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Hiring policy

Here we set out the process and data obligations for job applicants, current and former Micro:bit Educational Foundation employees, secondments and volunteers. The Micro:bit Educational Foundation is the data controller for the information you provide during the process unless otherwise stated. If you have any queries about the process or how we handle your information, please contact us at info@microbit.org

Applying to be employed

All of the information you provide during the recruitment process will only be used for the purpose of progressing your application, or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements if necessary. We will not share any of the information you provide at this stage with any third parties for marketing purposes or combine it with data held in any other system. The information you provide will be held on Workable, our recruitment system.

What information do we ask for, and why?

We do not collect more information than we need to fulfil our stated purposes and we aim not to retain it for longer than is necessary.

We will use the contact details you provide to us to contact you to progress your application. We will use the other information you provide to assess your suitability for the role you have applied for.

The information we ask for is used to assess your suitability for employment. You don’t have to provide what we ask for, but it might affect your application if you don’t.

Application & shortlisting stage

Workable collects and stores your personal data on our behalf.

We ask you for your personal details including name and contact details. We will also ask you about your previous experience, education and for answers to questions relevant to the role you have applied for. Any member of the Foundation could have access to all of this information.

The hiring manager or COO shortlists applications for interview.

Assessment stages

We might ask you to participate in assessment days; complete tests or occupational personality profile questionnaires; and/or to attend an online or in person interview – or a combination of these. Information will be generated by you and by us. For example, you might complete a test or we might take interview notes. This information is held by the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and available to any member of the Foundation.

Unsuccessful application

From the 25th May 2018, if you are unsuccessful at any stage of the process, we will delete your data. Deletion is done in batches and this process could take up to twelve months from the closure of the campaign.

If you are an exceptional candidate, we will ask permission to contact you with details of another roles during these 12 months.

Conditional employment offer

If we make an offer of employment we will ask you for information so that we can carry out pre-employment checks. We are required to confirm the identity of our staff, their right to work in the United Kingdom and their suitability to work with children and seek assurance as to their trustworthiness, integrity and reliability.

You will be asked for your proof of your identity, qualifications and DBS. As well as your HMRC and Bank details.

Secondments

We also offer opportunities for people to come and work with us on a secondment basis. We accept applications from partner organisations who think they could benefit from their staff working with us.

Applications are sent directly to the CEO or COO at Micro:bit Educational Foundation. Once we have considered your application, if we are interested in speaking to you further, we’ll contact you using the details you employer provides.

We might ask you to provide more information about your skills and experience or invite you to an interview.

Contractors and Volunteers

We also offer opportunities for people to come and work on Contract or as a Volunteer. You may directly approach a recruiting manager at Micro:bit Educational Foundation. Once we have considered the proposal and we are interested in speaking to you further, we’ll contact you using the details you provide. We might ask you to provide more information about your skills and experience or invite you to a formal interview or informal pitch.

Post start-date for everyone

We ask for a variety of information as part of having you join a completely virtual team. We ask for the information for compliance, transparency for our stakeholders, to avoid conflicts of interest and to protect the information we hold.

We will ask for:

  • An image for the microbit.org website.
  • Contact details for references.
  • Emergency contact details.
  • Equal opportunities information. This is not mandatory information. Any information you do provide, will be used only to produce and monitor equal opportunities statistics.
  • Technology requirements.
  • A date you wish to celebrate your birthday – we like celebrating.

You will be expected to adhere to a set of policies including but not limited to your contractual confidentiality agreement, code of conduct and anti bullying policies.

We use the following platforms on which we shall collect and process data for the purpose of delivering the services of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation: 1Password, AWS, Breathe HR, Dropbox, Freshdesk, GitHub, Google, HSBC, IRIS, Mailchimp, NEST, O365 (including e-mail), Royal London, Xero and Zoom. In addition to this privacy statement the data may be combined with data you generate in systems listed in our public privacy policy.

Any agreed payments are made electronically via a UK Bank and no other method of payment is available to the Micro:bit Educational Foundation.

All the information you provide and data you generate will be retained by the Micro:bit Educational Foundation as part of your employee file for the duration of your employment plus 6 years following the end of your employment. This includes your criminal records declaration, fitness to work, records of any security checks and references.