Applying for this post To apply for this post please complete the online application process on our website: https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/get-involved/careers-and-vacancies.html Data from your diversity monitoring form will not be shared with the recruitment panel. we accept other forms of submission including video and audio recordings. The Rep is a Disability Confident Employer. If you would like to apply under this scheme please selection this option on our application portal. The Rep supports and encourages applications from refugees seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. We will guarantee an interview to any refugee if they meet the minimum criteria for the job vacancy and has the legal right to work in the UK. If you would like to apply under this scheme please select this option on our application portal. We want you to feel comfortable and prepared for your interview so that you are able to show case all your brilliant skills and experience. For those with access needs we are able to offer numerous adjustments including: sending out questions in advance, allowing more time for tasks or applications, re-wording questions, providing a BSL interpreter or whatever else you might need. Don’t be afraid to talk to us at [email protected] The deadline for receipt of applications is Monday 24th March 2025 at 12pm Interviews will be held at The Rep on Monday 31st March 2025. Guidance Please read the job description carefully before starting your application to ensure that you meet all of the essential criteria and are able to provide evidence in your application to support these areas. Only relevant information will be considered when shortlisting candidates. In line with GDPR, your application will be retained securely for 6 months before being destroyed if you are unsuccessful. Vacancies will generally close by the deadline, however, we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applicants. We therefore advise candidates to submit their applications as soon as possible if they wish to be considered for the role. Any applications made after the deadline will not be considered. Role Summary Established in 1913, The Rep has an unparalleled history as a pioneering Repertory theatre and the launch-pad for some of the most exciting talent in UK theatre past and present. Today it is a producing powerhouse with three auditoria - The House, 816 seats; The Studio, 292 seats; The Door, 133 seats - as well as extensive on-site theatre production facilities: set building, scenic art, wardrobe, props workshop, lighting, sound/AV, stage and stage management. Producing theatre is the core of The Rep’s mission and it presents up to ten productions a year of varying sizes across its stages alongside a programme of visiting productions. The theatre also has an impressive creative learning and talent development programme delivering opportunities for thousands of young people every year. The HR Director will shape the culture and people strategy for The Rep and oversee the delivery of HR services across the organisation. The Rep directly employs 250 people comprising employees and casual workers and engages over 500 freelancers a year mostly across its artistic programme. In 2023 The Rep was named as a Top 75 Employer in the Social Mobility Foundation’s Employer Index. The HR Director is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Main Duties and Responsibilities The key priorities for the person in this role will be: Build out a high level people strategy and business plan which directly responds to key business objectives and risks. Act as HR counsel to the Board, Executive and SLT on all people related matters. Build a HR framework which supports delivery of the overall business plan and is in line with all legislative requirements. Assume overall responsibility for all people based activity within the organisation from both an operational and HR perspective. Deliver a comprehensive HR service to the business and pro-actively advise on best practice HR and support the people management functions that underpin the business culture. Lead the design and delivery of an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Plan ensuring this is embedded into all people policies, processes and practices. Specific Responsibilities Ensure people systems and processes are up to date and maintained in line with legislative standards. Equip the executive and management teams with the tools and support required to build and maintain high performing teams who can deliver high quality outputs. Create a Learning and Development strategy and framework which ensures people are fully trained, supported and nurtured to be their best. Act as a trustworthy and confidential counsel to staff of all levels as required. Create and embed a recruitment strategy and associated policies which ensure The Rep is promoted as an attractive employer. Design and deliver reward and recognition and engagement strategies/policies which help The Rep’s internal talent to feel engaged and satisfied at work. Ensure through a blend of policies and behaviours diversity and inclusion becomes ‘the way we do things’ at The Rep. Create a performance management framework which allows us to recognise talent and align employee outputs to overall business strategy. Use KPI metrics and MI to equip executive and Board with relevant people data and reliable information to make key decisions. Monitor and report on equality, diversity and inclusion data, setting SMART targets for improvement year on year as part of the people strategy. Create a strategy and supporting