Career Grades Scheme process - General principles

Progression within career grades may be viewed as a series of jobs with different levels of job demands and responsibilities and is designed to enable employees to progress in terms of incremental knowledge, skill and experience to the level of job required to be performed or delivered i.e. the vacancy should be at the highest level of the career grade.

Career grades should only be created where there are recruitment and/or retention difficulties or to support the transition of apprentices into employment with the council. They cannot be used as a way of rewarding high performance in a job.

In appointing a person to a career grade the manager should remember that they are appointing a prospective employee who should, with proper development, have the capability to operate at the top level of the Career Grade i.e. the job.

Career grades must only be created at the point of a vacancy. (They cannot be created during the recruitment process. In these circumstances if it is determined that a career grade is necessary the job must be re-advertised). However it may be appropriate to advertise the job and to state in the advert that recruitment may be via a Career Grade. The further details would then have to specify how the career grade will work (see below) including the levels and pay of the career grade.   

Existing employees can apply for career graded jobs where relevant as all vacancies are advertised internally and externally where appropriate. Existing employees will still be required to meet the necessary criteria and behaviours. Pay Protection would not apply in these circumstances and the existing employee will be paid (and work) to the relevant point of entry. Career grades will have clearly defined responsibilities that apply to each level of the linked roles and there should be an identifiable pattern of career progression.

Career grades can be filled on a part time or full time basis.

Progression within career grades should only be to the highest level of the link i.e. the level of post needed to be filled.

When creating a career grade, the AD should determine the job requirements of each level and the qualifications, skills and competencies necessary (Appendix 4 is a template designed to assist in this process).

The AD should ensure that each level within the linked grades is determined separately through identifying either an existing role or through the allocation process within the Job Family structure. In some cases the grades may move between job families. For example the lower level may be more practical and the higher level may be more organisational.

If necessary, where there is no existing job, the job allocation / grading process must be followed including the corporate consistency checking process. This is to ensure fair and equal pay.

Employees on a career grade should be undertaking duties and responsibilities commensurate with the level that they are paid. For example they must not progress unless they can undertake the new / higher role and neither should they undertake work of a higher role if they are not paid to do so.

Each level in the career grade should be justified and there should be no more than three career grade levels for example entry level, intermediate and final level.

Increments within each grade will depend on the circumstances of the role and the reason for the career grade. They may be awarded after a minimum of six months but for example some professional roles require a one year probationary period and in these circumstances the increments will not apply until this probation period is assessed as successfully completed. In other circumstances an increment within the grade may only be awarded if the employee is fully competent at that level.

Appointments can be at the entry level or intermediate level provided the candidate meets the essential criteria for that level. If they meet the final level there is no need for a career grade.

The advert should outline, and the further particulars should detail, the levels of the career grade, and should include the post specification for each level so that candidates can address their application appropriately and can understand how it will work in practice.

Progression within the career grade will only occur following a full assessment against pre-determined competencies and the attainment of relevant qualifications, skills or competencies.

Whilst appropriate support will be given and additional measures or timescales may be implemented if appropriate, failure to achieve the standards will affect progression within the career grade and may result in the appointment being terminated using either the Capability or Disciplinary Procedure as appropriate.

Career grades will not normally apply to any post that is responsible for the management of staff until the highest level is achieved and it is a requirement of the job.

Market Supplements or other recruitment incentives will not normally be paid to career grades but may in exceptional circumstances.

Examples of a career grade jobs

These are:

• Apprentice Vehicle Maintenance and Repair
• Intermediate Level = newly qualified but without the additional job specific qualifications and competencies
• Final level = Fleet Services Mechanic (including for example HGV driving licence)
• Intermediate level = Newly qualified Social Worker or Academy
• Final level = qualified practitioner i.e. the Social Worker job (must have passed Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE)