteria for advancement to the next classification level are met:
- the Employee has performed competently as determined by the performance management process;
- the Supervisor assesses the Employee through the annual performance planning and review process and confirms the Employee demonstrates the increased knowledge, skills and experience to meet the requirements for the next level.
4.2 Process and documentation
Discussions between a Supervisor and Employee regarding PEPP occur as part of the annual performance review process. This discussion will involve consideration of whether position requirements have changed and increased in complexity, and whether the University requires those duties and responsibilities to be performed by the Employee on an ongoing basis. It will also involve an assessment of whether the Employee has the increased knowledge, skills and abilities to undertake the advanced position requirements.
A Supervisor may then recommend proceeding through the position progression process during the annual performance planning and review by providing justification and evidence that the required criteria have been met.
For positions where a current position description exists at the next classification level, the position description is to be attached to the online ServiceHub form.
For positions where a current position description does not exist, a new position description is to be developed and attached to the online ServiceHub form.
The Delegate recommendation including confirmation of budget availability is to be attached to the ServiceHub form.
The annual performance planning and review is to be completed by the end of February each year.
In cases where only one position is needed at the higher level and there is more than one eligible Employee, the work area may conduct a confined recruitment process open to those within that job stream to determine which Employee is recommended to move to the higher level.
4.3 Evaluation process
The Chief People Officer will nominate a representative of the People Portfolio to whom applications for PEPP are referred. The People Portfolio representative will allocate two trained evaluators to conduct an evaluation of the position.
A review of the classification level of an Employee's position will:
- be conducted by two trained evaluators;
- be based on the position description provided with the progression documentation through the performance review process;
- use the Mercer Cullen Egan Dell (CED) points factor evaluation system;
- comply with the Enterprise Agreement.
The Chief People Officer will ensure that evaluations meet the requirements of the job evaluation system checks, feasibility checks and organisation consistency checks. Profiles will not be changed without the involvement of the evaluators.
For positions in job streams which already have a current evaluated position description with a confirmed classification level, a further evaluation is not required.
4.4 Moderation Panel
A Moderation Panel will be established to moderate the outcomes of PEPP. The Moderation Panel will comprise the following:
- Chief People Officer;
- nominee of the Vice-Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor's Executive (VCE);
- one on-campus representative from each of the Unions covered by the Enterprise Agreement;
- People Portfolio representative, as executive officer.
All members of the Moderation Panel are to be provided with training in the Mercer CED points factor job evaluation system.
When considering outcomes, the Moderation Panel will be provided with the documentation used in the evaluation process including updated position descriptions and the current and previous evaluated profiles. The Moderation Panel will advise the People Portfolio representative of its recommendations and if required, a meeting will be convened to discuss position progression applications further.
For those positions where an existing evaluated position description is available at the next level, the Moderation Panel will be provided with a list of those Employees who are recommended to progress to the higher level.
4.5 PEPP outcomes
The People Portfolio will forward outcomes and recommendations of the Moderation Panel to the Chief People Officer and indicate the proposed actions to be taken.
The Chief People Officer will advise the Delegate via memorandum of the outcome of each application for position progression.
The Chief People Officer will notify applicants of the outcome via the Delegate.
Where the position has been evaluated at the next classification level, the Employee will be paid at step one of the new classification level, effective from 1 May.
4.6 Feedback and review
Applicants may request feedback concerning the position progression process and outcome by contacting the People Portfolio.
Employees who were not supported by the Delegate for consideration for position progression may request an evaluation of their position by utilising the 'Seek Review' option in the online performance planning and review system.
5 Delegated Responsibilities
| Approver | Level of Delegation |
| Category 2 Delegate or above | Recommend or otherwise advancement to the next classification level, and approve funding. |
6 References
Nil.
7 Schedules
This procedure must be read in conjunction with its subordinate schedules as provided in the table below.
8 Procedure Information
| Accountable Officer | Chief People Officer |
| Responsible Officer | Chief People Officer |
| Policy Type | University Procedure |
| Policy Suite | |
| Subordinate Schedules | |
| Approved Date | 2/11/2021 |
| Effective Date | 2/11/2021 |
| Review Date | 3/4/2024 |
| Relevant Legislation | |
| Policy Exceptions | |
| Related Policies | |
| Related Procedures | Position Descriptions and Position Classification Standards Procedure |
| Related forms, publications and websites | |
| Definitions | Terms defined in the Definitions Dictionary |
| Delegate (noun) means the officer, Employee or committee of the University to whom, or to which, a delegation of authority has been made under this Policy....moreDelegate (noun) means the officer, Employee or committee of the University to whom, or to which, a delegation of authority has been made under this Policy. A person employed by the University and whose conditions of employment are covered by the Enterprise Agreement and includes persons employed on a continuing, fixed term or casual basis. Employees also include senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University....moreA person employed by the University and whose conditions of employment are covered by the Enterprise Agreement and includes persons employed on a continuing, fixed term or casual basis. Employees also include senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University. An operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy....moreAn operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy. The term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland....moreThe term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland. University of Southern Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026....moreUniversity of Southern Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026. | |
| Definitions that relate to this procedure only | |
| Supervisor Any person responsible for leading the activities of others. In the context of this Procedure a Supervisor includes Employees at any classification level or title who have responsibilities for leading, managing or supervising work teams and/or individual Employees. | |
| Keywords | Classification, level, evaluation, advancement, performance planning and review |
| Record No | 13/359PL |