policies for pathways into the organisation including internships, work experience, apprenticeships and volunteers, including being the overall lead for all volunteer activity. Manage the talent management cycle including succession planning and talent mapping. Leadership Develop effective communication and working practices so that the HR team has clarity on standards expected and works in a collaborative and effective way to achieve them. Hold yourself and others accountable to outcomes. Contribute to the cyclical business planning processes by designing and embedding new and dynamic policies, plans and strategies for the HR team. Set departmental objectives and actively manages team and individual delivery against these to ensure high quality outputs. Continually reviews organisational design to ensure it is effective, productive and fit for purpose. Actively contribute to The Rep’s ambition to become a Training Theatre' through the design and delivery of a viable training plan and development of trainee roles. Actively contribute to The Rep’s drive to diversify its workforce, driving inclusive recruitment initiatives and nurturing an inclusive culture across the organisation. Acts as an ambassador for The Rep brand in the sector and beyond. General Responsibilities Adhere to and implement the guidelines, procedures and policies of the company as detailed in the staff policies. Adhere to and implement the guidelines, procedures and policies of the company as detailed in the staff policies (available from the staff handbook). Play a role in the life of the company and work across departments to develop a positive and engaged organisational culture including playing active and positive roles in staff forums/committee’s. Complete all mandatory e-learning and training Take ownership for the safety of the working environment for your teams by being fully complaint with the Health and Safety policies, rules and training for yourself and your team members including casual and freelancer staff Ensure you and your team are fully compliant with all mandatory training and development Be aware of, and comply with, rules and legislation pertaining to Health & Safety at work and abide by the procedures set out in the Health & Safety Policy. Take ownership for the safety of the working environment for your teams by being fully complaint with the Health and Safety policies, rules and training for yourself and your team members including casual and freelancer staff. Be aware of, and comply with, rules and legislation pertaining to data security, and GDPR, at work and abide by the procedures set out in the Data Protection Policy. All staff are expected to demonstrate an understanding of, and adherence to, our safeguarding policy, including a duty to report any issues of concern. Any Other Duties The duties and responsibilities set out should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. The post-holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities within the organisation which are appropriate with the level of the role without changing the general character of the post. The post-holder may also be called upon to carry out duties that would not normally be associated with the post on a temporary basis where there is a strong organisational requirement for that to happen. The post-holder would be given appropriate training and equipment to carry out any duties of this kind. Key Relationships This role forms part of the People team, reporting directly into the Chief Executive. The role is supported by a HR Manager and HR Officer. This structure may change from time to time based on business need, but reflects the broad areas of responsibility. Internal Members of the Board and Executive Senior Leadership team and Management Team Recognised union representatives UVB team (The Rep’s trading subsidiary) All staff groups, forums and committees Volunteers External Regional Union representatives Sponsors and corporate partners Auditors and consultants Freelance artists Providers, suppliers and vendors Users of the theatre and the public Person Specification You must have If you do not demonstrate that you meet all these criteria you may not be shortlisted Experience at senior level as a HR professional Well versed in creating effective people strategies and framework from grass roots Experience in successful union negotiations Experience in managing risk, control and compliance, including in depth experience working within GDPR legislation and how this applies to processing sensitive people data Able to influence, assert and communicate on all levels, adapting tone as appropriate Is a role model for company values and behaviours Shows commercial tenacity and flexibility in approach Positive, calm, methodical manner Able to prioritise and remain resilient in the face of multiple demands upon time Self-motivated, organised and self-sufficient Well versed in managing complex people risks and providing mitigation solutions Experienced in leading and supporting recruitment activity up to Exec and board level Able to engage with workforce from multi-disciplines Holds diversity and inclusion as a personal value and advocates and educates other with credibility Willingness to roll sleeves up and work outside of domain to aid delivery of business objectives. It’d be great if you had… If we need to choose between candidates who meet the essential criteria, we may take these factors into account. Experience working in the arts sector Understanding of Birmingham city and its communities Highly proficient in all office technology in particular, excel, power-point and word