Overview

 Job title:  HR Manager
 Department:  People and Culture
 Main base:  Progress House, Eaglescliffe
 Pay band / allowances:  £36,400 - £42,640 (subject to job evaluation, knowledge and experience)
Hours:  Full-time
Period of tenure:  Permanent

Organisational relationships
Reports to:  Head of People and Culture
Direct reports:  Day to day supervision of HR Officer and HR Assistant and any delegated HR team roles
Key relationships:  All charity employees and volunteers. Senior leaders, operational teams, clinicians, external stakeholders and Trustees.

Our what, why and how
We provide outstanding pre-hospital care to people of the North when they need it most, keeping families and communities together by saving lives.  

 

We care about: inclusion of all voices, each other, our supporters, our patients and their families. 

We have the courage to: try new things, take measured risks, speak up and innovate in our field. 

We are committed to: our purpose, the people we serve, the quality of our work, doing a good job. 

Together, we save lives. 

 

Job role summary
As a member of the People and Culture team, provide visible operational leadership for the People and Culture function, ensuring the charity receives a proactive, professional and legally compliant HR service. The role will deliver a HR service to a delegated service portfolio, provide confident advice and guidance to managers on complex people matters, support the development and implementation of HR policies and projects, and contribute to the delivery of the wider People and Culture strategy, deputising for the Head of People and Culture as required.

Team organisational chart

 

What you’ll do

Core responsibilities

· Deliver a comprehensive, effective, responsive and customer-focused operational HR service across the charity.

· Provide expert HR support across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, employee relations, absence management, wellbeing, HR administration, reporting and policy support.

· Provide advice on a range of complex terms and conditions of service, interpreting employment legislation and national guidance.

· Provide day-to-day management, supervision, coaching and support to the HR team, ensuring high standards of HR practice and service delivery.

· Provide specialist and generalist HR advice across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, employee relations, absence management, wellbeing, HR administration, reporting, policy development and workforce planning.

· Advise and support line managers on HR policies, procedures and good people management practice, recognising that line managers retain responsibility for managing their teams and making day-to-day people management decisions.

·  Lead recruitment and selection activity, supporting managers with workforce planning, campaign planning, candidate management and fair, inclusive and effective recruitment processes.

·  Manage highly complex employee relations matters, including performance, absence, capability, disciplinary and grievance cases, seeking specialist advice or escalating where appropriate.

·  Oversee probation, appraisal and performance review processes, ensuring managers are supported, records are maintained and follow-up actions are completed.

· Build constructive working relationships with managers, employees, Trade Unions and staff representatives to support positive employee relations across the organisation.

· Ensure HR processes, records and documentation are accurate, confidential, well organised and completed in line with policy, data protection requirements and agreed timescales.

· Oversee and audit HR trackers, spreadsheets and logs, ensuring information is accurate, timely and used to support reporting, monitoring, compliance and follow-up action.

· Identify and lead improvements to HR processes and service delivery, supporting a consistent, efficient and trusted People and Culture function.

· Lead or coordinate employee health and wellbeing activity, promoting available wellbeing resources, agreed initiatives and appropriate support for employees and managers.

· Champion the consistent application of equality, diversity and inclusion principles across HR processes and employee lifecycle activity.

· Support the Head of People and Culture with operational delivery, agreed projects and activity that supports the delivery of the overall People and Culture strategy.

Leadership, management and training responsibilities

· Provide day to day management, guidance, supervision and development support to the HR team.

· Role model professional HR practice, supporting consistency, confidentiality, sound judgement and a high-quality service culture within the People and Culture team.

·       Design, prepare and deliver HR briefings, guidance and training for managers and employees on HR policies, procedures and good people management practice.

· Oversee departmental inductions for new employees, ensuring a consistent introduction to the People and Culture function, key HR processes and organisational expectations.

Communication and relationship responsibilities

· Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and confidential information when dealing with workforce issues, using appropriate communication, persuasion, negotiation and influencing skills to support constructive outcomes.

· Build effective working relationships with managers, employees, Trade Unions, staff representatives and external contacts, supporting timely resolution of queries and consistent application of HR processes.

· Act as a trusted HR contact for managers, providing clear, balanced and practical advice on people matters while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

· Escalate risks, concerns and complex people-related issues to the Head of People and Culture in a timely and appropriate manner, ensuring key information and recommended options are communicated clearly.

