Practical advice for BAC on recruiting top executives

An appointment advisory committee (BAC) is set up prior to recruitment of top executives. Explicit and transparent agreements are made in advance with the Executive Board about the method of recruitment.  You can also choose to outsource recruitment, for instance by engaging an executive recruitment and selection agency. HR can advise on this.

• Recruitment and selection conducted entirely by the BAC
• Recruitment and selection via an (executive) recruitment and selection agency

The Procedure to (re)appoint executive management positions (dated 22 September 2020) stipulates that when deans and directors are appointed, internal and external recruitment will essentially take place simultaneously(1).

The Appointment Advisory Committee (BAC) shall have to make explicit and transparent agreements about this with the Executive Board and within the BAC as part of its work method. HR (central or decentral) can advise on this.

Points requiring attention

Points requiring attention for the agreements in which recruitment takes place entirely through the BAC itself or if an (executive) recruitment and selection agency assists in recruitment

Recruitment and selection conducted entirely by the BAC

• Agree how and by whom recruitment and selection will be organised. Who is able to answer questions from stakeholders, to whom should responses be addressed, etc. The BAC Secretary is the point of contact for all organisational issues. For information: BAC chair, for other matters:
  HR central or decentral(2).
• Make sure that the vacancy description is clear and recruitment is done not only internally but also externally. Indicate clearly what the primary and secondary terms of employment are: prevent any false expectations
  about this later in the procedure with potential external candidates.
• Agree on how the vacancy will be publicised. This is always done internally on Radboudnet and with an email from the BAC chair to the professors in the faculty. Example for recruitment of a dean: ‘Could you please draw the committee’s attention to possible candidates (both internal and external) for this position or otherwise provide the committee with suggestions? If you are interested in the position yourself, please be sure to make that known as well.’ Through the usual channels for external recruitment, such as Academic Transfer, LinkedIn and any additional channels: advertisements in newspapers, personally approaching possible candidates in BAC members’ networks. The vacancy description states that a (development) assessment is (always) part of the procedure.
• The BAC chair is the internal point of contact for substantive issues. The BAC Secretary is the internal point of contact for organisational issues, and the HR Director for issues pertaining to employment conditions. The BAC Secretary and the HR Director always coordinate with the BAC chair, so that they are always
  aware of what is going on.
• Agree on how the selection of motivation letters will be conducted: all letters to the entire BAC, pre-selection by delegation (which candidates do not meet the formal criteria)? Pre-selection by BAC chair + BAC delegation
• Agree how applicants will be rejected and by whom (after pre-selection or after 1 round). Internal candidates who meet the formal criteria are invited for a selection interview; rejection of internal candidates is almost always done verbally, followed by confirmation by email. Rejection
  of internal candidates: BAC chair; rejection of external candidates: agree on a case-by-case basis.
• If the BAC decides to carry out a regular (i.e. selection) assessment, this will form a part of the selection procedure and a decision must be made in good time as to when this will be carried out: as the last step in the nomination of a preferred candidate (or candidates) or as part of a choice between two or more candidates in order to establish a preference. If the BAC decides to have a development assessment carried out, the focus of the assessment is not to select a candidate. In such a case, this step takes place after going through the entire appointment procedure. There is no general rule governing this; in consultation with the BAC, the BAC chair makes a decision based on the circumstances.
• The BAC (chair) decides whether its recommendation to the Executive Board consists of one preferred candidate with substantiation, or several eligible candidates with substantiation; the latter should include a ranking whenever possible.
• The BAC chair communicates in a timely manner about whether the procedure includes a request for references (relevant for external candidates).
• After the Executive Board has made its decision about the appointment, the HR Director negotiates an agreement with the candidate about the terms of employment.  This is coordinated with the Rector.
  The employment contract is drawn up by the faculty’s HR department or Radboud Services.

(1) With the exception of situations in which the Redeployment Guidelines apply or vacancies arise as part of a reorganisation.
(2) Italicised text is there as advice to the BAC.

Recruitment and selection via an (executive) recruitment and selection agency

• Who decides which agency will be used? The BAC chair and HR Director present a proposal to the Executive Board after consultation with the BAC.
• The agency organises the recruitment and selection. The agency answers questions from stakeholders. All responses – including those from internal candidates – are directed to the agency. The agency clearly states the primary and secondary terms of employment.
• The BAC chair is the internal point of contact for substantive issues. The BAC Secretary is the internal point of contact for organisational issues, and the HR Director for issues pertaining to employment conditions. The BAC Secretary and HR Director always coordinate with the BAC chair, so that they are always aware of what is going on.
• The agency drafts a vacancy description: who will discuss this (only BAC members or also member(s) of the Executive Board, others from a faculty/division). BAC members + other relevant stakeholders. 
• Agree on how the vacancy will be publicised. This is always done internally through Radboudnet and via an email from the BAC chair to the professors in the faculty. Example for recruitment of a dean: ‘Could you please draw the committee’s attention to possible candidates (both internal and external) for this position or otherwise provide the committee with suggestions? If you are interested in the position yourself, please be sure to make that known as well.’ It is decided in consultation with the agency whether external channels such as Academic Transfer, LinkedIn or a newspaper advertisement will be used.
• It is customary for an agency to take an inventory of potentially interesting candidates in consultation with the BAC. The agency conducts (selection) interviews with potential candidates who have been put forward by the BAC or who arise from their own network, as well as with candidates who apply ‘in the regular way’. Internal candidates who meet the formal criteria are always invited for a (selection) interview with the agency. In consultation with the BAC (or a representative of it), decisions are made about which candidates will be invited for an interview with the BAC. Rejection of internal candidates, in principle, always takes place verbally, followed by confirmation by email. Per candidate, decide who will send the rejection: the BAC chair or agency in the case of internal candidates; external candidates handled by agency. 
• The BAC can permit an employee from the agency to be present during interviews between candidates and the BAC; the employee will not actively participate in the interview with the candidates, but may contribute new information during the debriefing.
• The agency communicates with candidates at the start of the procedure that a (development) assessment is (always) part of the procedure. If the BAC decides to carry out a regular (i.e. selection) assessment, this will form a part of the selection procedure and a decision must be made in good time as to when this will be carried out: as the last step in the nomination of a preferred candidate (or candidates) or as part of a selection between two or more candidates in order to establish a preference. If the BAC decides to have a development assessment carried out, the focus of the assessment is not to select a candidate. In such a case, this step takes place after going through the appointment procedure. There is no general rule governing this; in consultation with the agency and BAC, the BAC chair makes a decision based on the circumstances.
• The BAC (chair) decides whether its recommendation to the Executive Board consists of one preferred candidate with substantiation, or several eligible candidates with substantiation; the latter should include a ranking whenever possible. 
• The agency communicates in a timely manner whether the procedure includes a request for references (relevant for external candidates). 
• Follow-up procedure following BAC advice is coordinated by the BAC Secretary.
• After the Executive Board has made its decision about the appointment, the HR Director negotiates an agreement with the candidate about the terms of employment.  This is coordinated with the Rector. The employment contract is drawn up by the faculty’s HR department or Radboud Services.