Bickerton House

25 Bickerton Road

London

N19 5JT

DearApplicant,

Thank you for your interest in the role of HR Officer.

Women Like Us supports women with children to make the best choices for their working lives, and helps employers find experienced, part-time staff. The three Women Like Us core values underpin all of our decisions, whether on a day-to-day task or on a major policy issue. They are: Passion, Integrity and Professionalism.

Our people are our most valuable asset and every individual who works for Women Like Us is key to our success. To help you assess whether this is the right role for you, please find enclosed a full job description and person specification.

You may also find it useful to look at our website: for more information on the work we do.

Please bear the following dates in mind:

  • 18th November: Deadline for applications
  • 24th and 25th November: First round of interviews
  • 1st and 2ndDecember: Second round of interviews

How we recruit:

You will find the enclosed job description and person specification details the skills and experience we are looking for. We will shortlist primarily on the basis of the skills and experience that you evidence on your application, and at least one of the interviews you attend will focus on assessing this.

Our values are integral to the way we work, and we believe that incorporating them into our recruitment process will help us make sound and consistent decisions. We believe it is important that all candidates understand our expectations in terms of skills and expertise from the outset, and also have a strong sense of the type of socially focused, value-driven business that Women Like Us is.

How to apply:

Please provide a CV detailing your work experience to date, relevant skills and details of your education / qualifications if applicable. Please submit a cover letter, addressed to Chris McCosh, of no more than two pages detailing your interest in the role, how you meet our criteria and any other information you feel would be of use. Please email these two documents to:

Unfortunately we are unable to consider applications that are not submitted in this format.

If you have any questions about the job or the recruitment process, please do call Chris on 020 7633 4559.

Yours sincerely,

David Curtis

Director of Business Support

Women Like Us is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religion or belief.

HR Officer Job Description and Person Specification

Salary: £25,000 - £28,000 pro-rata, depending on experience.

Hours:21 – 28 hours per week, across a minimum of 4 days (one of which to be a Friday)

Duration: Permanent

Holidays: 27 annual leave per year (pro rata)

Reporting to: Director of Business Support

Location:Archway and LondonBridge

Women Like Us

Women Like Us helps women with children to find part time, flexible work across London. We do this by going out to women where they are everyday, where they naturally network, and where thousands of women across the country are talking about how to get back to work: the school gates. We give women the confidence and contacts they need to return to work by offering advice, workshops and coaching and by giving them direct access to flexible jobs with local employers.

Role Purpose

  • To support line managers to provide a full people management service with particular emphasis on ensuring policies, systems and processes are communicated, understood and work effectively.
  • To act as the point of contact for staff management purposes, including both employeesand freelancers/consultants.
  • To ensure all administrative work relating to the HR function is completed promptly and in accordance with company policy and employment legislation.
  • To ensure that policies and processes are reviewed and updated regularly in line with changes in legislation and best practice.

Responsibilities

Recruitment and Induction

  • Ensure the recruitment process is followed to enable the employment of suitable and sufficient staff to meet vacancies identified, and that managers understand their responsibilities during the recruitment, selection and induction process.
  • Provide advice to managers on job advertising and selection methods.
  • Participate in the selection process for appointments, where required.
  • Provide guidance to managers on making offers of employment.
  • Follow up verbal references taken by managers with written references and ensure replies received are satisfactory for WLU’s purposes.
  • Ensure induction process is communicated, understood and followed.
  • Issue contracts, administer any necessary checks, e.g. CRB, and ensure that the paperwork for all applications and new starters is completed promptly, including checking entitlement to work in the UK.

Line manager support

  • Ensure the probation process is used effectively to assess the performance and suitability of new recruits.
  • Ensure the appraisal process is used effectively to develop the full potential of our people.
  • Maintain a record of dates when probation and appraisal reports are due and notify managers of these in advance.
  • Check probationary and appraisal paperwork are fully and properly completed within deadlines.
  • Work with managers to support the development of staff’s training and development plans, and support managers to address issues of poor performance or conduct.
  • Complete all administrative work for flexible working requests.
  • Complete all administrative work relating to resignations.
  • Provide advice and guidance as necessary on issues relating to staff management and employment legislation.

