JOB DETAILS

Job title: HR Officer

Reporting to: HR Manager

Reference Number: 1837/AA

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Main Purpose of Job
To provide professional advice and support to managers on a variety of employee relations issues, employment law, conditions of service and 'best' personnel practice, ensuring compliance with organisation(s)’ policy and employment legislation.
Main Responsibilities and Duties
  • Provide professional advice and guidance to managers and members of staff involving the interpretation of terms and conditions of employment (including Police Regulations). This includes support to the resolution of a range of employment issues including conduct, grievance, capability, bullying and harassment, absence management, and equalities. Ensure that the requirements of the relevant policies/procedures and current legislation are met.
  • Provide advice, guidance and support to managers on the effective management of key issues such as service/team restructure and change, workforce reviews, transfer of staff and recruitment activity in line with organisational policies and legislative requirements.
  • Provide, analyse and make recommendations from workforce data/ metrics in order to advise managers on actions required to address the issues highlighted.
  • Actively promote equalities and diversity. Advises and support managers on the effective implementation of actions and strategies for managing diversity and the employment of staff in minority groups.
  • Work as part of a team, taking personal accountability of workloads and leading on key aspects of projects which have a significant impact on working practices across the organisation/partnership.
  • Research, plan and deliver HR workshops/training packages to present and facilitate learning events/ policy implementation/project work as required
  • Keep up to date with relevant employment law and best practise
  • Effectively build and manage successful relationships with key contacts across the relevant business areas/clients such as trade union colleagues (including consultation and negotiation), retained colleagues and internal Southwest One colleagues/managers to ensure that the requirements of the role are delivered successfully. Acts as a positive ambassador for Southwest One.
  • Provide support to the HR Manager
  • Carry out other professional duties in support of corporate and business objectives.

Person Specification

Post Title:HR OfficerSalary:£28,616- £30,263 (Pro Rata)

1.Key Competencies for this post

Influence, Persuasion & Credibility

/
  • Able to create, maintain and enhance effective working relationships.
  • Able to be persuasive and to influence senior managers including clients and customer.
  • Ability to listen and gain the views of others.

Communication

/
  • Able to communicate effectively in an appropriate and concise manner, both orally and in writing.
  • Effective presentation skills for the delivery of training sessions.
  • IT Literate.

Organisational Skills /
  • Able to cope with competing deadlines and demands for advice.
  • Able to prioritise and set realistic targets for self and others.
  • Able to handle a range of project and operational activities simultaneously.

Problem Solving & Innovations /
  • Able to develop new ideas and methods.
  • Able to deal positively with change.
  • Able to identify problems/issues and seek pertinent information.
  • Able to evaluate data and identify appropriate solutions to problems/issues.

Influence, Persuasion & Credibility

/
  • Able to create, maintain and enhance effective working relationships.
  • Able to be persuasive and to influence senior managers including clients and customer.
  • Ability to listen and gain the views of others.

Communication

/
  • Able to communicate effectively in an appropriate and concise manner, both orally and in writing.
  • Effective presentation skills for the delivery of training sessions.
  • IT Literate.

2.Work Experience
Essential / Desirable
  • Experience in an operational HR role within a progressive organisation.
Proven experience in:
  • Managing and advising on employee related issues (for example disciplinary and grievance issues)
  • Producing and interpreting analytical data
  • Producing reports and management information
  • Delivering training or making presentations to management
  • Implementation of new policies and/or procedures
Equality and diversity advice, guidance and implementation /
  • Experience in TU consultation and negotiation

3.Qualifications
Essential / Desirable
The jobholder will hold the level 7 CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) and/or hold an equivalent professional HR degree ( e.g MA )
Chartered membership of the CIPD.
Evidence of continuing professional development.
4.Knowledge / Skills
Essential / Desirable
Up to date knowledge of employment law and recognised ‘best’ HR practice.
5.Personal Attributes
Essential / Desirable
  • Able to make a good impression and maintain it
  • Self-motivated and self reliant.
  • Confident.
  • Reliable, discreet, diplomatic, caring approach to sensitive situations.
  • Able to manage personal emotions, remain calm in difficult or uncertain situations.
  • Able to work both autonomously and as part of a team.
  • Able to work with minimum supervision and to deputise in the absence of the HR Manager
  • Positive and flexible approach.

