Recruitment and Selection Policy

The Northern Territory Public Sector (NTPS) Recruitment and Selection Policy ensures that the most suitable applicants are selected to vacancies.

All supporting documentation can be found in NTG Central - recruitment templates.

Purpose

The policy ensures that NTPS selection processes are:

• simplified to ensure an efficient and timely process for candidates and agencies
• consistent across NTPS agencies
• fair and transparent
• courteous and respectful of applicants
• designed to assess applicants' suitability based on proven capabilities as defined in the Capability Framework PDF (1.1 MB)
• informative about the reasons for selecting successful applicants
• accessible to all applicants.

The merit principle

NTPS selection decisions must be based on merit.

Recruitment and Selection Policy

To ensure that the merit principle is applied in all selection decisions, and to achieve consistency and best practice the NTPS commits to the following selection policy.

1. Job descriptions (JD) will be reviewed prior to advertising. JDs must be compliant with Determination 8 of 2018 PDF (189.5 KB). JDs must be written in plain English and identify the skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications required; and allow consideration of transferable skills and potential for future development.
2. Job applications should be limited to a one-page summary with an attached resume including contact details for relevant referees.
3. Selection panel members and delegates of the agency Chief Executive Officer will be impartial, and have a clear understanding of the level, duties and requirements of the role.
4. Selection panel members must declare and avoid conflicts of interest. Any conflict of interest must be documented on the approved conflict of interest from. The delegate must be advised of any conflict of interest prior to the shortlisting of applicants where a mitigation management plan is considered necessary.
5. A delegate must declare and avoid conflicts of interest and must not exercise their delegation where such a conflict exists.
6. Selection panel members will adhere to equal employment opportunity principles throughout the assessment of applicants and actively prevent unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment, or victimisation when assessing applicants.
7. Selection panel members must not also be the delegate approving the selection decision.
8. Selection panel members employed by the NTPS must, unless there are exceptional reasons, have completed merit selection training provided by OCPE within the last three years. External panel members must be guided by the selection panel members in the application of this policy.
9. Selection panels will use eRecruit and all standardised NTPS recruitment templates.
10. Selection panels must afford applicants natural justice in accordance with Employment Instruction 3, where applicable, particularly in relation to any adverse comments that may impact an applicant’s employment outcome.
11. Selection panel must ensure recruitment is undertaken in accordance with the NTPS Pre-Employment Screening Guideline, and that clear reference is made in selection reports in respect to compliance with relevant checks, including sighting of evidence of tertiary qualifications, Special Measures eligibility, disclosure of disciplinary or formal performance management, and/or whether an Applicant of Potential Risk notification was received.
12. Selection panels will clearly detail reasons for their selection recommendation for the consideration of the delegate approving appointment, transfer or promotion.
13. Selection processes will be finalised within a maximum of six weeks from the closing date of advertising, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
14. All applicants will receive a high standard of candidate care, and be fully informed of the selection outcome, including a summary of the merit of the selected applicant.
15. When requested, public sector officers have a duty to provide frank and accurate comment on current and former public sector officers and on persons outside of the NTPS.
16. A public sector officer may be nominated by a Chief Executive Officer as the contact person to provide referee information for an individual listed on the Applicant of Potential Risk Register, where the officer has direct knowledge of an individual’s performance and/or disciplinary matters. Referee information must be provided in good faith, be factual, and support informed decisions regarding the individual’s suitability for re‑employment and/or advancement within the Northern Territory Public Sector
17. A public sector officer must take care to avoid making statements which could be regarded as malicious. Situations in which a comment could potentially be regarded as having been made with malice include:
    1. where a public sector officer knowingly includes false or doubtful allegations in a referee report;
    2. where the language of the report is excessively strong or weak, in a manner which might unreasonably mislead the recipient of the report or misrepresent the public sector officer who is the subject of the referee report; and
    3. where extraneous material is deliberately introduced or where omissions are deliberately made so as to create a misleading impression
18. A public sector officer must not act as a referee for an applicant if they are also an applicant for the same vacancy.
19. Managers/supervisors will take care to prepare for the arrival of new employees and ensure that they are properly welcomed, inducted and oriented to the workplace.

Nicole Hurwood
Commissioner for Public Employment

Policy approved:  15 April 2026

Merit selection training

To be eligible to sit on a selection panel in the NTPS, selection panel members must have completed merit selection training within the previous three years.

Merit selection training is suitable for all NTPS employees irrelevant of experience, level or classification. This face-to-face training, facilitated by OCPE and is offered across the NT each year.

The face-to-face training is the preferred and recommended option, with eLearning available for employees who wish to refresh their merit selection knowledge.

For more information:

• read the Merit Section Training manual PDF (1.2 MB)
• go to the online training calendar.