Employee Relations Advisor in Belfast

Management of a team in one or more specialist areas or management of a service area concerned with highly specialised or complex subjects. The post-holder will be required to provide advice, guidance and support to EA managers and schools on complex HR issues across a number of functional areas in accordance with relevant policies and legislative requirements. The post-holder will give direction in relation to policy implementation and system management rather than direct work processes. The post will be required to manage the deployment of resources including staff and to plan the work of others and will be responsible and accountable for service delivery in an assigned area. The post will have discretion to make decisions within policy guidelines on contentious or complex matters associated with service delivery. Monitor budgets and approve expenditure within delegated limits. Provide support, advice and coaching to line managers and school leaders to facilitate the management of people and ensure that HR matters are effectively and consistently dealt with. Support work to build the capability of Governors, school leaders and line managers who have responsibility for people management, development and performance.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Main Activity Areas Staff Management and Service Delivery: Responsible for best practice service delivery in a designated specialist functional area or a specialised area of work. Where required, the post-holder will manage a dedicated support team and duties will include assigning work, co-ordinating activities, dealing with recruitment and resourcing issues, approving annual leave requests, and dealing with any attendance management/disciplinary issues. Review the performance of reporting staff, identifying individual/team training requirements and initiating further training. Assist with the review and revision of systems and work processes as required in consultation with senior staff. Contribute to the delivery of projects and continuous improvement of the service. Contribute to the Business Plan setting, reviewing, and/or identifying performance measures and targets for the effective and efficient delivery of service. Provide accurate and timely management reporting information as required. In conjunction with line management ensure that business risks are identified, documented, controlled and mitigated.
• Main Activity Areas: The post is generic and therefore postholders will be assigned to manage staff and/or to manage a specialised area of work within the following functional areas in accordance with service need and workload: Employee Relations, People Services, Resourcing, Pay, Policy and Conditions / Teaching Services, HR Business Unit.
• Employee Relations: Responsible for providing a professional support service to managers on the operation of relevant employee relations policies and procedures to include discipline, grievance, capability, appraisal, and dignity at work. Provide for effective consultation with both teaching and non-teaching trade unions on a range of ER issues, using early consultation as a means of effective early resolution to problems. Work with other HR staff to ensure that dignity at work, grievance and disciplinary policies and procedures are operated with fairness and consistency. Advise managers on serious/gross misconduct allegations and appropriateness of precautionary suspension or measures that could be implemented short of precautionary suspension. Act as a voting panel member, if required, on disciplinary, grievance, and dignity at work or other procedures and compile investigation reports and correspondence detailing panel findings and/or recommendations. Ensure all processes are addressed in accordance with agreed procedures effectively and consistently. Attend the Labour Relations Agency at formal independent appeal hearings to contribute and/or assist managers in presenting the case to the independent panel. Consult with the EA Legal Service and support the compilation, preparation and presentation of information and reports to respond to and defend legal proceedings and other complaints lodged with outside agencies.
• People Services: Management of team providing first line response to queries from non-teaching staff in relation to terms and conditions of employment, relevant policies and procedures and associated HR transactional services; Management of team and direct support for line managers and schools in relation to OH referrals, return to work meetings, medical suspension or redeployment and associated work with the Equality Unit as required in relation to cases involving reasonable adjustments. Undertake reviews and implement improvements in efficiency and consistency of HR business processes and develop resources for Boards of Governors, principals and managers in relation to the implementation of new systems and ways of working. Planning and delivery of workshops/presentations for service users in relation to service improvement initiatives and implementation of revised policies and procedures.
• Resourcing: Manage delivery of recruitment exercises for EA schools or corporate directorates ensuring all end-to-end recruitment and selection lifecycle activities are delivered meeting KPI requirements, customer expectations and relevant best practice guidance and legislative requirements. Responsible for day to day management of workload and distribution of work. Resolve any service requests/queries/escalations as referred by direct reports and escalate complex queries and issues to Service Delivery Lead as required. Lead, train and develop direct reports & implement appropriate performance management activities. Take responsibility for providing direction and improvement on operational resourcing processes and technology. Provide direct HR support to selection panels when required for corporate recruitment exercises and Principal / VP appointment panels. Participate as required in the development of training materials and delivery of Recruitment and Selection training. Participate in projects or working groups which contribute to continuous improvement.
• Pay, Policy and Conditions / Teaching Services: Management of team providing advice, support and guidance to teaching staff, managers, principals and boards of governors on any matter relating to teachers’ terms and conditions of employment. Management of team providing first line response to queries from Teaching staff in relation to terms and conditions of employment, relevant policies and procedures and associated HR transactional services; Delivery of a robust HR administration service to ensure teacher transactions and contractual changes are actioned and notified to staff and payroll on a timely basis at all stages in the employee lifecycle; Support work for HR staff involved in Industrial Relations machinery and other staff involved in employee relations, recruitment and HR partnering on matters pertaining to policy, pay and reward. Leading and managing the delivery and continuous improvement of HR transactional services provided for the Teaching workforce. Undertake reviews and implement improvements in efficiency and consistency of HR business processes and develop resources for Boards of Governors, principals and managers in relation to the implementation of new systems and ways of working. Planning and delivery of workshops/presentations for service users in relation to service improvement initiatives and implementation of revised policies and procedures. Management of team responsible for leading and managing all aspects of redundancy, transferred redundancy and voluntary severance schemes for teaching staff. Support for Pay and Reward Manager including data analysis and scenario planning to support wider workstreams and projects.
• HR Business Unit: Support for HR Business Unit Manager relating to business planning and development, financial planning, procurement, risk management, information governance and workforce planning. Assist with the development of KPI’s / metrics / scorecard for HR and regular reporting against these measures.
• Other Responsibilities: Provide training and guidance to colleagues and assist in covering key aspects of work during periods of absence. Contribute to HR and Corporate Strategy and associated plans and to the review, revision and development of existing and new policies and procedures related to the area of work. Comply with the Authority’s policy on Data Protection (in particular processing sensitive personal information) is properly complied with. Comply with the Authority’s Equal Opportunities Policy, relevant Codes of Employment and Practice and other relevant legislation. Undertake other related duties within the grade and competence of the post-holder as required. The post holder may also be required to work outside normal office hours on occasions. In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.