Purpose of the role
The Corporate Services team ensures the effective delivery of all internal support services and those provided through shared services agreements. Support services include governance, finance, commercial, risk management, HR, IT, office and buildings management.
The HR Manager will work closely with a small team to provide proactive, well-planned and controlled support at pace in order to ensure effective delivery of Human Resources across the office.
The HR Manager will work closely and flexibly with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to provide an end-to-end in-house HR service to the office which includes HR transactional work, pay, budgets and workforce planning, recruitment, learning & development and HR management information. They will work collaboratively with SLT to deliver best practice advice and guidance on HR policy, including on complex HR issues such as grievances and performance management, and will work to foster a positive employee relations culture, contributing to the HR strategy and objectives.
Whilst the post holder has specific responsibilities, as a member of a small team it will be necessary to become familiar, through time, with other associated aspects of the corporate services function in order to provide cover for colleagues during busy periods and absences. The postholder will be proactive and willing to contribute to the overall performance of the team.
Duties
The post holder is responsible for delivering a comprehensive and proactive transactional HR service and an effective recruitment process.
HR records
Ensure that HR records are accurate, stored securely and held on file in line with CCo’s retention and disposal policy and in accordance with current data protection legislation.
DBS – Ensure that DBS checks are taken up on a timely basis during the offer stage of employment. Maintain a renewal log to ensure all renewals are implemented within required timeframes.
Deliver HR quarterly sickness absence and other relevant data as appropriate to advise and support senior management decisions.
Contribute relevant HR and non-financial data to the Annual Report and Accounts.
Recruitment
Lead on and support line managers with all stages of the recruitment process in accordance with CCo’s Recruitment and Selection procedures.
Ensure that successful candidates have the right to work in the UK, references are taken promptly, and DBS checks are completed during the offer stage.
Ensure that all new starters are issued with appropriate IT equipment as well as undertaking workstation assessments to ensure we make changes, so far as reasonably practicable, to protect employees’ health.
Monitor equality and diversity by collating data contained in CCo equal opportunities & diversity monitoring forms. Analysis of the data, comparing results with other NDPB’s, Government departments and children’s sector where appropriate.
Retain securely staff Right to Work in the UK documentation for the duration of their employment and for two years afterwards.
Prepare and update contracts of employment. Ensure that all signed contracts and associated documents are stored securely in line with data protection requirements.
Advise managers on the induction and probation process for all new starters in accordance with CCo’s policies and procedures.
Payroll
Work with the Head of Finance and the Finance Advisor to ensure all staff salary payments are made accurately and on time.
Review the monthly HR Payroll spreadsheets to ensure that all amendments to staff salaries, and joiner and leaver information are accurately recorded and processed correctly.
Work with the Head of Finance to ensure that salary costs are accurately included in the management accounts and maintain a sickness and absence log.
Work with the Head of Finance to draft the annual Pay Remit and implement the annual Pay Award.
CCo’s Policies and Procedures and the Staff Handbook
Support the organisation in ensuring CCo is compliant with UK law.
Undertake a regular review of the Staff Handbook and CCo’s HR policies and procedures including recruitment, induction, absence and resignation procedures.
Maintain a log of all amendments to the Staff handbook.
Maintain the Policies and Procedures spreadsheet, ensuring that all policies and procedures are reviewed as indicated.
Performance Management
Oversee the performance management cycle ensuring that staff understand the requirements and timelines for objective setting, mid- and end-year reviews. Consolidate staff performance information to support validation decisions.
Support line managers with the performance management procedures, providing advice and best practice in cases of unsatisfactory performance, for both probation and the annual cycle.
Learning and Development
Create an annual plan based on consolidated development needs identified as part of objective setting.
Ensure all new staff undertake mandatory civil service e-learning.
Lead on training of new line managers and deliver refresher sessions for new line managers to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities in this role.
Employee Wellbeing
Deliver an annual All Staff Wellbeing Survey, consolidating the returns and working with managers to develop an action plan in response to any identified issues.
Analyse and report on any trends or issues highlighted as a result of the survey, feeding back to SLT and proposing actions to take in line with the HR strategy.
Promote the use of employee wellbeing tools such as the Employee Assistance Programme and Headspace.
Complete Occupational Health referrals as appropriate and ensure follow-up actions are completed in a timely manner.
Advice and Support
Provide confidential HR support to staff and line managers in line with best practice and guidance.
Advise on and resolve employee relations issues and people matters.
Escalate serious HR issues to SLT as appropriate.
Develop a network of HR colleagues to collaborate with and consult on relevant HR issues, particularly counterparts in the Department for Education (DfE).
Returns
The CCo is required to submit a number of returns to DfE and the Cabinet Office. The postholder will be responsible for completing all returns relating to staff and HR matters accurately and to the required timeline.
Employment Law
Stay up to date on changes to employment law, implementing relevant policy or procedural changes where needed and within the required timelines
Other duties
As part of the Corporate Services team, ensure:
– the reception telephone is always covered during core business hours.
– the team includes a first aider, fire warden and mental health first aider.
Provide ad hoc support to the other members of Corporate Services as and when required.
Please note that the successful candidate will be expected to join at the base of the salary band unless joining on a level move from another government department at a higher salary.
Recruitment process
Our recruitment process is based on fair and open competition and is committed to:
- ensuring equality of opportunity for all applicants, with selection decisions made solely on the basis of merit.
- ensuring all applications are dealt with professionally and in confidence.
- ensuring applicants are treated with respect and courtesy at all times.
- candidates invited for interview will be asked if they require any adjustments, we will make every effort to provide reasonable support.
- procedures are in place to ensure that the OCC is safe environment for the children we come into contact with, as part of our work. All applicants are required to complete a Child Protection Declaration Form and Declaration of Criminal Convictions.
Additional benefits
- Development opportunities including access to senior people within our organisation and across Whitehall and Westminster.
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options.
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
- Civil service pension scheme, although our staff are public servants not civil servants.
- Cycle to work scheme
- Season ticket loan
Checks
Successful applicants are required to provide proof of their entitlement to work in the UK and complete a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service process to an enhanced level.