POL00005671
POL00005671
Agency Changes Communiqué
33/2005
To: Contract & Service Managers Copy:
Distribution List
Heads of Sales Paul Inwood
Heads of Areas
Area Service Managers
Agent Recruitment Managers
Peter Pycock
Rural Development Managers
Rural Transfer Advisors
From: Sue Price Date: 26
October 2005
Service Standards Support Manager
Subject: Subpostmaster Seminar Project - Pilot
Activities
1. Introduction
The process by which we recruit new subpostmasters has been
in place now for some years and is managed by the Agent
Recruitment Teams in the Post Office Service Centre, Salford.
The current recruitment process was designed to meet the three
months notice period contained in the Subpostmasters Contract.
Unfortunately we are not able to meet this timescale on a
consistent basis and so a review of the overall process is
required. In addition the need to recruit new subpostmasters
who are sales orientated means that the skills we are seeking,
and hence assess candidates against, need to be reviewed.
To address this potential gap and also to seek to attract good
quality subpostmaster applicants, the business has decided to
run 18 national Prospective Subpostmaster Seminar events.
Candidates who attend these events and wish to be considered
as subpostmasters will be put through a revised recruitment
process, being run as a pilot to support these events. Those
acceptable to the business after this revised process will be
approved by the business as being acceptable as
Subpostmasters before finding a branch. . Some of these
individuals may choose to be trained to work as casuals ina
Directly Managed Branch whilst seeking a Sub Post Office®
Last Communiqués: 31/2005 (R) Remuneration review (Small Branches)
32 /2005 (R) Remuneration review (Independent Franchise)
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Agency Changes Communiqué
33/2005
branch. The Rural Strategy Team and the business as a whole
will use the seminars to pilot the pre vetting recruitment process
for subpostmasters as required.
This ACC, the first of two to be issued, deals with the initial
stages of the subpostmaster seminars, and, the front end of the
pilot recruitment process. It will explain people’s roles and
responsibilities within POL and POSC, to ensure the business
meets its revised recruitment timescales.
A second ACC that introduces a pilot Interview Pack, a revised
Business Plan, the operational interview process and an
explanation of the casual process will be issued in due course.
2. Prospective Subpostmaster Seminars
Post Office Ltd in partnership with Humberstones, specialist
Business Transfer Agents and valuers, will run the seminars.
Contract & Service Managers (C&SM'’s) will be expected to
attend one of the seminars to assist Eddie Herbert with the
running of the day, and also, to assist those candidates who
decide to apply for a position as a Subpostmaster complete of
the Criminal Records Check and bank reference authority forms.
The Service Relationships team are sending seminar packs to all
C&SMs, which they must take with them to their event. The
packs will contain the following items, and C&SM’s must ensure
that they carry out the actions highlighted -
a). A Blank Delegate Record Sheet - This is in case C&SM’s
do not receive the delegates details from Rayna Kennedy before
the seminar.
If C&SM’s have to use this form then they will have to complete
all the delegates’ details on the form. If the sheet is received
Last Communiqués: 31/2005 (R) Remuneration review (Small Branches)
32 /2005 (R) Remuneration review (Independent Franchise)
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Agency Changes Communiqué
33/2005
from Rayna all C&SM’s will have to do is complete the last three
boxes in respect of those delegates who actually decide to apply
for a subpostmasters position. (A copy can be found in the
winzip file at the end of this ACC)
ACTION - Once C&SM’s have completed the sheet it must be
returned to the: -
"Pre - Vet SPMR Team"
People & Organisational Service Centre
Capstan House, 35 Broadway
Salford, MANCHESTER
M50 2PB
b). Application packs (50 copies) -These should only be
issued to those delegates who at the end of the seminar decide
to apply for a subpostmasters position, they contain: -
e Arevised Application covering letter - (A copy can be
found in the winzip file at the end of this ACC)
ACTION - C&SM’s will have to input the applicants name and
address on the form and also input a date for return that must
be five days after the seminar.
e Application Form - (A copy can be found in the winzip file at
the end of this ACC)
e Criminal Records Check authority forms (x2) (A copy can
be found in the winzip file at the end of this ACC)
NB: As well as the applicant completing this form the applicants
spouse/partner will also have to complete a form if they are
going to work in the Post Office Branch (even if they are only
going to work occasionally) or in the case of a residential branch,
if they will live on the premises in which the branch is located.
