People Consultant, Chelmsford

The successful applicant will be required to attend the Chelmsford offices for collaboration on workstreams as well as for team meetings and casework, this typically averages 1 to 2 days per week. We have opportunities available on a 12 month fixed-term contract or secondment basis.

This role will work with colleagues across People Services including the People Business Partnering team to support the delivery of the workforce strategy, functional people strategies and the implementation of strategic initiatives across a broad spectrum of functional areas. Working collaboratively across business functions, this role requires strong HR generalist expertise to improve outcomes, mitigate risk and add value to the organisation and our employees through implementing organisation change projects and managing complex employment cases. The role will also coach managers, to develop capability and confidence in managing people and change.

This role provides support to the strategic business partners, offering challenge, high quality, and valued HR advice, across our diverse organisation. You will be responsible for:

• Influencing the design, implementation and evaluation of people strategies, policies and initiatives to enhance overall effectiveness and performance, applying the full consultancy cycle to provide a service which supports delivery, professionalism and productivity.
• Building organisational capability through effective collaboration with leaders and stakeholders across the council to effectively identify and address organisational challenges, providing expert advice and solutions which demonstrate how the People & Organisational Development service can add value to the business by recommending improvements in current policies and practices, challenging current thinking and driving greater commitment to alternative approaches or solutions to enable successful delivery of the people plan, underlying people strategies and associated people initiatives.
• Coaching leaders and managers in dealing with business change project implementation (including redesign, redundancy, TUPE) and moderate to high complexity cases, individual performance and employee relations issues, providing high quality advice based on an in-depth knowledge of employment and case law, policy and good practice, including conflict resolution and mediation.
• Using professional judgement in making effective decisions, ensuring matters can move forward and options considered, taking shared accountability with the business for identifying opportunities for continuous improvement in business outcomes and effective management of organisational risk by coaching and influencing leaders in all aspects of HR, through structured learning, upskilling and quality assurance.
• Leading the delivery of projects to meet defined outcomes within agreed timescales, working collaboratively across the business functions and with the People Business Partners to positively contribute to the achievement of the Council's/Functions priorities, to ensure they are implemented and delivered within the appropriate services.
• Proactively contributing to intelligence and insight gathering, identifying how best to distil complex data into distinct, clear and concise concepts others can understand to ensure such insights can be used to address underlying business issues and improve performance.
• Partnering with People & OD teams to integrate people practices into leadership, management and talent development, employee experience, wellbeing and EDI agendas, ensuring alignment between structure, systems, processes and culture to ensure that functional outcomes and organisational priorities are achieved in line with the overall people agenda and workforce strategy.
• Evaluating the impact of people initiatives, measuring key performance indicators and providing recommendations for continuous improvement and refinement of organisational processes and employment practices.
• Actively participate in the development and continuation of communities of practice and networks to share best practices, ensuring a cohesive approach to people practice across the organisation.
• Managing highly complex and difficult conversations; present, explain, motivate, engage and influence, persuade and challenge at all levels.
• Take a visible lead in solving ethical dilemmas, considering how they will play out beyond the organisation.
• Role-model and promote ethical leadership and professional principles and values within the organisation.
• Regularly updating knowledge and skills to meet the evolving standards set by the CIPD at standards level of Chartered Membership or above with a particular focus on the interpretation of contracts and employment legislation, policies and procedures and application of equal access to opportunities.
• Integrate the CIPD profession map and its framework into all actions, including participation in continuous professional development activities and ensuring that ECC's HR practices and strategies are in accordance with the CIPD's professional standards and ethical guidelines.

You’ll do great here if you can demonstrate you have:

• Educated to degree level in a relevant professional field, such as Human Resources, Organisational Development or equivalent by experience.
• Professional membership of CIPD at Chartered level or working towards this.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and broad knowledge across the HR spectrum which can be applied to support organisational outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience of managing complex people, process and systems issues through professional application of the consultancy model to drive results.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong and influential relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, providing both high challenge and support.
• Ability to analyse people and business metrics, develop insight, write effective reports and policies and implement solutions; using these to influence decision making in the context of the business and to shape and influence others.
• Understanding of change management techniques and experience of engaging leaders and managers in taking ownership of change.
• Ability to develop the business case for significant change programmes and manage implementation, seeking opportunities to understand blockages and drive continuous improvement, including seeking ideas and feedback from customers.
• Demonstrable experience in acting as people lead in project and programme management.
• Knows how to design and develop people activities and interventions to improve business outcomes; understands the key drivers of employee engagement and how to coach leaders to understand and drive business value from them.
• Understanding of the broad employee relations landscape and evidence of practical application to influence and coach the business and understands the broad legal context in which POD operates and can apply this to managing complex employee relations issues and mitigating organisational risk.
• Knows how to implement people initiatives and develops metrics to measure their impact and uses this to adjust and develop future practice.

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government's devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying. At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. As part of our team, we kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, not only during the recruitment process but also throughout your time with us. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Please click apply to submit an application. Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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