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Guidance for applicants to UCLPartners

​Contents

General information about our recruitment process

Timescales 

Our job adverts usually run for around two weeks and close at midnight on the specified closing date (exceptions to this will be clearly stated in the job advert). You must submit your application before this date and time. We do not accept any applications after this date unless a position is re-advertised. 

Our adverts sometimes close early if we receive a high response rate, even where there’s a published deadline, so please submit your application as soon as possible. 

Where possible we will include the interview date or predicted interview date on the advert. You will be informed via email if the interview date changes. 

If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date it is unlikely that we are progressing your application for the role. Very occasionally our shortlisting process may take longer than two weeks so please bear with us. We aim to notify you of the outcome of your application as soon as possible, whether you are shortlisted for interview or not. 

Salary 

The salary range of the pay grade associated with the role you are applying for will be shown on the job advert and at the bottom of the job description. At the point of offer, all new joiners are automatically offered the bottom of the range advertised unless proof of higher earnings is provided (evidenced for example via a current pay slip or contract). In that case we would look to match the existing salary up to the top of the range advertised. 

Secondments 

Certain roles will be advertised as a secondment opportunity. In some circumstances, secondments will be considered for fixed-term posts.  If you wish to undertake the role as a secondment and to apply on this basis, please talk to your substantive line manager and the recruiting manager prior to submitting your application to see if this is possible.   

Flexible working 

We support flexible working. You will be able to make a request to work flexibly from your first day in the job. The expected whole-time equivalent will be stated in the job advert e.g. full-time or 0.8 WTE. Our standard working hours for  full-time employees are 37.5 hours per week (7.5 hours per day). Daily working hours  are flexible between 7.30am and 6.30pm. Working times will be agreed  with your line manager upon appointment. 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and all people acting on our behalf must perform their duties in a manner that supports and promotes this commitment. We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and a sense of belonging; and for our work to help tackle wider health inequalities. Read more about our approach. 

We welcome applications from people from underrepresented groups, including those with a disability or long-term health condition and neurodiverse applicants. 

Collection of equal opportunity data 

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and eliminating discrimination at work. We collect data about candidates’ protected characteristics for monitoring purposes at the application and interview stages of the recruitment pathway.  Reviewing this data helps us to: 

  • ensure the effectiveness and fairness of our recruitment and selection processes and make data-driven improvements
  • identify areas for improvement across the recruitment pathway, and 
  • identify any issues that could prevent us from building a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve.   

Filling in this form is voluntary, and you can select ‘prefer not to say’ if you would rather not answer a question. The information provided will be kept confidential and will only be used for monitoring purposes. It will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview or shortlisting panel. 

By completing the form you give your consent to UCLPartners processing the data supplied in the form for the purpose of recruitment and selection. Consent can be withdrawn at any time. To withdraw consent, please email hr@uclpartners.com 

We collect this data at the application and interview stages of the recruitment pathway. By completing the form you will enable us to make data-driven improvements to our recruitment process.  

Visas and right to work 

We are unable to offer visa sponsorship to candidates e.g. Tier 2 visas. You will need to have pre-existing right to work in the UK. 

Application stage 

How can I tell if the job is right for me? 

Look carefully at the advert, job description and person specification for the position.  Ask yourself why you are interested in the job and whether you meet the job requirements.  If you would like further information about the job, please contact the person at the bottom of the job advert or email hr@uclpartners.com 

We select people based on values, skills, knowledge and experience.  The ‘You’ section of the job description covers the essential criteria for the job you are applying for, our job descriptions do not include desirable criteria, with exceptions for certain specialised roles. We will review your application against these criteria to evaluate your suitability for the role. 

We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. Even if you do not feel you meet every one of the criteria listed, we would encourage you to apply as you may have other transferable skills, experience and/or knowledge relevant to the post which you intend to apply for.

The decision to shortlist an applicant is not influenced by any protected characteristics. 

How do I apply? 

We use BambooHR for recruitment and applicant tracking. To apply for a role you will need to upload your CV and a cover letter to BambooHR. Please ensure that you upload the correct documents and that the email address you provide is correct. 

