Exceptional Contribution Awards are available to all staff on the University of Sheffield Grading Scheme, regardless of their position on their grade, providing they have had an SRDS review and been rated 1. Staff on academic probation are also eligible for ECAs, providing they have had their probation review meetings.
If a member of staff has been rated 1 in their SRDS review and their contribution is considered to be beyond what was expected of them, their manager can recommend them for an ECA under one of two grounds: ‘exceptional contribution’ or ‘sustained excellence’. The following table provides an explanation of the differences between them:
Exceptional contribution
Sustained excellence
What it rewards
Exceptional contribution should be clearly recognisable and be well beyond simply exceeding the level agreed or anticipated for a role. Exceptional contribution is contribution far beyond the expectations of the grade, job role or SRDS objectives, within the last SRDS review year. Alternatively, it may be a particularly outstanding innovation or achievement.
Sustained excellent contribution should be clearly recognisable and beyond simply exceeding the level agreed or anticipated for a role. Sustained excellent contribution is contribution beyond the expectations of the grade, job role or SRDS objectives, over the last few years (normally more than two).
Who is eligible
Staff who have had an SRDS review, and been rated 1 in this review.
Staff on academic probation who have had their probationary review.
Staff who have had SRDS reviews, and been in rated 1 in them over the past few years.
Staff on academic probation who have had their probationary review.
How to identify
Not all staff who have had a 1 rating are contributing exceptionally. Reviewers should look at the member of staff’s objectives and job summary, and decide whether these have been significantly exceeded over the past year.
Not all staff who have been rated 1 over the past few years are demonstrating sustained excellent contribution. Reviewers should look at the member of staff’s objectives and job summary, and decide whether these have consistently exceeded over the past few review years. Excellent contribution is not as far beyond expectations as exceptional contribution, but it must be sustained to be rewarded with a sustained excellence ECA.
When to recommend
At the end of the review year in which the exceptional contribution occurred
Following a number of years of excellent contributions. (Normally more than two). Staff would not be expected to have had an ECA during the time period of the recommendation.
Recommendations that are submitted for sustained excellence in the year following a successful ECA will be returned to the department. The department will be given an opportunity to revise their submission.
