Role evaluation and review

Policy

Policy statement

Role evaluation and review is the ongoing process of evaluating new roles and reviewing roles that change over time.

Requests for role evaluation and review are made by management and should be in line with the business requirements and budget of the department as agreed as part of the overall planning process. Detailed procedures and management guidelines are available.

Scope

This policy covers all support staff on the University of York grading structure.

Aims

To ensure that all roles are appropriately graded and that substantive changes to a role are considered in a timely way and reflected in the grade for the role using the Higher Education Role Analysis (HERA) methodology of job evaluation.

Principles

  • Role evaluation supports the principles of equal pay for work of equal value
  • Roles will be evaluated and reviewed equitably in accordance with the University’s policy on equal opportunities
  • HERA is the chosen method for role evaluation
  • The University will continue to develop generic HERA evaluated roles and phase out many unique HERA Written Records over time
  • Line Managers will be encouraged to identify appropriate generic HERA evaluated roles
  • Roles cannot be fully evaluated without clear and concise evidence of the responsibilities of the role. Where this is not available, HR reserves the right to withhold the release of scores and to request additional evidence or clarification of the requirements of the role
  • HR will review the outcomes of role evaluation for new and/or changed roles against existing roles across the University and will continue to consistency check element scores against those of similar roles
  • It is not normally expected that any role would be changed or reviewed more than once in any one year

Responsibilities

Role Accountable for

Department – Line Manager (LM)

  • Ensuring appropriate funding is in place and that role evaluation/review request is in line with departmental plans
  • Initiating the role review or role evaluation request and completing the required documents
  • Defining the new or changed role by means of a Job Description, Person Specification and revised Organisation Chart
  • Communicating (verbally) the outcomes of Role Evaluation & Review to individuals in post

Head of Faculty Operations (HFO) / PSS Operations Manager
  • Review the paperwork provided and has a discussion with the relevant manager
  • Provides their authorisation based on the role review proposal

Roleholder
  • Agreeing any changes to responsibilities of current role
  • Providing additional evidence of requirements of the role should this be needed

Head of Department (HoD)

  • Approving the new role or agreeing the substantive changes to an existing role
  • Considering the impact (both within and outside the department) of creating new and/or changing existing roles
  • Sending all documentation to HR Services

HR Services
  • Producing the appropriate written communication to the individual following the finalisation of the evaluation/review

HR Adviser
  • Ensuring that new and changed roles are in line with agreed departmental plans
  • Providing manager support as required
  • Assisting in the clarification of evidence or requirements of the role following questions or concerns raised an Evaluation Panel or the Rewards Analyst

Rewards Team
  • Evaluating new and changed roles and allocating the appropriate grade and salary range
  • Communicating the interim/final outcomes of the evaluation to HR & Departments
  • Triggering the appropriate letter/change of contract for the individual
  • Alerting HR Managers/HoDs to the impact of potential changes in a wider context (cross-University)
  • Seeking further evidence or clarity on the requirements of roles where necessary
  • Consistency checking of scores against other roles within the University

Glossary of terms

HERA – Higher Education Role Analysis
The University’s job evaluation scheme for all roles covered by this policy.

Approval

The policy was approved by the Framework Committee in June 2006.

Monitoring and review of policy

The policy will be monitored through Equal Pay reviews and audits and statistical reports will be provided to HR Policy Committee on a regular basis.

Document control

  • Last reviewed: 28 April 2023