Appointing the Chair and Recruitment Panel Members

Those responsible for the recruitment should consider who will be on the interview panel as early as possible in the process to allow effective planning.

Recruitment panels should consist of a minimum of three people, normally including the immediate Line Manager of for the role, another person who is familiar with the area of work and a third person. One member of the interview panel, normally the recruiting manager, will take on the role as the Chair.

Appropriate person, usually Church/Circuit/District Administrator, would be nominated to take charge of advertising the post and managing the application process.

The aim of forming a recruitment panel is to get together the most appropriate panel, who as individuals will bring relevant skills and knowledge to the selection process which will help best determine the applicant who is the right person for the advertised role.

In order to reduce the risk of any bias the composition of your selection panel, in line with the church/circuit/district's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy,  should reflect an appropriate mix of gender and ethnicity.

The Chair of the Recruitment Panel will ensure that all panel members are aware of the fair recruitment principles and that they are sufficiently briefed to ensure full compliance with the Church/Circuit/District’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

All those involved in the recruitment and selection of staff are required to conduct themselves in ways which do not involve any form of unlawful discrimination.

Best practice calls for at least 2/3 of the panel members to be trained in Recruitment and Selection and Unconscious Bias. The Chair of the Recruitment Panel will ensure that all panel members are aware of the fair recruitment principles and that they are sufficiently briefed to ensure full compliance with the Church/Circuit/District’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

Panel members have a duty to declare to the Chair of the Recruitment Panel if they already know a candidate. If they have a close personal or familial relationship with a candidate, they should withdraw from the panel.

The panel members would normally be provided to shortlisted applicants in their invitation to interview letter.