Experience in managing multiple projects Excellent communication skills, written, verbal and presentation Superb listening skills Empathetic, warm and engaging in style Relevant HR/Management qualifications Terms and Conditions Period of Work: This is a permanent contract, subject to successful completion of a probationary period of 6 months. Pay: £54,000 per annum with more for an exceptional candidate. Hours: 39 hours per week to be worked minimum or hours as required, worked flexibly in accordance with business needs. Occasional evening work will be required. Holidays: 25 days per year rising to 30 with service, including bank holidays. The holiday year runs from 1 September to 31 August each year. Notice Period: 3 months Location of Work: Your main place of work will be The Rep in Birmingham. Other Benefits: Contributory staff pension, 5% employee and 3% employer Non-contractual Benefits A day off for your birthday Free-to-use employee assistance service Staff ticket discount Staff discount in The Rep food and drink outlets (when available) Access to salary sacrifice schemes including Bike to Work scheme and Health Cash Plans Numerous corporate discounts including 25% Season Ticket discount on parking at Q-Parks We actively encourage all staff to see shows as believe that being part of The Rep product enhances everyone’s experience as an employee and ambassador. To ensure everyone has a chance to attend shows every staff member is invited to attend press night for all The Rep's own productions along with further complimentary tickets where possible as well as competitive discounts throughout the year. There’s no such thing as perfection… At the Rep we don’t expect or look for the ‘perfect candidate’, instead we look for people who can positively contribute to our team. In return you will be given support, encouragement and all the right conditions to grow, succeed and be your best. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where difference is a strength and every unique voice and skill is recognised and valued. For us, recruitment is more than a match against a job description, it’s about feeling excited to come to work every day and being proud of who you work with and for. We believe The Rep is for everyone, so however you identify, whatever your background, if you feel excited about this role then we urge you to please apply. It’s important to us that The Rep reflects the communities we serve and therefore we particularly welcome applicants from the global majority and D/deaf & disabled communities as these groups are not as well represented as we want them to be. As part of our Ramps on the Moon legacy, we have experience in supporting individuals to Access to Work requests and encourage any and all staff who may benefit from the scheme to use it. We will always try to make the adjustments needed so that you can perform to the best of your ability and professionally thrive in a supportive and engaging environment. We want our Rep to be culturally informed and accessible to all, so we encourage you to celebrate and share your own cultural experience and knowledge of our city proudly in your application. As a disability confident employer, we guarantee an interview to anyone who has a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the post. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean that you must provide us with evidence in your application form which demonstrates that you generally meet the level of competence required for each competence (or could with reasonable support), as well as meeting any of the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential in the person specification. Diversity Monitoring Our ultimate aim is to have diversity of all kinds in every layer of the organisation and to help us keep track of our success we kindly ask you to complete an Equality and Diversity form alongside your application. Participation is voluntary but appreciated and your responses will be anonymous and not shared with the recruiting managers. Environmental As one of the largest producing houses in the midlands, we are aware that we have a responsibility to the environment beyond legal and regulatory requirements. As such, we are aiming to be carbon neutral within 10 years with sustainability at the forefront of our working practices and integrate climate aware work into our programme. We have committed to adopt the Green Book Sustainable Productions framework on a minimum of 2 productions a year. Our Environmental Working Group is comprised of staff from across organisation to become environmental champions and meet regularly to review and update our Environmental policy and plans. We are committed to exploring, trailing and renewing ways in which the organisation and staff can reduce their environmental impact and carbon footprint. Flexible working We know flexibility is everything and we foster a working environment which is focused on outcomes. For this role you will be required to work specific hours and be present in the building to help with the running of performances. We actively encourage applications for job shares and will make every effort to accommodate these requests. Safeguarding The Rep is committed to safeguarding, and operates an environment where all staff are expected to report any concerns about vulnerable people, or about the behaviour or practice of colleagues and other people they come into contact with. Offers Any job offer we make is subject to: Receipt of 2 satisfactory references Proof of eligibility to work in the UK Role appropriate background checks Evidence of appropriate qualifications