• Section 1 - Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Glossary
• Section 3 - Policy
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines
• Part A - Search Strategy
• Part B - Procedures for Developing and Implementing a Search Plan
• Part C - Strategies That May be Adopted by a Search Plan
• Part D - Longer Term Strategies

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) These Guidelines are intended to assist senior managers to develop an effective search plan, as required by the Charles Sturt University strategy, to increase applications from qualified women when recruiting to senior the University positions.

Scope

(2) These Guidelines apply to managers recruiting women to academic staff positions at Level D or above and general staff positions at Level 10 and above.

Section 2 - Glossary

(3) A search plan is a recruitment tool designed to broaden the pool of applicants by bringing a vacancy to the attention of candidates who are not actively searching for another position or who may not have considered applying for the vacant position. A search plan may utilise both formal and informal networks and is generally implemented as an adjunct to the normal recruitment process by advertisement.

Section 3 - Policy

(4) Nil.

Section 4 - Procedures

(5) Nil.

Section 5 - Guidelines

Part A - Search Strategy

(6) Women are a minority of staff in senior positions at the the University. As one among a number of strategies to increase the representation of women in leadership roles, the Vice-Chancellor has approved the implementation of search plans as follows.

(7) Faculties and Divisions will develop search plans to increase applications from women to academic positions at Level D or above and general staff positions at Level 10 or above.

(8) Faculties and Divisions will report to the Executive Director, Human Resources on the measures implemented by the search plan and their outcome. These reports will form part of the the University's reporting to external agencies on its EEO programme for women.

(9) Where there are no female applicants to a senior position and the Faculty/Division has not implemented a search plan, short-listing will be delayed until such a plan is implemented.

Part B - Procedures for Developing and Implementing a Search Plan

(10) The search plan is usually drawn up at the same time as the advertisement and the selection criteria. The actual search should be initiated either just before or at the same time as the position is advertised.

(11) Only women who are suitably qualified should be invited to apply and no commitment should be given in terms of the outcome of an application. All applicants will be short-listed and selected on the basis of merit.

(12) A draft letter that can be adapted to advise potential candidates about vacant positions is available from the Division of Human Resources.

(13) If an executive search firm is employed to identify suitable applicants for senior positions, the firm should be apprised of these guidelines and requested to take appropriate action, including making a report on the number of women and men contacted.

(14) The Executive Dean, Executive Director or other employee responsible for recruiting to the position should provide a report on the search process, with a list of the women who were approached, as part of the selection documentation forwarded to the Division of Human Resources. A standard report form is available from the Division of Human Resources.

Part C - Strategies That May be Adopted by a Search Plan

(15) Faculties and Divisions may use, but are not restricted to, any of the following options:

1. identify qualified female applicants within the the University and invite them to apply for the position;
2. contact people who are in a position to identify prominent women in the discipline or profession who might meet the requirements - for example, heads of departments in Australian or overseas universities, senior managers in the field, key figures in relevant professional or academic associations;
3. contact senior women in the field who are known to employees of the Faculty/Division and believed to possess the appropriate qualifications - if they are not interested, they may be able to suggest other colleagues;
4. use the AVCC Register of Senior Women or the University handbooks to identify and contact appropriately qualified senior women at other universities;
5. use women's academic networks or professional networks to place advertisements;
6. advertise at conferences and seminars organised by women in the profession;
7. contact the Human Resources Co-ordinator (Recruitment) for information held by the Division of Human Resources on relevant email lists and databases that could be used in a search process;
8. use search firms which specialise in gender diversity searches;
9. refer to flexible work arrangements in the advertisement and advice to potential applicants.

Part D - Longer Term Strategies

(16) Longer term strategies for increasing the applicant pool of women for senior positions include the following:

1. keep in contact with women from the Faculty/Division who have been promoted to positions outside the the University - they may be able to provide contact with other eligible women outside the the University
2. invite visiting female scholars to the Faculty and use them to establish contact with suitably qualified women in their organisations;
3. encourage and support the career development of women in your own Faculty/Division
4. seek to attract more postgraduate female students and provide support to retain them;
5. use conferences as opportunities for talent spotting.