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Staff Promotion Program

Last Updated: September 13, 2021 9:00:33 PM PDT
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Learn more about the local procedures for UC San Diego's Staff Promotion Program.

The UC San Diego Staff Promotion Program supports staff career advancement and provides additional flexibility for employee mobility. Internal promotions may be used to recognize growth and development of career staff employees.

Internal promotions may be appropriate to address the combination of:

  • A university business need (e.g., a vacant classified position or need for higher-level work to be performed), and
  • A career employee has demonstrated readiness by possessing the skills and experience for the higher-level position.

Utilization of this program requires approval in advance from departmental and VC Office, and Human Resources EEO/CHRO endorsement.

Initiating an Internal Promotion

An internal promotion is initiated by the hiring manager, requires department head and VC approval, and endorsement from Campus Human Resources.  The promotional position must be non-represented and current salary rate-setting guidelines apply during the offer process. When use of an internal promotion is approved, career staff employees who meet the eligibility criteria outlined below are eligible to apply.

Eligibility Criteria for Staff Promotion Program:   

  1. Currently hold a career appointment within the organizational unit/department
  2. Meet the minimum required qualifications of the higher-level promotional opportunity as outlined in the job description
  3. Have successfully passed probationary period
  4. Received a “Solid Performance” (S) rating or higher on their last performance evaluation
  5. Have not received documented performance or conduct counseling with a corrective action within the last twelve months of employment

        Note: Exceptions to c and d requirements above require CHRO approval

HireOnline is the system of record to document internal promotions. In order to ensure adherence to our fundamental principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, all outcomes and promotion-related actions are subject to review to by HR and EEO; these outcomes will be shared and reviewed with the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion a regular basis.

PSS and MSP positions through the P4 level are included in the Staff Promotion Program.

Process Flow

  1. Hiring Manager obtains required department head and Vice Chancellor approval.
  2. Hiring Department/HR Contact reviews/updates Job Description and creates a HireOnline Promotion requisition. HR Talent Advisor (HR/TA) oversees the requisition process in HireOnline to ensure request meets established program criteria.
  3. HR Talent Advisor obtains EEO/CHRO endorsement
    1. CHRO will evaluate and endorse the promotion request by considering:
      1. Succession planning or professional development efforts
      2. Significance of position
      3. Need for operational continuity
      4. Extraordinary circumstances
    2. EEO reviews affirmative action plan and determine impact on underutilization within the organizational unit and makes recommendation for specific outreach for the recruitment plan of the position vacated due to the internal promotion.
  4. Hiring Department sends out promotion opportunity announcement to the entire organizational unit, including:
    1. Position summary/overview and minimum qualifications
    2. Link for application: (unique link generated for this specific promotional opportunity and shared internally with department – opportunity is not posted on jobs portal)
    3. Submission deadline (minimum two weeks – verify if employees are on extended leave)
    4. Instructions for how to apply
  5. Interested employees will take the following steps to be considered:
    1. Apply to the promotional opportunity via the HireOnline link provided in departmental announcement by submitting a resume and other required documents
    2. Complete promotion questionnaire
  6.  Hiring Manager evaluates candidate(s), and if necessary conducts interviews prior to making a selection decision; a selection justification narrative must be provided in the Selection Reason field when routing the offer in HireOnline for audit and record retention purposes.
  7. Hiring Department determines offer amount based on promotion rate setting guidelines. Offer is routed via HireOnline for HR/TA review and approval.
  8. HR/TA provides guidance, resources and templates to communicate with non-finalists.
  9. Once promotion is approved, Hiring Department will update personnel file with offer letter and signed JD, and will update UCPath.

Communication Toolkit

All career employees within the organizational unit must be notified of the promotional opportunity: 

  • Email template (Word template) to announce promotional opportunity within organizational unit
  • Instructions to run the employee roster report to identify career employees (coming soon)