Human Resources Business Partner in Haywards Heath

Ardingly College Family of Schools, seeks to appoint an HR Business Partner to provide operational HR support for a diverse group of client groups across both teaching and operational teams.

The HR Business Partner will provide a fully generalist HR service across the Ardingly College Family of Schools, through the provision of advice, guidance and support, including advising and coaching line managers on the interpretation of policy and legislation in the context of their responsibilities when managing their staff, as well as assisting with a variety of challenging, generalist HR work aimed at supporting the College to achieve effective organisational performance through their people.

The HR Business Partner will provide HR support across the full HR remit including recruitment and selection, onboarding, employee wellbeing, employee relations, learning & development, performance management and change management.

The HR Business Partner reports to the HR Director for the fulfillment of the role.

HR Advice, coaching and guidance

• Assisting the HR Director with delivering a consistent, proactive, and professional HR service to both Ardingly College and Great Walstead school.
• Providing a professional advisory service that gives effective solutions to people issues ensuring a balance between individuals and business needs.
• Providing HR advice on HR policies and procedures and on a range of employee relations matters, coaching managers on best practice HR and helping equip managers with the tools, skills, and knowledge to manage any employee relations issues fairly and with care and sensitivity.

Employee Relations:

• Supporting the HR Director through the management of employee relations casework, including grievances, disciplinaries, absence management, restructure and redundancy and flexible working requests.
• Supporting Managers to manage health concerns in a proactive, sensitive, and supportive way, seeking external support from occupational health when required.
• Advise staff in relation to employment terms and conditions (including pay, maternity, paternity, flexible working, annual leave calculations).
• Support and actively promote staff wellbeing.
• Reviewing and updating HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance and best practice.
• Providing training for staff and managers on key HR policies and procedures.

Recruitment

• Working in partnership with recruiting managers to research and design recruitment campaigns, utilising social media platforms to target job adverts effectively and seeking to diversify our talent pipeline and coaching and advising hiring managers on interviewing techniques.
• Work in collaboration with the HR and Recruitment Administrator to ensure that both candidates and recruiting managers receive a first-class recruitment experience.
• Reviewing and streamlining resourcing and onboarding processes to ensure a first-class candidate experience through every stage of the process, which is fair, safe, inclusive, and positive for everyone, whatever the outcome

Learning and Development

• Supporting the development of the College’s Management Capability through the delivery of training sessions and one-to-one coaching support.
• Support the development and implementation of a learning and development strategy for operational staff.

HR Projects:

• Leading on or providing support for a variety of HR projects and helping implement new HR initiatives across the organisation.
• Providing ideas and suggestions for the improvement and streamlining of payroll, recruitment, and on-boarding processes.

Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with employment law, safeguarding requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Ensure all contract of employment templates are kept up to date and legally compliant.
• Provide oversight to make sure all statutory/mandatory training is completed and recorded.
• Ensure all appropriate employment checks are conducted and the Single Central Register is maintained, compliant and up to date at all times.

We're looking for an experienced HR professional who is confident partnering with managers, navigating employee relations matters and driving positive people outcomes across the organisation.

You’ll bring:

• Proven generalist HR experience in an educational environment.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and a solutions-focused approach.
• Integrity, professionalism and a commitment to colleague wellbeing.

You’ll thrive here if you’re:

proactive, approachable, resilient and passionate about creating a positive employee experience.