Planning and organisational responsibilities

· Plan, organise and oversee HR activities such as meetings, hearings, training sessions, recruitment campaigns and related follow-up actions, adjusting priorities to meet service needs and agreed timescales.

· Lead agreed HR project activity by developing plans, coordinating actions, monitoring progress and ensuring work is delivered in line with agreed timescales.

Analytical and judgement responsibilities

· Interpret and apply HR policies, employment legislation, organisational precedent and good practice to a range of people matters, exercising sound judgement and seeking specialist advice where needed.

·  Assess HR issues, risks and emerging themes, recommending appropriate options and escalating significant matters to the Head of People and Culture where further decision-making is required.

· Analyse workforce information, casework patterns, absence data and employee feedback to identify trends and support appropriate management action.

· Lead the coordination and analysis of staff surveys and other employee feedback activity, preparing clear summaries and recommendations to inform follow-up activity.

Financial and physical resource responsibilities

· Oversee HR-related purchase quotes, invoices and financial administration, ensuring records are accurate, appropriately authorised and completed in line with organisational procedures.

· Oversee payroll changes and audit checks, ensuring amendments are accurate, authorised, supported by appropriate documentation and submitted in line with agreed deadlines.

· Ensure effective use of HR equipment, systems and resources, supporting the team to maintain, store and use materials securely and appropriately.

Information resources

· Produce and review regular workforce reports for the Head of People and Culture and managers, ensuring information is accurate, timely and clearly presented to support workforce planning, absence monitoring, compliance reporting and people management decisions.

·  Oversee accurate and up-to-date HR records, ensuring employee information is recorded, stored and updated in line with data protection requirements, organisational policies and agreed HR processes.

· Quality review offer letters, contracts, contract amendments and other HR documentation, ensuring they are accurate, appropriately authorised and issued within required timescales.

Policy and service development responsibilities

· Lead the review and updating of delegated HR policies and procedures, ensuring they remain legally compliant, practical and aligned with organisational values.

· Implement policies and procedures for own area, supporting managers and employees to understand and apply them consistently.

· Lead or support HR projects and initiatives linked to culture, values, diversity and inclusion, staff survey activity, wellbeing, reward, workforce planning and service improvement.

· Keep up to date with emerging HR issues, changes in employment legislation and relevant best practice, translating this knowledge into practical improvements to HR service delivery.

General

Safeguarding and DBS

We believe creating safe, supportive environments is everyone's responsibility. You'll be expected to recognise and act on any concerns relating to the safety, wellbeing, or welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, following our safeguarding procedures and reporting concerns appropriately. You'll keep your safeguarding knowledge up to date through required training, embed safeguarding into your day-to-day practice, and comply with all relevant checks and requirements, including DBS checks where applicable. 
 

Person Specification

Essential 
Qualifications and training
· Educated to degree level, or able to demonstrate equivalent HR knowledge gained through relevant training and experience. · CIPD Level 5.
· Evidence of continuing professional development. 
Desirable
· Level 7 CIPD.
· Evidence of continuing professional development at postgraduate level. 

Skills and knowledge
Essential
·Strong HR advisory and customer service skills, with the confidence to support managers on complex matters.
· Demonstrable working knowledge of employment law, terms and conditions, HR best practice and practical application in an organisational setting.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present clear advice, reports and recommendations.
· Ability to multitask, manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure while maintaining good judgement and professional standards.
· Ability to influence, coach and build credibility with managers and employees at all levels across the organisation.
· Ability to source, interpret and analyse data and information, and present insight in a clear and accessible format. 
 
Experience
Essential
· Substantial relevant HR professional experience in a generalist HR role.
· Experience of providing professional HR advice and support to managers on a range of people management matters.
·Experience of managing employee relations casework, including absence, performance, capability, disciplinary and grievance matters.
· Experience of supervising, coaching or managing others within a team or project environment.
· Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, with the ability to use HR information and trackers to support reporting and follow-up action.
Desirable 
· Experience of supporting or managing projects.
· Experience of working in the public, charity or independent sector. 

Other
Essential
· Resilient and able to remain professional, calm and effective when managing sensitive, complex or challenging people-related matters.