Guideline: Indigenous Professional Staff Grants Program (IPSGP)

Purpose

1. The Indigenous Professional Staff Grants Program supports the growth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander career pathways, increasing the overall number of ongoing Indigenous professional staff employed by the University.
2. The Indigenous Professional Staff Grants Program dedicates $125,000 per annum. Funding requests are matched by the recipient area.
3. The intention for this funding is to support the University recruit and retain Indigenous staff, enabling a commitment to ongoing employment and development opportunities.

Definition

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are recognised as distinct Indigenous groups in Australia. For the purpose of inclusivity and to honour both groups, the term ‘Indigenous’ will be used hereafter to refer to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples unless specific differentiations are required.

Cadetship is intended for a person with some clerical and administrative work experience, that is not comprehensive (usually at the ANU04 level).

Eligibility

4. The applicant for the grant funding should be the supervisor of the intended position and must have completed the Indigenous Cultural Awareness training (EDHR06) module within the last 12 months at the time of application or be enrolled in the next available session.
5. Applications can be made by any area of the University that employs professional ANU staff including:

1. Academic Colleges or other Academic Units;
2. Schools, Institutes or Centres within an Academic College or other Academic Unit;
3. Service Divisions or other Business Units.

6. Applications can be made for any of the following initiatives:

1. Salary subsidy for ongoing identified position at any level: funding to go towards the salary and on-costs in the first year of an ongoing identified position.
2. Salary subsidy for temporary secondment: funding to go towards the salary and on-costs for a one year fixed-term transfer for an Indigenous staff member already permanently employed by ANU which would enable development and facilitate experience in another professional role.
3. Indigenous traineeship: funding to support the engagement of an Indigenous trainee through the ANU Indigenous Traineeship Program.
4. Indigenous cadetship: funding to support the engagement of an Indigenous cadet.
5. Indigenous recruitment services for an identified position (may be combined with 6(a)): funding for fees associated with engaging Indigenous recruitment services (from the panel of service providers approved by People and Culture Division) to recruit a candidate to an identified position at levels ANU04-SM3.

7. The Indigenous Professional Staff Grants Program is not used for:

1. Salary subsidy for fixed term positions, where there is no demonstrated contribution to ongoing employment. Funding for a fixed term position may be considered where there is demonstrated benefit to the employee in terms of their career pathway beyond the fixed term;
2. Direct appointments;
3. Training and development of staff, except as part of supporting development of staff under an approved employment initiative (i.e. ongoing identified position, trainee etc.);
4. Cultural awareness activities.

Funding priorities

8. Priority is provided to professional staff employment initiatives that support the following outcomes:

• Encourage the continuing employment and professional mobility of Indigenous staff within the University;
• Support staff development and enable transfer of job skills;
• Contribute to individual career strategies, goals and objectives.

Conditions of grant

9. Recipient areas should match the grant with an equal or greater funding commitment.
10. Grants are awarded in a lump sum and ongoing funding for a position is the responsibility of the local area.
11. Recipient areas consult with the Senior Consultant – Indigenous Employment and Retention at all stages of the recruitment process, and should include the Senior Consultant – Indigenous Employment and Retention as a member of the selection panel.
12. Recipient areas report to the Senior Consultant – Indigenous Employment and Retention on a biannual basis. Senior Consultant – Indigenous Employment and Retention will communicate with recipient areas in relation to reporting requirements.
13. Awarded funds are exhausted within 24 months from the date of successful notification.
14. In circumstances where the staff member resigns or is terminated within the period of the Indigenous Professional Staff Grants Program funding, the area informs the People and Culture Division via HRD.Development@anu.edu.au. The area may be requested to return the remaining available funding.
15. In the case of resignation or termination of the staff member, the area notifies the Senior Consultant – Indigenous Employment and Retention as soon as practicable (within two weeks).

Preparation and submission of applications

16. There are two rounds annually for grant applications.
17. Applications are submitted during an open grant round by the published deadline, and completed on the current approved application form. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
18. Areas should discuss proposals with the People and Culture Division via HRD.Development@anu.edu.au in the early stages of developing their application. This should include discussion on providing the completed application and supporting documentation, consisting of:

• An approved position description.
• Recruitment flowchart and induction plan.
• Local organisation chart.

Assessment criteria

19. Applications should address each of these assessment criteria. All criteria are weighted equally.

Changes to role after grant awarded

20. Grants are made for the purpose specified in the original application.
21. If there is a change in circumstance following the award of the grant: for example, change to the position description or classification level, the Committee is notified for consideration and approval.

Committee composition

22. Selection of recipients is made by a committee nominated by the University’s Chief Operating Officer (COO).
23. The committee represents the breadth of the University and includes Indigenous representation and gender diversity.
24. The committee quorum is attendance of at least three members:

Additional support

25. Staff who are recruited under the grant initiative will be supported to apply for ANU professional staff development assistance. Professional development activity must fall within the guidelines for PSSS or PSDEF to be approved.