Recruitment process for Leadership roles

We believe it is important that all parties make a valued contribution to the robust recruitment process, and will invest heavily in working with you to establish the strengths, challenges, ethos and vision of the School. We will agree competencies and skills to meet these challenges, clarifying the profile of the preferred candidate. It is vital to us that you feel supported to take ownership through this crucial process and have a strong sense of shared responsibility when making the successful appointment. Our proactive recruitment process will ultimately attract a high quality field. We will then conduct initial competency interviews as part of the application process, providing specific and detailed information on each applicant, allowing for more informed decision-making.

HLA has developed a robust process for all leadership vacancies that will be tailored to the unique requirements of this role. This process has a proven track record of success and is split into three distinct stages:

Stage 1 - Scoping

• Develop an understanding of the vision, ethos, strengths and unique selling points of the school by meeting key stakeholders including SLT, teachers, support staff and students, if feasible.
• Establish a profile of the desired leader including preparation of the job description and person specification if needed.
• Prepare all marketing including the application pack, online information and advert design.
• Potential applicants will be furnished with comprehensive information online.

Stage 2 - Search & Applicant Manager

We will identify these people through:

• Market research is undertaken to source candidates who have experiences and achievements relevant to the school’s context, e.g. National Leaders in Education. We will approach these candidates, generating applications and adding additional quality to the advertising response.
• Our research will be informed by our initial scoping but will include schools with outstanding record for progress. We will utilise the extensive contacts within our national education networks to identify and then protectively approach top quality candidates.

• An existing database of potential candidates established through previous recruitment campaigns.

• A robust national headhunting search

• Handle all responses to the advertising campaign, providing candidates with a warm response and comprehensive information, and proactively manage the response to maximise the number of applications.
• Organise and support school tours to encourage serious applications.
• Conduct an Application Analysis Interview with every applicant, exploring agreed key areas of competency. This allows candidates to illuminate their application and provides you with relevant and pertinent information for each candidate.
• Provide comprehensive long-list information on each candidate, including interview report, application form, letter of application and relevant internet research.
• Stage 2 is complete when a shortlist is selected.

Stage 3 - Assessment and Appointment

• Design the structure and content of the assessment days, advise on the formal and informal activities, develop appropriate activities, suggest presentation titles and provide questions for the panel interviews.
• Support the appointment panel to ensure all participants are confident in differentiating between and scoring the candidates.
• Manage the logistics of the assessment days; provide documentation and support for candidates.
• Obtain references, POCAL list 99 checks, eligibility and identity documents for all shortlisted candidates and undertake any associated administration.
• De-brief all candidates giving detailed, constructive feedback.
• Finalise checks on the appointed candidate ensuring full compliance with DFE guidelines – Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education.
• Stage 3 is complete when an appointment is made.

Summary of benefits

• Database of over 7000 Headteachers.
• HLA increase the average number of applications by 60-70%.
• Utilising HLA expertise to prepare all advertising and marketing materials
• Proactive headhunting program.
• Detailed professional conversation with all interested candidates to positively represent the role and the school to maximise the number and quality of applications.
• Ensure high levels of candidate engagement throughout the process due to ongoing aftercare.
• HLA undertake all administration throughout the campaign.
• Comprehensive shortlisting grid allowing easy access to candidate information.
• Design the structure and content of the assessment days.

Head hunting and networking strategy

HLA’s headhunting strategy breaks down into three main targeted areas.

1.School specific leaders such as National Leaders in Education, Ofsted outstanding Schools and schools identified as having made significant and sustained progress. These leaders will be targeted with a direct telephone call to make them aware of this opportunity.

2.Current networks, as one of the largest education recruiters in the UK Hays Education has generated a large network of “Hays friendly” Heads and associations. This allows us to contact these individuals to make them aware of the opportunity. The ethos behind this is to gain access to a network of leaders that are not actively seeking a new role and therefore will not see an advert and to allow those contacted to pass on the vacancy to someone in their own network who may be interested in the role. Hays are currently in Partnership with over 500 schools.

3.Widespread approach, through letter and email we will write to all Headteachers in the UK relevant to your school, making them aware of the vacancy, this strategy again allows the recipient to forward the vacancy details on to a colleague that they feel would be suited to the position.

Pricing

All services are fixed fee with a guarantee to appoint. We will continue to work on the post until you appoint, at no further cost.

All advertising is charged at cost, prices from £400
Fees are payable on commencement of the recruitment campaign