Description
Responsible to:
HR Services Manager
Main Purpose of Job:
* To provide a professional, high-quality advice and support service on the full range of HR matters to schools, academies, school-based staff and external clients.
* To support the development of client and the Schools HR function in line with client's vision and values, identifying and developing business opportunities with existing and new customers.
* To develop and maintain collaborative and productive relationships with customers based on professional credibility, excellent customer-care and solution-focused advice.
* To advise on the Client's TA Proposal regarding terms and conditions, casework, pre-employment checks and training, acting as the representative.
* To act as the school liaison officer for Client's school based staff.
* Proactively develop skills and understanding of both the commercial aspect of the organisation and the HR function, providing a commercially focused, value-added service.
* To undertake activities based on specific deliverable, projects and/or customer areas requiring specialist HR knowledge and experience.
* To provide a high quality business-focused HR advisory service on operational issues that support performance improvement, and the school's objectives, strategy, vision and values.
Main Responsibilities / Accountabilities / KRA:
The postholder is accountable to the HR Services Manager in the delivery of allocated tasks to time, quality and cost.
The post holder works largely autonomously, under the general guidance of the HR Services Manager, using professional judgement to ensure the principles of good employment practice are adhered to at all times.
Job Activities:
* To provide a highly credible and professional advisory service to headteachers, governors, new clients and others, across the range of HR services.
* To lead on HR policy development for schools ensuring policies are fit for purpose and are developed in line with legislative changes, and HR best practice. This will include consulting with union representatives and school leaders.
* To seek, as appropriate, opportunities for new business by developing new and existing networks and demonstrating the value that HR can add to an organisation.
* To create and maintain effective working relationships with customers, that is based on excellent customer care, professional expertise and a thorough understanding of their organisation.
* To build effective customer relations with senior school employees, making decisions on site, under pressure, contributing to formal meetings and coaching senior employees.
* To understand the needs of clients, working with them to develop solutions that are not only in line with best practice and employment law, but are practical, customer-focused and take account of their objectives, strategy, vision and values.
* To be decisive and persuasive (where necessary), to assist school leaders to make sound decisions and manage risk.
To advise and provide appropriate interpretation to customers on employment law and employee terms and conditions. These will vary dependent upon customer organisations and the contents of individual employee's contracts of employment but will include:
* Provision of advice on employment practices, pay and conditions of services in compliance with the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document, Burgundy Book, Green Book, School Staffing Regulations and School Governance;
* Provision of advice on school specific policies/issues including performance management, recruitment and selection of headteachers, deputy and assistant headteachers; disciplinary; grievance and redundancy procedures and safeguarding;
* Provision of advice on terms and conditions, pay, policies, procedures and HR issues for other clients.
* To provide advice and support to managers on complex casework including discipline, performance, redundancy, absence and grievances; from the provision of written/telephone advice to acting as advisor to customers in formal and preparatory meetings and hearings.
* To provide high quality transformational advice in relation to change management programmes, including consultation meetings with staff and trade union consultations ensuring compliance with relevant policies, legislation and School Staffing Regulations.
* To provide comprehensive, highly credible advice and support the client on the TUPE process during schools' conversion to Academy status or other TUPE transfers.
* To provide specialist knowledge on the varying categories of schools in relation to specific statutory obligations and legal standing for both Governing Bodies and the Local Authority.
* To provide customer specific HR advice to customers and employees on interpretation of HR policies and employment legislation.
* To act as an investigating officer for clients. This will include report writing and making appropriate recommendations which may cover an array of subject areas such as safeguarding, health and safety, fraud. To answer queries from customers on HR issues, either by telephone, email, in writing, via teams or in person at client sites.
* To design and deliver HR training programmes for schools and other clients where there is a requirement for specific training on HR issues, for example, employment law, absence management, introduction of policies or procedural issues. Seek feedback and action any improvements.
* To be responsible for managing and delivering specific allocated projects to time, quality and cost. Working with customers, HR Managers, and others in the HR function as appropriate.
* Work with customers on recruitment and selection exercises providing advice on the development of job descriptions and person specifications, job evaluation, job advertisements, selection tests / exercises and assessment centres.
* To advise customers on terms and conditions of employment including equal pay matters and support and participate in customers' job evaluation schemes.
To assist customers in proactively managing sickness absence by providing appropriate advice and working closely with the Occupational Health Service in order to support employees who are affected by illness.
* Ensure employees and customers are provided with up-to-date information.
* Ensure employees have appropriate support, e.g. counselling.
* Provide advice for alternative working arrangements following return from illness, or to keep employee at work.
* Assist with the organisation of applications for ill-health early retirement and any subsequent appeals.
* To work collaboratively with trade union representatives on casework, change management programmes and other employee relations issues.
* To facilitate formal communication and consultation with employees and their representatives in order to facilitate change, resolve conflict and promote a positive working environment that involves staff.
* To assist with the provision, interpretation and monitoring of data and management information, as required, following the relevant procedures for ensuring that information and data is collected and recorded accurately thus enabling the production of reliable analyses and reports.
* To advise on any possible redeployment or retraining opportunities and signpost to external assistance and support available for staff at risk.
* To attend Position of Trust meetings (multi-agency safeguarding meetings) in relation to allegations made against directorate or school based employees to ensure the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people, providing advice on the HR implications of any allegations.
* To generate new ideas or initiatives that improve performance, reduce costs or creates new business opportunities.
* To ensure effective continuing professional development of skills, knowledge and understanding, particularly in the area of employment law.
This Job Description covers the main duties and responsibilities of the job. Other activities commensurate with this Job Description may from time to time be undertaken by the job holder.