Southwest One’s Values

In developing person specifications for all roles in Southwest One, as well as focusing on the specific requirements of each job we also take personal attributes into account.

How we work together and the way we deliver our services is important to us, so we have developed a set of values to underpin the way we work. These values focus on what will set us apart as an organisation and help us achieve the ambitious objectives we have set. These values, and examples of behaviours that support them are set out below and will be reflected appropriately in all our specifications.

Values / Definition
Delivering excellence / We are committed professionals who deliver service excellence.
Connecting with our customers / We understand our customers and strive to exceed their expectations.
Working Together / We work within and across teams to promote high performance.
Accountability / We ensure that people at all levels are empowered to take ownership for their actions.
Innovation / We create a work environment that encourages creativity and forward thinking.

Examples of behaviours that support these values

Delivering excellence /
  • Always tries to deliver the best standard of service
  • Has a comprehensive appreciation of the business and what their service is trying to achieve
  • Takes responsibility for their own personal and professional development /knowledge etc

Connecting with our customers /
  • Understands their customers’ needs and tries to meet them
  • Willing to go the extra mile
  • Positively promotes Southwest One to customers

Working Together /
  • Proactively seeks out colleagues within Southwest One who are connected to their own role
  • Negotiates "win-win" situations
  • Actively feeds back suggestions to improve services

Accountability /
  • Understands what areas they are responsible for
  • Not afraid to make decisions or stand by them
  • Takes pride in their own and their team’s performance

Innovation /
  • Forward thinking
  • Puts forward new ideas and suggestions for improving how we work
  • Thinks "outside the box" and challenges constructively the status quo

Important Information about the job and your application Including Southwest One Employee Information and Benefits

JOB TITLE

/ HR Officer
GRADE / Southwest One Scale 7

SALARY

/ £28,616- £30,263 (Pro Rata)

LOCATION

/ The location for this post is split between Headquarters, Portishead and The Bridewell, Bristol.
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS / Your contract will be governed by English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
The successful applicant will be employed by Southwest One.

HOURS OF WORK

/ Normally the working week is 18.5 hours. The hours of work and working pattern will be in agreement with the line manager.

CONTRACT

/ permanent

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

/ The appointment will be subject to a probationary period of 6 months. Employees will move to the Standard point of the salary scale after completing a successful probationary period.

LEAVE

/ Current annual leave entitlement is determined by length of continuous service, salary point, and on a pro-rata basis for employees working part-time. In addition to 8 public holidays, the table below outlines annual leave entitlement.
Grade / S1 – S4 / S5 – S8 / S9 – S11
Less than 1 years service / 22 / 29 / 30
More than 1 years service / 23* / 29 / 30
More than 2 years service / 24* / 29 / 30
More than 3 years service / 25* / 29 / 30
More than 4 years service / 26* / 29 / 30
More than 5 years service / 27* / 29 / 30
*Entitlement from 1st of month following completion at each year of continuous service.

NOTICE PERIOD

/ The period of notice you are required to give to terminate your employment is one month. The notice period for certain roles is three months.
DISABILITY DECLARATIONS / Applications for all vacancies are welcome from people with disabilities.

POLICE VETTING INFORMATION

/ A vetting process check as per Avon and Somerset Constabulary requirements – All applicants must be able to be vetted before appointment. Vetting is part of the recruitment process and for meaningful vetting to take place, an applicant is required to have been resident in the UK for the last three years.
Foreign nationality is not an automatic bar to recruitment, or to granting vetting clearance. However, the Force Vetting Officer will require adequate residency and background checks to be conducted for a period of 3 years preceding the application in order to make an informed decision in the countries where the applicant and family have resided".