Please follow the link in the job advert to the application portal. If you have found our vacancy through NHS jobs, please use the link to our website to apply through BambooHR. 

When you apply you will also be asked about your right to work and how you heard about the vacancy and will be invited to complete our equal opportunities monitoring form.

You will receive an automated email from BambooHR to let you know that your application has been received. You will receive further email updates on your application through this system. After you apply, please check your email address regularly. Please provide your phone number where possible so that we have another point of contact. 

Emails from Bamboo may be filtered into your junk folder so please check these folders.  

Please make sure your application relates to the requirements of the job description and the person specification.  

We are unable to provide feedback on applications at this stage of the process if you are not shortlisted for interview. 

Reasonable Adjustments 

If you require any adjustments to the application stage of the process, for example the job description shared in a different format, please email hr@uclpartners.com 

Interview stage  

If you are invited to interview you will receive an email through BambooHR, again please check your junk folder. This email will specify the date, time and location of the interview, who will be interviewing you, and arrival instructions. You will also be informed if you will be required to undertake any tasks or prepare anything for the interview.  

Please let us know at this stage if there is anything you would like the hiring manager or interview panel to know in advance of the interview. 

You may find it helpful to look at our website to find out more about UCLPartners and the work we do. 

All the information required for you to attend the interview, including details of any assessments, will be outlined in the invite to interview email. If you are required to attend a stakeholder panel as part of the recruitment process this will also be outlined in the invite.  

Location and Travel Requirements  

Our preference is to hold interviews in person, although we may offer virtual interviews on a case-by-case basis. If you require a virtual interview, please state this when you respond to the invite email. 

In person interviews will be held at the UCLPartners office. Our address is 3rd Floor, 170 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7HA. 

The nearest tube and/or train stations are Warren Street (Victoria and Northern Line) (4 mins), Goodge Street (Northern Line) (4 mins), Euston (Victoria Line, Overground, National Rail) (10 mins), Tottenham Court Road (Central, Elizabeth, Northern Line) (10 mins). 

There are a number of bus stops right outside the office e.g. Capper Street (Stop N) on various routes, and Warren Street Station (Stop X). 

We recommend that you arrive 10 minutes early to ensure you are in the right place. Upon arrival, please take the lift to the 3rd floor and wait in the kitchen area (this is immediately as you walk into the office). One of the panel members or another UCLPartners staff member will greet you in the kitchen. The reception on the ground floor of the building operates 24/7 and they will be able to direct you. If you are arriving late or unable to make the interview, please email the individual who invited you to interview to inform them. 

With regret we are not able to reimburse candidate expenses in connection with attendance at interviews. 

Accessibility 

The building has accessible lifts to take candidates up to the 3rd floor. One accessible WC can be found on the 3rd floor where we are based and further accessible WC facilities can be found on the 2nd floor. Please inform us of any reasonable adjustments you may require before attending the interview. 

Interview Process 

We conduct competency-based interviews. You may be asked to prepare a task or presentation beforehand, or to complete a task on the day of the interview. For presentation tasks, you will be informed whether slides are required, however we may ask you to think about the question in advance with a view to discuss at interview without visual cues. 

Interviews usually last 45 minutes, although may be longer (up to 1 hour) or slightly shorter (30 to 40 minutes) depending on what is involved. 

You will be given the approximate timings on your invite to interview email. 

Stakeholder Panels 

We may hold a stakeholder panel for certain positions, particularly more senior positions. 

You will be informed if this is the case either in the job advert or in the invite to interview email. Stakeholder panels are usually held on the same day as the interview. For example, you may have a 30-minute stakeholder panel, shortly followed by a 45-minute interview panel. 

The purpose of a stakeholder panel is to:  

  • give candidates the opportunity to meet key stakeholders from across the organisation 
  • help candidates get to know UCLPartners and how we work 
  • give a broader selection of staff across the organisation the opportunity to meet candidates who they could be working with and to be involved in their recruitment 
  • help us to gather a diverse range of perspectives from different teams, areas of expertise and grades. 

Stakeholder panels are more conversational and relaxed than interviews, although still form part of the assessment. The panel will have some topic areas to help guide the conversation and you will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout. Feedback from the stakeholder panel is provided to the hiring manager to help their decision making. 

