If you want to look in detail at the scheme of evaluation, it can be viewed on the National Job Evaluation Process page.

In summary however, the FEDRA scheme incorporates a questionnaire that has 14 ‘elements’ which form the basis of an evaluation.

These ‘elements’ cover the following areas of a role:

• Communication
• Teamwork and Motivation
• Liaison and Networking
• Service Delivery
• Decision Making
• Planning and Organising Resources
• Initiative and Problem Solving
• Investigation and Analysis
• Sensory and Physical Demands
• Work Environment
• Pastoral Care and Welfare
• Team Development
• Teaching and Learning Support
• Knowledge and Experience

If you are the only occupant of your role, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire. If there are two or more of you in the same role, the group should meet to agree representative(s) to complete the questionnaire on behalf of the group and share this with colleagues for agreement. Questionnaires need to be completed and agreed by 28th June 2019.

Each of the 14 elements in the FEDRA scheme includes a number of questions to answer by adding written evidence in the appropriate text box. There are 50 questions in total.

Each role will be different and some of the questions will be more relevant to you than others.

For information on how to access a fully completed example questionnaire, together with detail of the questions being asked, please visit the Questionnaire page.

1. Are you the only occupant for your own role?
   

   You are requested to complete all parts of the questionnaire using Microsoft Word and once completed, e-mail it to your Line Manager for review, keeping a copy for yourself.  A blank copy of the questionnaire will be provided to you by your local college HR representative in Microsoft Word format.

   Once you have completed the questionnaire, your Line Manager will review your form prior to verification. When both parties are in agreement, you and your Line Manager will be expected to verify your agreement to the finalised content.

   The completed questionnaire in Microsoft Word, including signature page, will be submitted to your HR department ready for the evaluation process.

2. Do you occupy a role with two or more roleholders?
   

   All roleholders are encouraged to meet to agree how to complete the questionnaire for the role. The group may request a volunteer roleholder to prepare a first draft of the questionnaire on behalf of the group for the whole group to review and amend if required. Alternatively, you may collectively complete the questionnaire together. However you choose to complete the form, all parts of the questionnaire are to be completed using Microsoft Word. Once everyone is comfortable with the content, e-mail it to your Line Manager for review, keeping a copy for each roleholder.

   Once you have submitted the questionnaire, your Line Manager will review the form prior to verification. When all parties are in agreement, you, your colleagues and your Line Manager will be required to sign to verify your agreement to the finalised content.

   The completed questionnaire in Microsoft Word, including signature page, will be submitted to your HR department ready for the evaluation process.

Each of the 50 questions in the questionnaire are standalone and should be answered with unique statements where relevant. You can however, start completing a question with an example used before, but tailor it to provide evidence to the specific section. Do not simply ‘copy and paste’ across different questions.

The 100-word limit is only an indication of what is required as a guide. There is no ‘word count’ or ‘penalties’ for exceeding this limit. The key thing is to make sure you explain your role requirements concisely and clearly without over-elaborating or use of jargon that others would not understand.

Yes. The form will take longer for some than others however. The questionnaire is an important document in the job evaluation process and therefore you need to take the time necessary to ensure it fully reflects your role. If you are needing additional time, please discuss with your line manager. If you are a trade union member, you may also request some time with your trade union representative to provide support in drafting the questionnaire if required.

Yes, national trade union representatives are visiting colleges over the coming weeks and you will be able to meet with them to discuss your draft questionnaire. Your union will communicate these details. You do not, however need to wait until the representative is on-site to draft your questionnaire and you must follow any deadlines set by the college for submission of questionnaires. Such deadlines will be set for a date after the scheduled trade union representative visits however.

You should discuss this with your manager in the first instance. If no agreement can be reached, the matter will be referred to the next tier of management for resolution. Your local HR representative and/or local trade union steward can be requested by you or your Line Manager to intervene to assist the process. In circumstances whereby, despite best endeavours, agreement cannot be reached, as a last resort, advice can be sought by the college from the Joint Chairs of the NJNC Job Evaluation Working Group.

If you are having any problems in completing the questionnaire or need assistance or advice, please contact your Line Manager, HR representative and/or where appropriate trade union representative. 

The national role evaluation process will apply to all support staff roles in scope of the National Recognition and Procedures Agreement (NRPA). There is no exception. You are asked to participate in the drafting of the role outline questionnaire which is your opportunity to be involved directly in the evaluation of your role. If there is an underlying issue with your participation, you are entitled to ask the college to escalate the matter to the joint national chairs in an attempt to resolve. If you ultimately choose not to participate, we will seek your signed agreement to confirm this but in all cases the questionnaire will be completed by your line manager if you are the only person in the role or by the remaining occupants of your role if you are in a group.

Your agreed job description as applicable at 1 September 2018 will be submitted as part of the process but this is for reference only and does not form part of the evaluation itself. The completed questionnaire represents the key evaluation evidence. Should job descriptions be out of date as of 1 September 2018, these should be updated.

All questionnaires, accompanied by job descriptions, will be submitted for evaluation. An explanation of how to access the evaluation process itself, which confirms how roles are evaluated and what happens once the evaluation process is complete can be viewed by visiting the National Job Evaluation Process web page. 

Once the evaluation exercise is complete, any pay impact will be considered in line with NJNC agreements. 

To complete such a large task thoroughly will take a considerable length of time. 

Yes. The appeals stage is incorporated into the national process.