PENSION INFORMATION

/ The Southwest One pension is a Stakeholder Pension Plan, provided by Royal London. This is a defined contribution pension plan. Under the plan, the company will match employee contributions up to 6% of salary. A minimum employee contribution of 1% of salary is required to participate in the plan.
From the 1st May 2014 new employees who are Eligible Job Holders (workers aged between 22 and state pension age and being paid qualifying earning in excess of the automatic enrolment earnings trigger £10,000 per annum) are automatically admitted to the Southwest One pension Stakeholder Plan, provided by Royal Londonat the contribution rate of 1% employee and 1% employer. However, after auto enrolment employees can choose to increase their contribution rate which will be matched by Southwest One up to a maximum 6% of salary.
If you do not meet the criteria of the Eligible Job Holder then you will not automatically enrolled, but will be invited to join the pension scheme.
LIFE ASSURANCE SCHEME / Subject to eligibility, employees have the opportunity to join the Southwest One Group Life Assurance Plan.
The benefit provided by the scheme is a lump sum benefit of four times your basic salary upon your death whilst in service.
INCOME PROTECTION PLAN / Subject to eligibility, employees have the opportunity to join the Income Protection Plan. This is an insured ­ill-health benefit, which becomes available after 5 ½ years’ continuous service.
TRAINING / Southwest One recognises the importance of employee training and development to support the delivery of our services and to enable everyone to achieve their full potential.
Employees are encouraged to discuss training needs with their Line Manager and apply to be included on appropriate courses via their Manager.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT / A Care First Counselling Service is available to Southwest One employees.
Care First is a free, confidential and independent service available 24 hours a day every day of the year. Care First offers professional counselling, information and advice, and can help with a range of problems from practical everyday matters to sensitive, traumatic or emotional issues.
CHILDCARE VOUCHER SCHEME / Southwest One has a childcare voucher scheme, which operates on the basis of salary sacrifice whereby employees with child caring responsibilities can choose to receive part of their salary in vouchers. The vouchers are exempt from National Insurance and tax deductions, enabling savings to be made in respect of childcare costs.
CYCLE SAVER SCHEME / The Cycle to Work scheme is a government initiative that allows you to get a brand new bike and safety equipment for your commute to work as a salary sacrifice – with tax benefits!
With nearly 2,000 bike shops across the country, and over 500 brands of bike available, Cyclescheme offers a cycle commuting solution for everyone. Whether you live just a few minutes away from work, have to endure a long train journey or maybe have never even considered cycling to work before; there is a bike out there to suit your needs and Cyclescheme is there to help you find it.

Introducing Southwest One

Southwest One is a unique public/private joint venture partnership formed in 2007 between Somerset County Council, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Avon and Somerset Police and IBM. From the 1st December 2016, Somerset County Council and Taunton Dean Borough Council will no longer remain in the partnership.

We aim to improve services and save money for our partner authorities, by managing back office and transactional services through a single shared service arrangement, and by delivering major strategic projects to transform and modernise the way the authorities work.

Southwest One delivers the following key services:

Customer Services

Police Enquiry Offices

Support Services

Technology Services

Finance and Property

Corporate Services

Human Resources

Strategic Procurement

Design and Print

Our vision

All public services face the same challenges – delivering improved services to local communities whilst at the same time saving money.

We believe that the combination of excellent public sector organisations and a globally-renowned private sector company will meet those challenges, and will deliver unique benefits through a partnership whose vision is to:

  • Profitably provide high quality, cost effective services to current and future customers
  • Increase flexibility in provision of services
  • Provide an interesting and varied place to work with opportunities for career development
  • Utilise technology and process improvement to optimise end to end services
  • Improve access to, and delivery of customer facing services

Southwest One is delivering this vision by:

  • Managing the back office andcustomer services forour partners through a single shared service at a reduced cost.
  • Working with our partners to transform front line services.
  • Helping partners to protect their front line services by reinvesting savings made through Southwest One.
  • Developing the skills of our staff.

Business growth

Other public bodies in the South West are eligible to become part of the joint venture.

These organisations may want to take advantage of our shared service centres of excellence that are evolving, may wish to talk about partnering with us or simply find out what we are doing.

Southwest One has signed the Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health.

The Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health is a voluntary agreement seeking to support employers in working within the spirit of its positive approach. The Charter is one element of the MINDFUL EMPLOYER® initiative which is aimed at increasing awareness of mental health in the workplace and supporting businesses in recruiting and retaining staff.

MINDFUL EMPLOYER is a UK-wide initiative run by Workways, part of Devon Partnership NHS Trust. More information at