The recruitment process
Updated 14 May 2024
Job adverts
Please check the website for the closing date, as we cannot always control third-party sites that advertise our roles. Occasionally, we may bring the closing date forward, so we strongly advise that you submit your application as soon as possible.
The essential requirements for the role will be detailed in both the advert and the role profile. Please carefully consider your knowledge, skills, and experience in line with these requirements before you apply.
Candidates will need to provide evidence of how their skills and experience meet the criteria outlined in the role profile and advert, throughout the process.
Making your application
For some roles, we will ask you for a CV and a cover letter, and for others, it will be a CV and an application form. Give yourself time to make it right.
We consider the knowledge, skills and experience outlined in your application and how they meet the criteria outlined in the role profile and advert. Please take the time to tailor your skills and experience to the criteria. We are looking for you to clearly and succinctly demonstrate how you meet these.
Interviews and assessment
Whether you are meeting us virtually or face-to-face, we will always try and make the process as comfortable as possible.
Interview panels are usually made up of at least two members. If you are applying for a senior role, the panel is likely to be three or more senior managers.
The format
Every role is different, and there are several elements that we use to assess your suitability for a role. You can expect to undertake at least two of the following, and this could be across several stages:
- A telephone interview.
- An interview where we will look to understand your work experience, motivations, and suitability in more depth. This would be through situational, competency and behavioural questions.
- A practical assessment to showcase your skills. This is likely to be a case study or scenario/situation based task or a presentation.
- An aptitude test or psychometric assessment.
If you are successful, one of the team will be in touch to let you know what to expect in advance.
There are a few things that you can do beforehand which will help you prepare:
- For online interviews, make sure you have a strong internet connection and always check the meeting link before the start time.
- If you are coming into our offices, please allow time to enter and exit the building.
- Read about our values and behaviours.
- Spend some time looking at what we do and our work.
- Read through the information we send you about what to expect during your interview ahead of your meeting.
- Please contact us in advance if you need any reasonable adjustments in place for your interview. We are a disability confident employer and will handle all requests with sensitivity.
The offer process
We are committed to protecting the public through our regulatory work.
Anyone who joins our organisation will need to successfully undergo pre-employment screening. The level of checks we carry out is assessed on the basis of who you would have contact with and the information you would have access to.
As well as making sure we comply with relevant legislation (eg eligibility to work in the UK), we also aim to make sure our staff demonstrate the honesty, integrity and professionalism expected by the public and those we regulate.
As a minimum, this includes:
- proof of eligibility to work in the UK
- an identity check, financial probity check and basic criminal record check (DBS)
- satisfactory references and employment history.
Where appropriate, we may also conduct the following:
- professional registration/qualification checks
- regulatory investigation or disciplinary checks
- health assessment
- checks on information in the public domain, e.g. social media, blogs.
Any concerns or issues arising during the recruitment or onboarding process will be considered impartially, sensitively and consistently.
Each case is treated individually, and we make sure that any information collected during the process is treated in line with current, relevant legislation and our information security policy.
If you would like any more information or if you have any concerns, please contact us to arrange for a confidential chat.
Locations
For most of our roles, at least one part of the selection process will be conducted virtually.
If we invite you to come in and meet with us, we aim to do this at the office where the role is based.
Please note that we do not pay interview travel expenses as standard practise. If you have particular concerns or challenges when it comes to attending an in-person interview, please contact the recruitment team to arrange for a confidential chat about your situation.
We are committed to making sure that the interview process is accessible for all.
Please contact us if you have any further questions.
