HR Adviser (PO2)

Job Category : Human Resources

Location : Laurence House – First Floor, Lewisham Council

Hours Per Week : 35.00

Start Date : Immediate Start

Start Time :09:00

End Time : 17:00

Salary: £24.35
Job Description We are looking for an experienced HR Adviser with a proven successful track record of managing ER casework.

***The ideal candidate will have experience in Employee Relations casework, knowledge of Employment Law and experience of working for a local authority***

In return, we will offer excellent development opportunities, flexible working and the opportunity to make a real difference to our local community. Location We offer a hybrid working environment for our staff where you will work a minimum of 2 days a week from our modern offices at Laurence House in Catford (London). Special conditions This is a temporary role until the end of July initially.

Main Purpose of the job:

1. To provide specialist, professional HR advice across all Council directorates. The role will provide expert advice on employment legislation and on Council policies and procedures. As part of the HR Team, it provides a comprehensive value added, high quality Human Resource Management Service in partnership with directorate services, ensuring the delivery of a customer focused professional service.

• To lead on specific service plan and work programmed areas and projects as allocated. Working collaboratively across the HR Community to deliver common service plan objectives, including the provision of advice and support across directorates as required.

• To support and maintain the improvement of the quality of people management across the Directorates, by ensuring that managers know how to access HR services and support in a timely way and that they are well informed and equipped to fulfil the expectations of them in relation to people management practice and policies.

Summary of Accountabilities and Personal Duties:

1. Support the delivery of services’ priorities in all aspects of people management, by delivering a first class HR service and providing expert HR advice, guidance and support to all managers across the Directorates on complex issues and cases, including organisational change, and employee relations case work, ensuring the delivery of a customer focused and professional service that improves people management practice across the organisation.
   
2. Act as the Council’s human resource advisory expert on employment legislation; policies and procedures; conditions of service and best practice. This will include, advising and coaching managers at all levels to improve people management practice and performance across the Directorate; undertake mediation/negotiation to resolve employee relations matters; and represent HR as required at cross directorate and corporate meetings and working groups.

Maintain constructive working relationships with trade union representatives and other staff representatives. Undertake consultation and negotiation participating as necessary in Directorate consultative forums

Equal Opportunities

Commitment to implement the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policies

Awareness of equalities issues within an inner London authority and experience of how to integrate diversity and inclusion approaches into people management solutions

Knowledge & Experience

Successful track record as an HR practitioner in a complex environment/organisation.

Up to date knowledge of corporate and business challenges facing local authorities and public bodies and how to deliver people management solutions that address those

Sound knowledge of employee engagement, employment law, best practice and employee relations to deliver key outcomes that support the organisation’s priorities and objectives.

Experience of successfully developing and implementing people management solutions to deliver agreed organisational outcomes

Good track record in leading and delivering people management initiatives and interventions to improve talent management, resourcing, performance management and the employee experience.

Good understanding and experience of the political interface in a local authority and the role and needs of elected members.

Experience of successfully managing relationships and stakeholders within a complex organisation.

Experience of working in a unionised environment

Aptitudes & Skills

Strong communication skills – able to speak confidently, persuasively and articulately and to write clearly and effectively.

Highly organised, able to prioritise and handle change, and to lead a team to work calmly and effectively under pressure and to meet deadlines

Ability to use information technology including MS Office and financial and human resources management systems.

Good project management and financial management knowledge.

Astute, with the ability to identify long and short term risks and opportunities, and to think creatively and work collaboratively to develop and deliver practical solutions

Be resident focused. With the ability to listen to learn, think broadly and find solutions, make decisions and take action.

Be ambitious to improve. A person who takes responsibility, creates and innovates, measures and evaluates.

Take a one Council approach. Inspiring and communicating, trusting and empowering, collaborating.

A strong commitment to probity, honesty and openness, treating people consistently, fairly and with respect

Ability to work collegiately in a matrix environment and to provide training, development, and coaching to colleagues.

Proactive, positive, customer centric and determined to add value.

Evidence of commitment to continued professional development.

Chartered membership of the Institute of Personnel and Development or demonstrable equivalent experience.

Able to attend meetings in the evenings; to work outside normal office hours; and to work beyond minimum hours as and when required to achieve deadlines.

Generally, must meet LB Lewisham requirements for the post.