Overview
Post Title: HR Business Lead
Location: Hybrid/Teith House
Reports to post (Title): Service Manager - HR
Service: People & Community Wellbeing
Grade: JE13
Eval Ref: A3676
Date: March 2025
Principal Purpose and Objectives
This section lists the main (headline) responsibilities/accountabilities of the job.
* To deliver a high quality, professional HR Business Partnering function. As the HR Business Lead, the Post holder will report to the Service Manager, HR.
* To provide strategic leadership to the HR Business Partnering function aimed at delivering an HR Business Partner service in accordance with the Councils strategic objectives, goals, and values, in a manner which provides best value.
* This Post holder will lead on allocated projects relating to matters impacting our workforce. With responsibility for the development and co-ordination of programmes of work which review what we do, maximise opportunities, build organisational capacity and support business transformation.
* The post holder will lead a team of professional officers, ensuring Council services are supported with specialist HR policy, process and advice which addresses business challenges and maximises opportunities relating to the people function.
* You will oversee the development and implementation of HR policy, systems, and processes which ensure continuous improvement, and help build organisational efficiency and capacity.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
This Section Provides Detail Of The Main Responsibilities/accountabilities. Individual tasks may be included. Note these are illustrative only and are not exhaustive.
* To provide strategic leadership, direction and operational support to a team of professional HR Officers, directing the work of the team, providing advice and guidance, ensuring compliance to policy and process, and deploying resources as necessary to ensure HR policy, processes and projects are delivered.
* To support the Service Manager, HR, in developing service plans setting functional priorities and targets, and ensuring the effective deployment of resources.
* Provide strategic HR input at a senior management level, to effectively integrate people management with service plans, identifying risks and opportunities, and progressing the modernisation of HR services.
* Oversee the development and review of a suite of HR policies, leading policy review exercises with relevant stakeholders, both internal and external, while using a data informed approach, and best practice, to develop exemplar policies which take account of, and address organisational impacts or implications. Responsible for the progress of such proposals through to Committee/Council.
* Ensuring the recognition of inter-dependencies between areas of work relating to workforce matters within the Council, are identified, addressed, and managed appropriately, taking cognisance of legislative requirements and policy and process.
* Focus on the organisation's employee value proposition leading on elements of the Councils delivery of Fair Work Principles for HR and maintaining effective working relationships with recognised trade unions.
* Develop and deliver Council wide data-informed approaches and targeted interventions with a particular focus on developing a high attendance culture.
* Develop, and introduce HR performance data and management information which support strategic decision making. From this identify and implement strategies for HR/service and organisational performance improvement.
* Review and develop current processes and practice to enhance service outcomes, and drive forward efficiency in process and transactions, through best practice, benchmarking analysis, and key business drivers.
* Establish and maintain effective working relationships with senior managers, securing understanding of business need, and providing focused, expert advice on HR matters impacting the workforce, seeking to minimise risk to the individual, and the organisation.
* Work closely with Workforce Planning and Organisational Development, and the HRBP Corporate and Business Leads, to ensure the planning, identification, co-ordination, and resourcing of all HRBP business activities.
* Responsible for ongoing continuous professional development of self and others, including maintaining awareness and knowledge of key employment policies, procedures, and best practice, and lead the teams professional development.
Responsibilities for Physical Assets, Data and Finance
This section details responsibility for physical assets, data, and finance.
* The post holder will contribute to the long-term planning of people resources within allocated service areas to meet future Council and service requirements.
* Information handled will be of an extremely confidential and sensitive nature. Strict observation of GDPR legislation must be observed at all times.
* Some information will be complex in nature with legal and contractual issues impacting the individual and the organisation.
* The post holder will be required to work creatively to find solutions, with a high degree of autonomy, and to be innovative in approaches progressed while taking account of any wider service/organisational impact.
* The post holder will work with a high degree of autonomy to creatively find solutions, and to create and analyse data as a basis to inform such, and to explore solutions out with the existing corporate and service constraints with management oversight.
* Responsibility for managing the work of a group of professional officers, including undertaking Personal Growth and Development, and ensuring qualification pathways are completed.
Communications Skills
* The post holder will be required to demonstrate excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate complex information to senior managers, trade unions, and professional colleagues on HR policy and process.
* They will also provide professional advice and guidance as a policy specialist, for example during consultation processes, with all stakeholders on a variety of complex HR issues.
* They will also demonstrate effective and adaptable negotiation skills such as advising and persuading on courses of action which may not otherwise be taken.
* They will also be required to utilise effective and adaptable communication skills during consultation processes with all stakeholders on a variety of often more complex HR issues, policy, and process.
* Internal: The post holder will deal with a wide range of individuals and organisations such as Service Managers, Employees, recognised Trade Union Officials and Trades Union representatives.
* External: The post holder will liaise with other external organisations such as COSLA, Other Local Authorities, the Falkirk Pensions Office, Occupational Health, and our communities.
Mental Skills
* Required to exercise judgement on a wider range of sensitive and impactful workforce matters with both an organisational and service impact. Much will be complex in nature with legal and contractual issues, requiring the ability to analyse information for the purpose of contributing to strategic planning processes.
* The post holder will be required to exercise an innovative solution focused approach which balances expectation with organisational, service and workforce impact, while planning for future requirements.
* The post holder will be required to work creatively and with a high degree of autonomy to find solutions which are future proofed, and to consider and explore solutions out with the existing corporate and service constraints.
* Ability to develop and create HR approaches through policy, procedure and processes which provide conditions for high performance standards.
* Ability to develop, adapt and utilise to effect Corporate and service HR management and monitoring information from HR data systems such as Oracle Fusion and the use of OHIO for journeys.
Working Environment and Physical Effort
Indoor/outdoor working, flexible hours, and hybrid working model with potential office presence up to 3 days per week. Attendance at internal and external meetings in person or via MS Teams. The role requires flexibility in working hours due to the support and advisory nature of HR across services.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential Criteria
* Qualified to SCQF level 10 or equivalent. Chartered membership of CIPD.
* Experience of leading a team of professional HR officers.
* Experience of leading workforce initiatives which have an organisational impact.
* Comprehensive knowledge of employment law and its organisational implications and practical application.
* Solution focused approach to HR related matters which accounts for impact on business need, our people, and our organisation.
* Ability to lead, co-ordinate and implement effective change processes and policy development within an organisation.
* Demonstratable communication and consultation skills, with the ability to build relationships with senior managers, trade unions, services, and colleagues.
* Experience of providing professional support, advice, and guidance to HR colleagues on complex matters.
* Ability to produce and interpret complex data to lead informed strategic decision-making processes.
* Competent in the use of computer software to produce accurate and effectively presented work using MS Office software packages including Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
Desired Criteria
* Experience of Local Government or Public sector within an HR setting.
* Experience with ERP systems for reporting, data extraction and analysis.
* Working knowledge of Oracle Fusion.
* Experience with Oracle HR systems.
* Valid UK Driving License.
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