Human Resources Business Partner in London

We are looking for an experienced HR Business Partner to come and join our team! In Children’s Services, the front line professionals do the most important work by protecting and supporting children, young people and the families we work with, but our colleagues can’t do their best work without the support from our services. As our HR Business Partner, your role will be to work closely with our colleagues in frontline roles to help them navigate the complexities of workforce planning, employee relations, and team stability. This role offers hybrid working of two days in-office, with the flexibility to attend further face-to-face meetings as required. This opportunity is Fixed-term for 12 months.

About the role: This is an exciting opportunity to join us as we develop and deliver a new employee relations and experience team. The role will provide support to our leaders and managers, enabling them to confidently and proactively manage their people matters. Your partnering experience will be invaluable in a range of activities, including:

• Providing employee relations support and casework to guide managers through the employee relations journey, ensuring appropriate action and support is taken in the best interest of the business.
• Partnering with senior leaders to advise on managing change, such as consultations, redundancies and restructures.
• Partnering with colleagues in the organisation to develop our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion activities.
• Working with unions and representative bodies on people-related matters, including policy changes and consultations.
• Working strategically or operationally on people-related projects, including managing TUPE and policy interpretation.

The role will work across our operational areas (Kingston, Richmond, Windsor and Maidenhead) and will be expected to work flexibly between the office and home.

About you: We are looking for an experienced HR professional with a strong knowledge of HR principles, practices, and employment who:

• Can remain calm under high-pressure environments and can provide steady, sensible advice.
• Understand that employee relations is about trust. You are someone managers want to call when they have a problem, not someone they try to avoid.
• Is willing to challenge the status quo and suggest creative solutions to long-standing challenges.
• Can draw on their experience of people related issues, and be able to bring practical solutions and approaches that enable managers to make appropriate decisions.
• Has a strong background in Employee Relations and ideally experience within the public sector, NHS or a regulated care environment.

In this role, your input really matters. You will be helping to stabilise teams that provide better outcomes for the children, young people and families in our care. In return, we will offer development opportunities, a great working culture and an exciting new opportunity to contribute to a new team and way of working.

About our benefits: We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

• 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month (Or for term-time workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract).
• Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC.
• Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension).
• Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance.
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme.