Job Description
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and qualified Human Resources (HR) professional to lead the HR team at St Helen’s. The HR Manager will provide strategic direction and leadership on the development of appropriate HR policies across the School and be a key contact for senior stakeholders within the School e.g. Head, Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) and Governors.
The postholder will oversee recruitment and on-boarding, induction, probation, safer recruitment, staff absence management, HR information systems, the Single Central Record, contractual compliance, pay systems, termination and off-boarding.
This is a full-time, year-round role and the postholder will report to the DFO. We are looking for the successful candidate to start end May/early June 2023.
All staff share the responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the students, in accordance with the School’s safeguarding policies.
For full job details and an application form, please visit our website at:
www.shsk.org.uk >The School >Working at St Helen’s.
Closing date: Wednesday 19 April 2023 at 9.00am
Interviews: Friday 28 April 2023
The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.
The role:
The department
The HR Manager will be supported by a part-time HR Officer and a full-time HR Coordinator. The department is located in three linked offices in the original part of the School, situated above the School Chapel. The Bursary is located nearby, across the school car park.
The department benefits from access to employment legal advice providers, opportunities to attend regular employment law update sessions and specialist courses/conferences geared to school HR professionals. Access to an Occupational Health adviser and services are available, as and when required.
Training and professional networking with other schools are encouraged.
We currently use WCBS PASS as both our payroll and HR information systems, and iSAMS is used as our school management information system. Payroll is processed in house, by the Bursary team.
Key responsibilities
- Provide expert advice in all HR matters, supporting the development and implementation of HR policies, processes and systems to meet legislative and regulatory requirements to reduce operational risk and meet HR best practice standards.
- Lead on staff recruitment including understanding the School’s staffing needs, the scoping of roles, supervising all recruitment activity and ensuring it is carried out in line with Safer Recruitment practice and with regard to Keeping Children Safe in Education.
- Liaise with the Director of Communications to create effective materials and website content in order to attract and recruit excellent staff.
- Ensure the upkeep of timely, accurate and complete staff records that are compliant with current employment law and ISI requirements. Oversee the maintenance and accuracy of the Single Central Record.
- Plan, organise and manage all strategies relating to absence, maternity, flexible working, performance development and job evaluations.
- Ensure the proactive management of sickness absence including ‘Return to Work’ interviews, requesting GP reports, reviewing special arrangements and support and liaising with Occupational Health where required
- Oversee and develop pay systems for teaching and support staff in conjunction with the Head and DFO.
- Oversee the Disclosures application procedures and policy for all staff .
- Give advice, support and coach managers and staff in employee relations issues including grievance, disciplinary, absence cases and organisational change e.g. organisational structures, contract reviews, job design to minimise risk whilst ensuring legal compliance is met.
- Be available to staff who wish to discuss any HR concerns.
- Enable the production of timely, accurate and relevant HR documentation including offer letters, contracts and contractual changes for all staff.
- Monitor employment and safeguarding legislation developments, assess the impact on the School and develop policies to maintain legal compliance.
- Lead on the School’s approach to job evaluation to maintain consistency and equity.
- Lead on the future development/implementation of a new integrated HR/payroll system.
- Represent HR and participate in various internal working groups, initiatives and committees across the School including the Governors’ Governance Committee and the Joint Staff Consultative Committee.
People Leadership and Management
- Manage and lead the HR team, provide management of direct reports, further developing the strategic and operational capabilities within the team.
- Recruit, induct and develop HR staff and provide training and mentoring as necessary.
- Monitor team performance and ensure all responsibilities and objectives are met through objective setting, regular feedback and formal appraisal .
Financial Management and Control
- Oversee and manage the HR budget, to include input in setting the annual recruitment and temporary staff budget (with the DFO) and effective planning to optimise resources. Authorise expenditure within the limits of the budget.
Professional Development
- Participate in training and undertake any performance development activities as required for the position.
Additional Information
- Support for the ethos of St Helen and St Katharine and the School’s ongoing development.
- Participate actively in the wider aspects of school life.
- Support health and safety training initiatives and to actively participate in this area.
- In addition to the above key responsibilities, the postholder will carry out any other professional duties as reasonably required by the Head, DFO and Governors.
The person
Qualifications, experience, and knowledge
- A post graduate qualification from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), ideally CIPD level 7.
- Significant experience as an HR practitioner dealing with the full breadth of personnel matters.
- Practical up-to-date knowledge of employment law and safeguarding legislation and proven experience of applying current legislation to a variety of HR situations.
- Experience of using HR information systems.
- Experience of HR project management with the ability to work under pressure and prioritise, as necessary.
- Proven team leadership and management experience.
Skills/abilities
- Ability to communicate goals, tasks and other organisational needs clearly and concisely.
- Ability to make and advise on crucial decisions, sometimes with very little time.
- Ability to encourage innovation and a creative culture of continuous improvement.
- Ability to think strategically and develop strategies and processes to benefit the School and the HR function.
- High level of attention to detail.
Personal attributes
- High levels of emotional intelligence and a skilled listener.
- A track record of problem-solving.
- Keeps abreast of sector developments and anticipates the need for change.
- Resilient with the ability to manage competing and changing priorities.
- Reflective, evaluates development and learning of improvement strategies.
- Takes accountability and ownership for decisions and outcomes in own area of responsibility.
- A commitment to safeguarding our students in line with the School’s safeguarding policies.
Salary and benefits
- This is a permanent, full-time post. Standard hours of work are 37.5 per week, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm with a one-hour unpaid lunch break. The postholder can expect to work beyond these standard hours on occasion, in line with the demands and seniority of the role.
- Holiday entitlement of 6 weeks, plus all statutory public holidays (total of 7.6 weeks). In addition, at the discretion of the School, this role attracts a 20% reduction in working hours during school holiday periods with no impact on pay.
- The salary range for this post is £53,445 to £58,562. Starting salary will be dependent on qualifications and experience.
- Employees may join a stakeholder pension scheme. The School currently double matches employee contributions with a minimum employee contribution of 3%. The maximum employer contribution is capped at 10% of gross salary.
- The School currently operates a cycle to work scheme.
- Employees are entitled to free lunches when the kitchens are operating.
- There is free car parking on site.
- Employees may use the fully equipped gymnasium/sports facility on site.
St Helen’s is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Employment is subject to these checks.
The process
These job details should be read in conjunction with our Safeguarding policies, available within the Working at St Helen’s section of our website. We will require you to complete an application form (available within the 'Working at St Helen's section of our website). The completed application form, along with a brief supporting letter addressed to Mrs Nicola McAvoy, Director of Finance and Operations should be submitted via email to the email address in the candidate pack.
Please note that any application form submitted electronically must be completed in the existing application form format, within Adobe.
The closing date for this post is Wednesday 19 April 2023 at 9.00am. Interviews will take place on Friday 28 April 2023.
Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback except to those candidates who attend an interview. We look forward to receiving your completed application.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: £53,445.00-£58,562.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted or free food
- Gym membership
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Schedule:
Work Location: One location
Application deadline: 19/04/2023
Expected start date: 05/06/2023