Job title:Human Resources (HR) Adviser

Post number:HR5053

Reports to:Lead HR Adviser

Department:Human Resources

Location:Brighton

Grade:7

Purpose of the role

To be responsible for providing employee relations advice and support to a group of schools and departments, in line with the Human Resources strategy and as part of the HR function, providing a comprehensive service.

While HRAdvisers are expected to work flexibly across a range of operational, research and policy development roles, the focus of this role is to provide leadership in HR management in a customer focussed team.

Main Areas of Responsibility:

  1. Providing a commercially orientated and responsive ‘business partner’ service to schools and departments in order to advise on and work strategically with senior managers in facilitating solutions, supporting them to achieve annual business and staffing objectives, whilst building excellent relationships.
  1. Providing advice and supporting complex employee relations cases or change management exercises as required, ensuring management of risk. This will include responding to queries and resolving problems, advising on appropriate management action and explaining complex HR procedures (e.g. grievance, disciplinary, poor performance, and health incapability), handling sensitive and difficult issues with tact and discretion.
  1. Coaching and training managers in the application of a range of HR procedures, including recruitment and selection of staff, handling investigations, grievances and disciplinary hearings, managing frequent and persistent short term absences, and dealing with long term sickness absence, ensuring due regard to theorganisations legal obligations.
  1. Developing proposals and recommendations on new policies, or revisions to existing policy and practice, in the department and across the university. In this context, providing professional guidance to managers in the implementation of these changes and to anticipate the impact and implications of these changes on the workforce.
  1. Undertaking research on a range of HR issues, gathering specific data, carrying out impact assessments, basic analysis and producing reports for consideration by the various management teams.
  1. Developing, drafting, planning and delivering training sessions and workshops/ seminars for university managers in the practical application of employment legislation, and or HR policies/procedures.
  1. Working on dedicated projects that relate to matters of HR management, terms and conditions of employment and contractual issues which are subject to negotiations/ agreement with union colleagues.
  1. Contributing to harmonious employment relations within the university by providing timely advice for HR staff and managers on employment law and trade union activities.
  1. Working with other HR Advisers, HR Officers and the Operations Team to ensure effective cross-team communication, monitoring work allocations and volumes of activity and ensuring consistency of advice and support.
  1. Updating the Lead HR Adviser with any changes in legislation that are likely to impact on university policies and procedures and recommend drafts to amend existing documents.
  1. Analysing complex casework data and provide a regular breakdown of advice provided, recommending any changes that may be required to improve the standards of delivery and professional consultation/ guidance provided.

General responsibilities

These are standard to all University of Brighton job descriptions.

  • To undertake other duties appropriate to the grade and character of work as may be reasonably required, including specific duties of a similar or lesser grade.
  • To adhere to the University’s Equality and Diversity Policy in all activities, and to actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
  • To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
  • To work in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

The person specification focuses on the knowledge, qualifications, experience and skills (both general and technical) required to undertake the role effectively. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria. You will be assessed by your completed application form (A), at interview (I) and in some instances through an exercise (E).

Essential criteria / A, I, E
Knowledge /
  • Excellent working knowledge of employment law/good HR practice
  • Evidence of a sound understanding of equality and diversity matters and its practical application in the workplace
/ A, I, E
A, I
Qualifications /
  • A high standard of education to degree level or equivalent experience
/ A
Experience /
  • Experience of having provided effective HR advice in support of complex casework, change management, etc. recognising the need for commercial awareness
  • Experience of having managed multiple projects, ensuring required outcomes are met and timescales achieved
  • Experience of having researched and produced a new policy, ensuring it is legally compliant and achieves desired outcomes
/ A, I, E
A, I
A, I
Technical/work based skills /
  • Evidence of an analytical, problem solving approach to work, ensuring the practical application of good HR practice
  • Evidence of sound influencing and negotiation skills to ensure desired outcomes are achieved
  • Ability to advise managers at all levels of the organisation on a range of complex, formal cases
  • Ability to plan and balance short and long term operational priorities in a changing environment
  • Excellent interpersonal and professional communication skills, both verbal and written
  • Excellent numerical skills and an ability to analyse complex data, reporting on outcomes and making recommendations as appropriate
/ A, I, E
A, I
A, I
A, I, E
A, I
A, I
Other requirements /
  • Able to work flexibly as part of a team to ensure shared objectives are achieved
  • Facilitation skills
Presentation/training skills / A, I
A, I
A, I
Desirable /
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
  • Trained in Hay job evaluation
  • An understanding of workforce matters in relation to the higher education sector
  • Graduate membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
/ A, I
A, I
A, I
A
  • Any appointment is generally made at the bottom of the salary range for the grade dependent upon experience and previous salary.
  • This is afull-time post and is fixed-term.
  • Annual leave entitlements are shown in the table below and increase after 5 years’ service. In addition, to the eight Bank Holidays, there are university discretionary days between Christmas and New Year. All leave, including bank holidays and discretionary days, is pro-rated for part time employees.

Grades / Basic entitlement per year / Grades / After 5 years’ service
1-3 / 23 days / 1-3 / 28 days
4-7 / 25 days / 4-7 / 30 days
8-9 / 27 days / 8-9 / 30 days
Band 10 and above / 30 days / Band 10 and above / 30 days
  • More information about the department/school can be found hereProfessional Services Departmentsor hereAcademic departments (schools and colleges)
  • Read the University’s 2016 - 2021 Strategy
  • The University has an attractive range of benefits and you can find more information about them on our website

Date: March 2017