The stakeholder panel won’t have seen your CV or cover letter (unlike the interview panel), so don’t assume they know about your background and experience.  

Outcome and Feedback 

After interview, the interview panel (with input from the stakeholder panel if relevant), will make their selection decision.  Next steps and timelines will be outlined at the end of the interview.  

All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.  We will endeavour to notify candidates over the phone where possible. Candidates not selected for appointment are invited to seek feedback on their interview.   

We are unable to offer feedback on applications where candidates are not selected for interview. 

Reasonable Adjustments 

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need to enable them to participate in the interview process. You will be asked in your invite to interview email whether you require any reasonable adjustments. 

If there are additional options you’d like to request or adjustments you’d like to discuss, please contact hr@uclpartners.com.  

If offered the role, we will make the appropriate reasonable adjustments, in discussion with you, to enable you to undertake the duties of your role. 

Offer Stage 

Pre-employment Checks 

Candidates selected for appointment will be issued a formal written offer letter through BambooHR for signing. Pre-employment checks will also be initiated at this stage. 

All offers of employment are conditional on the satisfactory completion of the following checks: 

  1. Confirmation of identity and right to work in the UK 
  1. A minimum of 2 references of employment fully covering your past 2 years of employment 
  1. Completion of a pre-employment health questionnaire 
  1. Agreement of a start date 
  1. Confirmation of whether you have any unspent criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings and further details if the answer is yes. 

Due to the nature of our roles, we do not currently carry out DBS checks. 

Once the above employment checks have been completed and a start date agreed, the successful candidate will be issued their formal contract of employment to be signed prior to the start date.   

References 

Unless otherwise stated, reference requests will be made when a formal offer of employment has been made. 

You will be sent the Referee Form to complete at offer stage. We request a minimum of 2 references of employment fully covering your past 2 years of employment. If you have more than 2 employers during the 2-year period, you will be required to provide additional references.  Your most recent/current line manager or tutor from your place of study should be your first referee. 

Under no circumstances will references from relatives or partners be accepted. 

For each referee, please provide the relevant and accurate email address. It is also important that you seek consent from each referee to provide a reference for you and that you notify them that you have provided us their details, and that we may be contacting them for a reference. 

In some circumstances we may seek confirmation of your circumstances, along with a reference from a non-employer withstanding in your community (e.g. your doctor, solicitor, teacher, bank manager). 

Can I re-apply if my application is unsuccessful? 

You are welcome to re-apply for other suitable roles at UCLPartners. If you’ve been unsuccessful at interview, we’d strongly encourage you request feedback from the recruiting manger. 

Other 

Probation Periods 

All staff employed by UCLPartners are required to satisfactorily complete a 3-month probationary period.  This has been designed to support your induction into the organisation and provide you with the appropriate support and development to undertake your role.  Please be assured this will not alter the nature of the contract that you will be issued (e.g. where a vacancy is permanent, a permanent contract will be issued to you).  

At the commencement of your probation, you will agree objectives with your manager and discuss any support you may need to achieve these over the 3-month probation period. In some cases where there are performance concerns the probation period will be extended. You will be informed in writing to confirm successful completion of your probation, as a firm offer of employment. 

Criminal Records 

We seek to consistently provide a sensitive, considered and proportionate response to any application made by an individual with a criminal record. 

Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working at UCLPartners. Whether they can be employed will depend on the nature of the position, the circumstances and background of the individual and the offence(s). A thorough risk assessment will be required before this decision can be made. 

We actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills, and potential, and welcome applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records.  We select all candidates for interview based on values, skills, qualifications and experience. 

This will be covered during the pre-employment checks. In making a declaration, applicants should make sure they disclose offences. Unless the nature of the position allows us to ask questions about your entire criminal record, we will only ask about ‘unspent’ convictions as defined in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. 

If a discussion about a criminal records disclosure or any other matter which has been self-declared is required, we will ensure that an open and measured discussion takes place about any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position.  Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment. 

We undertake to discuss any matters revealed in a disclosure with the person seeking the position before withdrawing any conditional offer of employment.