Job Description and Selection Criteria: Human Resources Manager

MERTON COLLEGE

JOB DESCRIPTION AND SELECTION CRITERIA: HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

Job Title: / HR Manager
Department: / Domestic Bursary
Responsible to: / Domestic Bursar, with a secondary accountability to the Senior Tutor
Location:
/ Merton College, Merton Street
Hours: / Full-time (but part-time of at least 60% considered)
Salary: / £35,000-£40,000

Introduction

MertonCollege is one of the oldest Colleges in the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1264 and will be marking its 750th anniversary in 2014. It is a self-governing institution and a registered charity in which the ultimate authority for all decisions rests with the Warden and Fellows who are its trustees and form the Governing Body. Merton has c.660 students, roughly 300 of whom are undergraduates and the remainder graduates. It enjoys an excellent reputation for its undergraduate education and is a popular choice for graduate applicants to the University. The College is situated on Merton Street, which runs parallel to the High Street, and it backs on to Christ Church Meadow. More information on the College can be found on its website,

The College is an employer on the scale of a Small and Medium Enterprise, with a relatively wide range of different staff groups within the workforce. The Domestic Bursar is the Fellow responsible for HR management of the College’s administrative and facilities staff who number 120, in addition toc.40 casual workers. In an average year the College will make c. 15 appointments. The Senior Tutor is responsible for HR management of the College’s academic staff. The Fellowship numbers 74, not all of whom are employees of the College but rather University of Oxford employees with a college association. Around 30 are Tutorial Fellows jointly employed by the College and the University of Oxford. The other Fellows employed by the College are full-time College Officers in professional roles and early career researchers. The annual turnover of Fellows can be up to 10% and fixed-term appointments are regularly needed to cover sabbatical and other leave. The College also employs c. 30 Lecturers.

The establishment of a new HR function within Merton provides an exciting opportunity for a talented and proactive HR Manager to support the College in recruiting excellent people; in providing a staff management framework which complies with legislative requirements; and developing employees so they can fulfil their potential and to contribute to the College’s goals. The precise duties required of the post holder will vary between comprehensive requirements for the College’s support staff and a more specific limitedcontribution to academic staff HR, under the direction of the Senior Tutor.

Duties of the Position

Recruitment

Tomanagethe recruitment andselectionprocesses for support staff as required.

Specific tasks may include:

1. Drafting adverts, jobdescriptions, personspecifications andfurther particulars with Heads of Departments.
2. Placing adverts in the appropriate media and ensuringvalue for money and that requirementsinrespect of the ImmigrationandAsylumAct are met.
3. Coordinating arrangements for shortlistingmeetings andinterviews.

4. Participating in selectioninterviewsandprovidingHR advice on appointment

decisions.

5.Managing the appointment process includingwritingoffer letters, contracts of

employment and contractamendments, reviewingandupdatingthe contracts for

complianceandbest practice as necessary.

6. Completingpre-employment checks for new starters, includingoccupational

health assessments and the processingof work permit applications, where

appropriate.

7. Managing the starter/leaver process including the issue of University cards.

Staff records

8.To maintainandsafeguardpersonnel files in hardcopy andelectronic form, takingaccount of the requirements of the Data ProtectionAct.
9. To carry out file audits at regular intervals to ensure that correct, current information and documentation is held.

Supporting Excellent Management

10. Todeveloppolicies forthe College thatsupport Heads of Department intheir management roles andensure compliancewithkey employmentlaw andother employee-relatedstatutory obligations, identifying areas where new policies and procedures are required; undertaking regular policy review; and aligning policy of the Universityandother OxfordColleges as appropriate.

11. Toprovide timely and accurate advice,practicalsupport andguidancetostaff andHeads of Department onHRpolicy andprocedures including the legal aspects of staff employment, using, if appropriate, external adviceincluding but not confined to:

• Sickness AbsenceManagement, includingmonitoring and Occupational HealthReferral
• DiversityEqual Opportunities
• DisciplinaryGrievance
• Harassment
• Contractualtermsand conditions
• RecruitmentandSelection
• Induction
• Parental Leave
• WorkVisas
• Employee Relations

Valuing PeopleandEnsuring Excellent Staff Development

13. Torolloutrelevant inductionprogrammes for the different staff groups within the College.

14. To manage the processforensuringstaff performanceis acceptable withinthe probationaryperiod givenin allcontracts, includinglongtermmonitoringof remedial actions andterminating employment if necessary.

15. To create a framework for traininganddevelopment of support staff, informed by an analysis of needs, identifying options for provision of training, and ensuring appropriate records of training are maintained.

16. To work with those responsible for Fire Health and Safety; to ensure all statutory and mandatory training is undertaken by relevant staff.

17. To develop an appraisal system for Merton College staff, excluding the academic staff.

18. To advise the College on payandrewardsystems, undertaking research and benchmarking as required.

19. To manage the administrationof annual salaryreviewsandother payments, in conjunction with the Payroll Administrator, ensuringemployees are informed inwritingof contractual changes.

20. To develop schemeswhich recognizes staff contributions, e.g. long service.

21. Toensure that any authorised changestothepayrollare communicatedwithinagreed timescalesand levelsofauthority.

22. To advise the College and its Equality Committee on the responsibilities arising from equalities legislation and to monitor recruitment and the profile of staff in post.

