Our HR Function plays a critical role within Defra Group. We are responsible for developing and delivering the Group People Strategy and Plan to build and sustain a high performing workforce empowered to deliver against our organisational priorities in an inclusive, ambitious and engaging environment.
To deliver our professional and expert end-to-end HR service Defra Group HR partners with the Core Department, Rural Payments Agency, Environment Agency, Animal & Plant Health Agency, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and Natural England, as well as many other delivery partners – this encompasses a range of Civil Service and public service bodies. Our HR function is structured across 3 pillars of delivery: HR Business Partnering, HR Expert Services and HR Operations. You can see the more detailed senior HR leadership portfolios later in this pack.
This role is accountable for the delivery of a professional HR business partnering service to the Rural Payments Agency.
Rural Payments Agency
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an important Civil Service Executive Agency within Defra Group. It is committed to world class farming and land management for the environment, food, and rural resilience. The RPA is a voice for farmers and land managers, encouraging sustainable and profitable farming, and is a delivery agency for the Defra 25 Year Environment Plan. The RPA influences and develops schemes and services for agricultural and rural communities; they are experts in government grant standards and managing public money; and they ensure maximum value for money is achieved in terms of outputs, outcomes and economic results. The RPA has a significant strategic delivery plan as well as a focus on transforming its customer service.
More information about the RPA can be found here – Rural Payments Agency - GOV.UK
Your Role
As the HR Director for the Rural Payments Agency, you will personally partner the Chief Executive, and collective Executive Team, operating as a credible and trusted strategic advisor. You will apply influence and challenge at the most senior level and adopting creative problem solving to deliver innovative and pragmatic people focused solutions to business challenges in a fast paced, and complex environment, and ensuring they deliver the outcomes and commitments set out in their People Strategy.
* Professional Leadership and Influence – Provide professional HR leadership within the RPA, working collectively and collaboratively with the Chief Executive and other members of the Executive Team and the Agency Management Board to influence and shape the direction of the organisation, using a people lens.
* HR Planning and People Strategies – Lead development and delivery of people strategies and workforce plans that underpin successful delivery of the overall RPA business outcomes, driving achievement of a fully engaged, motivated and highly skilled workforce. This includes leveraging delivery from across the HR function and working collectively on the design / development of policies and programmes.
* Business and Financial Delivery – Enable decisions on use of resources at Executive level using data, evidence, insight and clearly defined risk/cost/benefit assessment.
* Cultural leadership – Shape the RPA organisational culture to reflect their values and mission including fostering an inclusive work environment where diversity is valued. Engage positively in debate and resolving ambiguities to gain the best possible outcomes for the RPA. This will include transformation, organisation design and development activities.
* Team Leadership – Leadership and management of a high performing high impact business partner team, providing direction and motivation and to ensure they reach their maximum potential and deliver high-quality credible professional HR strategic advice to EA.
* Functional HR leadership – Provide leadership of the Defra HR community as a key member of the HR Senior Leadership Team. Work collectively and collaboratively across leadership portfolios, assuming leadership and delivery of functional development and service improvement for the benefit of HR colleagues and customers.
* Driving change through digital technology – Advocate and implement leading-edge technology and HR systems to transform ways of working and deliver value for money and an efficient service to customers.
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