If the spouse /partner is not going to be involved or live on the
premises this check is NOT required.
ACTION - C&SM’s will have to ensure the applicant and
spouse/partner complete the form on the day so that these can
be forwarded to Salford with the completed delegate sheet.
Last Communiqués: 31/2005 (R) Remuneration review (Small Branches)
32 /2005 (R) Remuneration review (Independent Franchise)
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Agency Changes Communiqué
33/2005
e Bank Reference Form - (A copy can be found in the winzip
file at the end of this ACC)
ACTION - C&SM’s will have to get the applicant to complete on
the day so that this can be forward to Salford with the completed
Criminal Records Check form and completed delegate sheet
e Subpostmaster Profile - (A copy can be found in the winzip
file at the end of this ACC)
e Standards Leaflet
c). Folders (50 packs)
ACTION - C&SM’s should distribute the folders to the delegates.
The folders contain a pad, pen, telephone post it notes, and “An
Opportunity to Manage the Business Of Everyday Life” booklet.
3. Recruitment Process - Pilot only
A new process map detailing the end-to-end Pilot recruitment
process can be found in the winzip file at the end of the ACC.
The detail in this ACC only covers the first page of the process.
The second ACC on this subject that will be issued shortly will
cover off the process on the second page.
The main differences between the pilot recruitment process and
the current recruitment process are as follows: -
e Prospective subpostmaster seminars are being conducted
e The recruitment process has been split into two stages, the
Initial Assessment stage and the Business Operational
Stage, and revised timelines introduced
e There are separate application forms and covering letters
to cover the two interview stages
e The Criminal Records Check and bank reference authorities
will be completed at the seminars
e Post Office Ltd will reject applicants following receipt of an
unacceptable criminal Records Authority check or if they do
not match the skills profile before an application for a
specific branch has been made.
Last Communiqués: 31/2005 (R) Remuneration review (Small Branches)
32 /2005 (R) Remuneration review (Independent Franchise)
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Agency Changes Communiqué
33/2005
4. Roles/Responsibilities
C&SM’s
Provide application forms to those delegates who want to
apply to become a subpostmaster.
Ensure the applicants complete the Criminal Records Check
and Bank reference authority forms fully in block capitals.
Complete the delegate list and send this with the
completed references to the Pre-vet team at Salford.
Collect all surplus application packs and folders and give
back to Eddie Herbert.
POSC (Pre-vet team)
Upon receipt of the delegate list from the C&SM’s place the
applicants details on your Pre-vet database.
Send for the applicants’ references, i.e. Criminal Records
Check (CRC), and Bank reference.
Associate references with the application form once
received and set up individual files.
Chase applicants who haven’t sent in an application form.
Send for character references.
Issue a rejection letter for those candidates who fail the
CRC reference, update the pre-vet database and advise the
relevant C&SM. (A copy can be found in the winzip file at
the end of this ACC).
Forward completed interview files to the C&SM'’s so that
interviews can be arranged. NB: applications can only be
forwarded to the C&SM once the CRC and Bank references
have been received. Files can be sent without character
references.
5. Revised timelines
Within the winzip file below is a list of timelines that C&SM’s and
the POSC should follow to ensure that the applicants are fast
tracked through the pilot recruitment process. The Training and
Delivery team has already assigned training dates in respect of
all 18 seminars, and these dates have also been included for
reference purposes.
Last Communiqués: 31/2005 (R) Remuneration review (Small Branches)
32 /2005 (R) Remuneration review (Independent Franchise)
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Agency Changes Communiqué
33/2005
6. Management Information
The Pre-vet spmr team at the POSC will be measuring process
timescales and will provide a report to Post Office Ltd at various
stages when required.
7. Contact
If you have any further questions regarding the content of this
ACC please contact either Sue Price or Carola Ramsden of the
Service Relationships team.
Sue Pric Carola Ramsden
E-mail: service relationships.
Last Communiqués: 31/2005 (R) Remuneration review (Small Branches)
32 /2005 (R) Remuneration review (Independent Franchise)
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