Excellent EmployeeRelations

23. To ensure that contractual documentation is kept up to date including the staff handbook.

24. Toenhance communication with staff through briefing meetings, bulletins, suggestion schemes and other formats, liaising with colleagues such as the Web and Media Officer as appropriate.

25. To develop a forum for staff liaison.

26. Tomanagecasework relatingtodiscipline,grievance,capability, sicknessabsence,harassmentand otherrelated issues.

Supporting the Senior Tutor

27. To provide administrative support to the Senior Tutor and other members ofthe Academic Administration team in matters relating to the employment of the College’s Academic staff.

28. To assist the Senior Tutor to develop policies and processes to improve the HR support of the College’s academic provision.

These aspects of the HR Manager’s role would not extend to hiring, interviewing or otherwise taking direct responsibility for the appointment or management of the College’s academic staff.

Other responsibilities

29.To assume otherresponsibilitiesas may reasonably berequiredin the context of an evolving HR function within the College.

31. Completing surveys and returns relating to College staff.

30.To be a member of the Equality Committee and to attend College Committees when required; to make reports on HR matters and to support and guide committees in the field of HR and employment law.

31.To contribute toworkinggroups andforums related toHR management across the collegiate university.

32. To manage in conjunction with others the annual Junior Research Fellow applications and interview schedule.

Selection criteria for candidates

• Evidence of a track record in HR Management in an academic,hospitality or similar area of operation.
• Experience of developing and introducing HR systems and procedures.
• Excellent interpersonal and team-working skills.
• Flexible, energetic and practical approach to work, willingness to engage in a wide range of tasks, effective time management and prioritization skills.
• Evidence of practical experience and experience in using HR Management software.
• Educated to degree standard or equivalent and a Human Resource Management qualification.

Terms and conditions

Salary and benefits

The salary offered for this job will be negotiable in the range £35,000 to £40,000 depending on qualifications and experience. Normal hours of work are 9.00am to 5.00pm weekdays, but a flexible approach to hours and duties is desired.

There is an excellent benefits package: members of staff are entitled to lunch each day in Hall (while on duty); in addition to the 8 normal English bank and public holidays you will be entitled to 25 working days’ holiday and one additional holiday day at Christmas paid at your normal basic rate of pay in each holiday year.

The postholder is eligible for membership of the University of Oxford Staff Pension Scheme (OSPS), which is a contributory scheme, and free medical insurance if joining OSPS. College policies with respect to sick leave and family-related leave will apply to your employment.

Selection Procedure

Interested applicants should submit the following:

• Current CV and a covering letter indicating how you fulfill the selection criteria.
• Telephone contact numbers (preferably daytime and evening/mobile)
• The names and contact details of two referees (ideally at least one should be a line manager from a recent job).

The closing date for applications is midday onFriday 27th September 2013. Interviews will probably be held week commencing 14th October 2013.

Applications and the Equal Opportunities Recruitment Monitoring form should be sent by email to Anna Lloyd at by post to Anna Lloyd, PA to the Finance Bursar, Merton College, Merton Street, Oxford OX1 4JD.

The information collected on the Equal Opportunities Recruitment Monitoring form does not form part of the selection process and will not be circulated to the selection panel. It will be used solely to monitor the effectiveness of the College’s equality policy which is published at

Your CV and covering letter will be circulated to the selection panel. They will use this information to assess your suitability for the post against the selection criteria. If appointed, your application will be retained on your confidential staff file. If you are not appointed your application may be retained for up to six months and then destroyed.

The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 makes it a criminal offence for employers to employ someone who is not entitled to work in the UK. We therefore ask applicants to provide proof of their right to work in the UK before employment can commence.

Employment will be conditional upon satisfying the following requirements:

• Proof of identity – in the form of a passport, full birth certificate, or other acceptable document.
• Proof of address – in the form of a recent utility bill or bank statement.
• Proof that you are entitled to work in the UK or proof of eligibility to apply for a work permit.
• Proof of any qualifications required for this post - in the form of certificates or transcripts.
• Medical examination to assess fitness to undertake the duties of the post.
• Satisfactory completion of a trial period.
• Receipt of satisfactory references.

References

Please give the details of two people who have agreed to provide a reference for you. If you have previously been employed, your referees should be people who have

direct experience of your work through working closely with you for a considerable period, and at least one of them should be your formal line manager in your most recent job. Otherwise they may be people who know you from recent college, school, or voluntary experience. It is helpful if you can tell us briefly how each referee knows you (e.g. ‘line manager’, ‘work colleague’, ‘college tutor’). Your referees should not be related to you.

Your referees will be asked to comment on your suitability for the post and to provide details of the dates of your employment; your attendance during the last 12 months; and of any disciplinary processes which are still considered ‘live’. We will assume that we may approach them at any stage unless you tell us otherwise. If you wish us to ask for your permission before approaching a particular referee, or to contact them only under certain circumstances (for example, if you are called to interview) you must state this explicitly alongside the details of the relevant referee(s).

Merton College is an equal opportunities employer.

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