HR Manager

Freelands Foundation is looking for a HR Manager to deliver and oversee Freelands Foundation’s people strategy to enable the Foundation to achieve its ambitious strategic objectives. This role will play a pivotal part in supporting the scaling of the Foundation over the next few years, including a major capital project for our Errol Street building, a significant expansion of key programmes, and reaching new audiences for our work.

As the HR Manager, the role will deliver and oversee people management practices and policies covering the whole employee journey, ensuring that HR practices align with Freelands Foundation’s values and enable the organisation to scale with our ambitions. This opportunity is perfect for an HR generalist who is keen to directly deliver and support best practice HR at process, policy and strategic levels.

We are looking for someone who has substantial experience of supporting employees and senior managers in effective people management processes within a small to medium-sized organisation, excellent interpersonal communication and influencing skills, and strong support for our mission to champion art education.

Role purpose

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations, the HR manager will deliver and oversee people management practices and policies covering the whole employee journey, ensuring that HR practices meet Freelands Foundation’s strategic objectives and align with our values.

Role Responsibilities

• Ensuring that Freelands Foundation’s HR processes are fit for purpose and comply with employment regulations.
• Overseeing recruitment, selection and onboarding processes, ensuring that any colleagues with assigned responsibilities within each process are briefed and supported in their steps and creating or updating process designs as needed.
• Overseeing accurate and timely employee record‑keeping, including ensuring that line managers and employees understand their part in this process and that such records are accurate and accessible to relevant stakeholders whenever necessary.
• Overseeing performance management processes, including training plans and annual appraisals and performance improvement plans, ensuring that line managers have the information they need to deliver their part in the process, and that agreed timetables are monitored.
• Overseeing consideration and responses to requests for reasonable adjustments, flexible working, and any changes to terms of employment, outlining options and managing the necessary documentation.
• Liaising with finance colleagues to support payroll processing, annual benefits reporting and record‑keeping as needed.
• Supporting the Director of Finance and Operations on any disciplinary or grievance processes as needed.
• Evaluating and recommending improvements to all HR processes on an ongoing basis, and ensuring colleagues are fully trained and confident in their responsibilities.
• Reviewing and updating the Foundation’s tools and systems to ensure the effective running of its processes.

HR policies and procedures

• Ensuring that Freelands Foundation’s employee handbook and suite of HR policies are fit for purpose and compliant with UK regulations.
• Anticipating future changes needed to policies based on employment law changes and/or best practice and drafting recommended updates for consideration and approval as needed.
• Communicating and updating all staff on how and when to refer to and apply relevant HR policies as needed.
• Training colleagues in following HR policies as needed.

HR strategy

• Support the Director of Finance and Operations in applying and future‑proofing the Freelands Foundation HR strategy as needed.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of best practice in HR strategy in comparable organisations, and make recommendations where the Foundation’s people management practices could better support its overall strategy.
• Support the strategy for increasing diversity across our organisation, and develop approaches to ensure everyone feels included at work.
• Develop the Foundation employer brand and benefits, in consultation with the wider team, to clearly position the Foundation as an employer of choice.

Freelands Foundation contribution

• Undertake such tasks that are needed to deliver this role’s responsibilities.
• Work in cooperation with colleagues across the organisation, providing support and cover as needed within available time and resource.
• Undertake organisational training as required.
• Work within the organisation’s agreed policies and processes, confirming such with a senior manager where clarity is needed.
• Uphold the organisation’s values and mission in all internal and external interactions undertaken on behalf of Freelands Foundation.

The above job description is intended to be an outline of the duties and responsibilities of this role. This is not exhaustive, and it is likely to change over time.

Person specification

Essential Experience

• Substantial experience of supporting employees and senior managers in effective people management processes within a small to medium‑sized organisation.
• Substantial experience in developing well‑researched and evidence‑based recommendations around HR policy and practice.
• Experience of delivering effective recruitment, selection, onboarding and performance management processes.
• Some experience in proposing and embedding a training plan across a small to medium‑sized organisation.
• Substantial experience of working within a generalist HR function.
• Some experience in using online tools for recruitment and HR record‑keeping.

Knowledge

• Detailed up‑to‑date knowledge of UK employment law legislation, including upcoming likely and actual changes.
• Practical knowledge of the policies, procedures and processes needed for an effective HR function within a small to medium‑sized employer.
• Practical understanding of how to articulate and oversee the various roles that HR, senior management teams, line managers, and employees play in enacting compliant HR processes across an organisation.
• Up to date knowledge of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion approaches and developments that support a values‑led workplace.
• Up to date knowledge of DBS and related safeguarding processes.

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal communication and influencing skills with colleagues at all levels.
• Accurate and compelling written skills ranging from contracts and policies, through to recruitment advertising and colleague updates.
• Ability to apply a consistently calm and objective approach to tackling HR issues in a busy workplace.
• Excellent interviewing skills in recruitment and HR investigation settings.
• Excellent presentation and training skills.
• Efficient time management and prioritisation skills that balance user needs and organisational compliance.

Qualifications

• Formal generalist HR training, minimum CIPD Level 3 qualification (e.g. Foundation Certificate in People Practice) or equivalent.

Attributes

• A proactive and collegiate approach to problem‑solving.
• A positive response to deadline‑driven project working.
• Strong support for our mission to champion art education.
• A strong belief in the intrinsic value of art.

Desirable Experience

• Knowledge of recent and predicted developments in performance management processes and practice.
• Experience in using online tools for project management (e.g. Asana or similar).
• Successful delivery of change management strategies and organisational restructuring.
• Some experience of supporting and delivering effective HR practices within a charity, ideally with an arts and/or education‑led mission.
• Some experience in designing and delivering internal leadership or people management development programmes.

Knowledge

• Basic understanding of art making within the context of art education.
• Broad knowledge of UK charity compliance requirements.

Skills

• Coaching skills.

Qualifications

• Formal HR training, ideally holding or working towards a CIPD Level 5 qualification (e.g. Associate Diploma in People Management) or equivalent.

Summary of terms

• Starting Salary: £43,891 per annum FTE.
• Hours of work: This role is envisaged as full‑time (40 hours per week), however we are open to considering this as a 0.6 FTE or 0.8 FTE part‑time role.
• Working pattern: Typical working hours will be Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm. While we do not expect evening and weekend work will be necessary in this role, TOIL is available for hours required in addition to the normal working pattern.
• Location: Freelands Foundation offices in Central London. Following a successful probation, the role holder can work from home/remotely for one day a week subject to the approval of their line manager and building‑based demands.
• Contract: Permanent.
• Benefits include: 25 days annual leave, plus UK public holidays and discretionary office closure (currently one week in the summer, and between 25 December – 1 January inclusive, subject to project demands). Employer pension contributions of 6%. Critical illness insurance, group income protection and life assurance schemes, including an Employee Assistance Programme and mental health support service. Annual training budget available for approved work‑related training. Cycle to work scheme, with on‑site lockable bike rack and shower available. Well stocked staff kitchen with dedicated eating area. Access to our art education library.
• Visa sponsorship status: We would consider sponsorship for the successful candidate, based on the skilled worker visa (SOC code 1136).
• DBS check: The appointment is subject to a Basic DBS check. Only candidates who pass the check will be offered employment.