• Section 1 - Background and Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Internal Appointments
• Responsibility
• Eligibility
• Terms of Appointment
• Advertising a Position
• Application
• Selection Process
• Finalising an Appointment
• External Appointments
• Termination of Appointment
• Section 5 - Definitions

This procedure is being updated to reflect the new Enterprise Agreement and may currently contain out of date information. If you have any questions, please lodge an Ask HR ticket.

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

(1) These Procedures establish a process for the selection and appointment of the Head of Department position at La Trobe University.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) These Procedures apply to Academic staff in a continuing or fixed-term position at the University.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) Refer to the Recruitment Policy.

Section 4 - Procedures

Internal Appointments

(4) Generally, the Head of Department position is open only to internal applicants.

Responsibility

(5) The Dean is responsible for the appointment process of Heads of Departments within their school. The Dean may call for expressions of interest or offer a subsequent contract to the incumbent of the Head of Department position. The Provost has final authority to approve the appointment of the Head of Department position.

Eligibility

(6) Staff members at Level C or above may be eligible to express an interest in the position of Head of Department. 

(7) However, on recommendation of the Dean, the Provost may determine that staff members at Level B are eligible to express an interest.

Terms of Appointment

(8) The Head of Department appointment will combine a substantive academic appointment with a fixed-term secondment to Head of Department. The duration of a Head of Department appointment will normally be three years.

Advertising a Position

(9) To advertise the Head of Department position internally, a Job Card must be raised through Page Up People. For more information contact Human Resources.

(10) The Dean will inform staff members of the opportunity. 

Application

(11) To apply for the position, internal candidates are required to:

1. submit an expression of interest through Page Up; and
2.  address requirements of the Specific Duties Section in the Position Description.

Selection Process

(12) The Head of Department Selection Committee will make a selection based on merit.

(13) For internal applicants the committee will comprise:

1. Provost(Chair);
2. Dean or delegate; and
3. Head of Department of another area or delegate.

Finalising an Appointment

(14) The Dean will forward a recommendation for appointment to the Provost for endorsement through PageUp. Confirmation via electronic sign-off will enable contract generation.

External Appointments

(15) In exceptional circumstances, on recommendation of the Dean, the Provost may approve the decision to externally recruit a senior academic. 

(16) This external appointment will combine a substantive academic position with a fixed-term secondment to Head of Department for normally three years. 

(17) To initiate an external recruitment process, contact Human Resources.

Termination of Appointment

(18) The Head of Department secondment will end at the date outlined in the contract of employment, unless terminated earlier.

(19) The Dean in consultation with the Executive Director, Human Resources may recommend the early termination of the Head of Department secondment to the Provost. 

(20) The Provost has final authority to approve the early termination of Head of Department secondment. The incumbent will then revert to their substantive academic position.

Section 5 - Definitions

(21) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. Job Card: is the process in Page Up where hiring managers provide details of a position and recruitment requirements;
2. Page Up: is the University’s e-recruitment system.