Staff support

  • Be the first point of contact for staff and freelances/consultants for any HR queries.
  • Ensure that all staff are aware of all policies and where they can be viewed.
  • Proactively maintain a relationship with all staff and freelancers/consultants to keep updated on the effectiveness of HR policies and procedures across the business, and to ensure awareness of any individual issues or trends across staff or teams.
  • Liaise with the Director of Business Support and/or HR Consultant for any HR issues which need further support or advice.

Sickness and leave

  • Maintain updatedrecords of sickness, and ensure all self certifications are completed promptly and filedemployee’s personnel files.
  • Ensure doctor’s certificates are submitted promptly and file these on the employee’s personnel file.
  • Alert managers to any to cases of excessive or persistent sickness.
  • Notify payroll of cases where either Company Sick Pay or other sick pay has been exhausted.
  • Maintain updatedrecords of all staff’s leave entitlement and leave taken.
  • Complete paperwork for maternity/paternity and adoption leave.
  • Notify Finance of any changes affecting the payroll on a monthly basis.

Learning and Development

Implementation of company training plan including:

  • Learning needs analysis of all staff, and working with the Director of Business Support to recommend learning and development training plans for all staff.
  • Implementing training activities and monitoring the effectiveness of activities and performance of training providers.
  • Monitoring external developments in Learning and Development and recommending new ideas to WLU as appropriate.

Monitoring and Reporting

  • Ensure staff records are maintained (including job descriptions, contracts, personnel files,next of kin details), in accordance with legislation.
  • Monitor equal opportunities data with regards applications and employees.
  • Produce monthly management reports regarding compliance, recruitment, training, sickness and any other HR activities. Update Senior Management Team verbally/in writing as required regarding regular reports and respond to ad-hoc information requests

Other duties

  • Maintain and update staff employment handbook, including regular review of effectiveness of policies and ensuring WLU has appropriate employment policies which comply with legislation.
  • Maintain updated standard HR letters and forms
  • Ensure compliance with Health and Safety, legislation and company policy (including CRB checks where required).

You may be required to undertake additional duties within your capabilities from time to time, subject to business requirements. You will be expected to role model a positive attitude towards additional duties, and towards changes in the business in general.

Person Specification

Skills and Experience

Essential:

  • Excellent project management and administrative skills with good attention to detail and a meticulous approach.
  • Excellent IT skills with experience of working with Word, Excel and databases.
  • Excellent written, verbal communication and listening skills.
  • Substantial experience in generalist HR role.

Desirable:

  • Either CIPD-qualified or currently working towards CIPD qualification.

Behaviours

Please note that the following are not intended to be comprehensive descriptors but rather to provide an indicator of effective performance in relation to the values.

Passion:

  • Generates new ideas for the organisation to improve operations or service delivery.
  • Demonstrates drive and enthusiasm in response to new challenges.
  • Demonstrates a high level of energy at work, and focuses on results and solutions.

Integrity:

  • Is able to make decisions that both support our people and are viable for the business.
  • Maintains a high standard of work when under pressure.
  • Takes account of ethical issues when making commercial judgements
  • Takes an open and honest approach to dealings with colleagues.
  • Understands the wider environment in which the organisation operates and the impact of longer term decision making.

Professionalism:

  • Is able to work autonomously and has extremely strong time management skills.
  • Is highly organised and thorough in approach to work.
  • Demonstrates flexibility to adapt as systems change and develop.
  • Presents a positive attitude to a busy working environment where tasks and systems need to be developed and updated on a regular basis.
  • Helps to cope with and manage new or difficult situations so as to ensure effective resolution.
  • Anticipates problems and identifies potential solutions.
  • Ability to participate as a full member of team, whether leading or not, and proactively contribute to team success.

© Women Like Us • Bickerton House • 25 Bickerton Road • London • N19 5JT

020 7281 6522 • •

Company registered in England and Wales: 5274371 • VAT registration: 863248804