Key details
Title: Senior HR Advisor Schools
Salary:(actual salary) based on 30 hours term time plus 4 weeks to be worked during school holiday periods
Location: Hybrid School Sites within Herefordshire and some remote working
Applications will be considered for:
* full time working (37hrs per week)
* part time working (2837 hrs per week)
* full time or part time working for 42 weeks (term time 4 weeks)
Working Pattern: To be discussed at interview
Closing Date: 03 September 2024
Description
We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior HR Advisor (Schools) to provide a comprehensive professional high quality advice and support service on the full range of HR disciplines to schools and academies. This includes supporting clients with complex employee relation casework by email telephone Teams and onsite acting as an investigating officer on variety of employment matters report writing and attending formal meetings. You will lead the development of school based HR policies and procedures working closely with Trade Union representatives and also design/deliver training sessions to clients on a variety of HR topics.
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 customerfocused 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:
o 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;
o 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
o 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:
o Ensure employees and customers are provided with up to date information.
o Ensure employees have appropriate support e.g. counselling.
o Provide advice for alternative working arrangements following return from illness or to keep employee at work.
o Assist with the organisation of applications for illhealth 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 (multiagency 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.
Apply now to join our team and make a meaningful impact in the education sector.
Requirements
All applicants must be resident in Herefordshire and have the unrestricted right to work in the UK.
You will have a proven track record of managing and solving a range of complex HR casework including disciplinary grievance sickness absence management TUPE redundancy appraisal and capability. Although experience of working within the schools sector and providing advice in line with school specific legislation such as the Burgundy Book School Teachers Pay & Conditions Document and School Staffing Regulations would be beneficial this is not essential.
We are looking for an experienced HR professional who is preferably fully CIPD qualified or able to demonstrate equivalent experience. You should have a strong knowledge of employment law excellent time management and interpersonal skills be able to work mainly autonomously under the guidance of your line manager and have the ability to make on the spot professional decisions in challenging environments.
You will be required to travel throughout Herefordshire to attend on site school meetings on a regular basis and sometimes at short notice. As travel is essential you will be required to provide your own transport for business use (mileage is paid).
Benefits
What we offer:
* 26 days of annual leave plus Bank Holidays increasing to 31 days after 5 years of service.
* Aviva salary sacrifice pension scheme.
* Flexible benefits scheme offering various discounts across retailers the option to buy or sell annual leave cycle to work scheme and healthcare plans.
Commitment to diversity:
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and identities. All requests for flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments will be considered. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview.
All applicants must be resident in Herefordshire and have the unrestricted right to work in the UK. You will have a proven track record of managing and solving a range of HR casework including disciplinary, grievance, sickness absence management, TUPE, redundancy, appraisal and capability. Experience of working within the schools sector and providing advice in line with school specific legislation such as the Burgundy Book, School Teachers Pay & Conditions Document and School Staffing Regulations is not essential. We are looking for an experienced HR professional who is preferably fully CIPD qualified, or able to demonstrate equivalent experience. You should have a strong knowledge of employment law, excellent time management and interpersonal skills, be able to work mainly autonomously under the guidance of your line manager and have the ability to make on the spot professional decisions in challenging environments. You will be required to travel throughout Herefordshire to attend on site school meetings on a regular basis and sometimes at short notice. As travel is essential, you will be required to provide your own transport for business use (mileage is paid).