Freedom of Information request about recruitment (FOI-21-272)
Published 28 May 2021
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Thank you for your email.
Please find the answers to the questions you have raised in blue in the body of the email below.
1) In last 2 years has your organisation used external recruitment agencies to hire for permanent or contract roles?
Yes
2) In list format what are the five highest paid external recruitment agencies with the total amount paid in the last 2 years?
| Supplier | Total spend 2019-2020 |
|---|---|
| Allen Lane | 5,382,326.47 |
| Office Angels | 1,848,574.50 |
| Alexander Mann Solutions | 1,818,887.24 |
| Hays | 1,407,051.70 |
| Michael Page | 559,330.59 |
3) What is the fee structure charged for the five highest paid vacancies by the above five external recruitment agencies and the roles that were hired for? Example: Office Manager - Salary £20,000 Fees paid 15% of salary = Total recruitment fees paid £3000.
| Grade and title | Salary | Fee (exc VAT) | Percentage | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G6: Head of Business Partnering | £65,915.0 | £7,909.80 | 12% | Michael Page |
| Head of Strategic Finance (temp to perm fee) | £64,960.0 | £11,043.20 | 17% | Michael Page |
| SEO: Senior Maintenance Electrician | £40,157.00 | £7,228.26 | 18% | Hays |
| SEO: Facilities Team Leader | £40,157.00 | £7,173.54 | 18% | Hays |
| SEO: Mechanical Team Leader | £39,853.00 | £7,173.54 | 18% | Hays |
| SEO: Mechanical Technician | £40,635.55 | £7,314.40 | 18% | Hays |
4) For the coming year what live vacancies does the organisation currently have for permanent or contract roles, please list these vacancies with the following;
- Current or future positions and an exact salary figure
- What type of positions are they? (Contract or Permanent)
- Who is the hiring manager, please provide their full details: Full name, Telephone number, Email, Job Title and Department
We cannot provide information for coming vacancies for the year, as these are not confirmed as requirements currently. Our current vacancies are as follows:
| Director of Governance | £71,000 | FTC |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Research Software Developer | £53,101 | Permanent |
| Control Engineering Manager | £53,101 | FTC |
| Customer Service Centre Lead | £32,635 | Permanent |
| Senior Clinical Advisor | £71,000 | Permanent |
| Microbiologist | £32,635 | Permanent |
| VRMM E-Cigarette Assessor | £27,135 | Permanent |
| Scientist | £53,101 | Permanent |
| GDP Inspector | £36,701 | Permanent |
| GMDP Inspector | £49,351 | Permanent |
| Advertising Assessor | £32,635 | Permanent |
| Paediatric Medical Assessor | £65,915 | Permanent |
| Pharmaceutical Assessor | £40,451 | FTC |
| Senior Scientist | £53,101 | Permanent |
| HR Advisor | £32,635 | Permanent |
| Project Support Administrator | £27,135 | FTC |
| CPRD Senior Clinical Project Manager | £53,101 | Permanent |
| Technical Support Team Member | £23,323 | Permanent |
| HR Advisor | £32,635 | Permanent |
| Head of Finance Business Partnering | £65,915 | Permanent |
| Senior Pharmaceutical Assessor | £65,915 | Permanent |
| Stem Cell Scientist | £40,451 | FTC |
| Devices Compliance Officer | £32,635 | Permanent |
| CPRD Researcher | £40,451 | FTC |
| Higher Medical Device Specialist | £32,635 | FTC |
| Scientist | £32,635 | FTC |
| Committee Coordinator | £27,135 | Permanent |
| Regulatory Policy Advisor | £32,635 | Permanent |
| Senior Policy Advisor - International | £40,451 | FTC |
| Head of Medicines Policy | £53,101 | FTC |
| Accredited Financial Investigator | £36,701 | FTC |
| Performance Manager | £53,101 | FTC |
| Intelligence Analyst | £32,635 | FTC |
| Section Head - Microbiome | £65,915 | Permanent |
| Section Head - Precision Medicine | £65,915 | Permanent |
| Scientist | £32,635 | FTC |
We are unable to share personal contact details of our staff, which is exempt under Section 40 of the FOI Act, however please find our careers email address, careers@mhra.gov.uk.
5) On which websites are these jobs advertised? Please clearly provide a link/list to where these jobs are advertised.
All of our currently advertised jobs can be found on our website (https://mhra.referrals.selectminds.com/) and Civil Service Jobs (https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi).
6) What is the process to selecting new recruitment agencies? Please provide the procurement process for selecting new recruitment agencies and what date is this conducted and by whom? Please provide full contact details.
The appointment of new suppliers is overseen by the agency’s Commercial team. Recruitment falls under the Corporate Category which is lead by Alison Finn. It is policy to utilise Crown Commercial Services frameworks wherever possible and the frameworks most regularly accessed for recruitment are as follows:
RM6002 Permanent Recruitment Solutions
RM6160 Non Clinical Temporary and Fixed Term Staff
RM3749 Public Sector Resourcing
7) Is there a purchase threshold below which allows the organisation to use external recruitment agencies which are not on any preferred supplier arrangements or contracts without going through a formal tender process?
No – we utilise Crown Commercial Service frameworks
If you disagree with how we have interpreted the Freedom of Information Act 2000 with regards to your request, you can ask for the decision to be reviewed. The review will be carried out by a senior member of the Agency who was not involved with the original decision.
If you have a query about the information provided, please reply to this email
If you are unhappy with our decision, you may ask for it to be reviewed. That review will be undertaken by a senior member of the Agency who has not previously been involved in your request. If you wish to pursue that option please email: info@mhra.gov.uk
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After that, if you remain dissatisfied, you may write to the Information Commissioner at; The Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire
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They will make a decision on whether or not we have interpreted the FOIA correctly in handling your request.
Yours sincerely
MHRA Customer Service Centre
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU.