The Baptist Union of Great Britain

The Baptist Union of Great Britain

Role Profile – HR Manager

Job title: / HR Manager
Reports to: / Head of Support Services
Direct reports: / -
Location: / Based at the National Resource Centre in Didcot

Main purpose of this role:

To provide a day-to-day HR service to the 35 staff at the National Resources team in Didcot. To update and develop the Union’s HR policies, procedures and working practices to ensure these fit with the strategy and ethos of the Union. This will include specialist support in the areas of:

Recruitment
Employment policies and procedures, including terms and conditions
Training and development
Internal communication

To provide support to the regional Association teams including:

the provision ofstandard HR documentation
design and delivery of training on handling HR issues
regular written communication and guidance on HR issues

To provide support and specialist guidance in handling complaints against ministers to the 2,000 Baptist churches across the UK to ensure proper procedures are followed whilst being sensitive to theethos and beliefs of the Union.

Key roles and responsibilities

HR Service to National Resource team

To provide support with the recruitment process for National Resource team staff including:

preparing role profiles, advertisements and advising on appropriate media
drawing up selection criteria and assisting with the screening of applications
participating in the selection of staff and preparing interview notes and records, as required.

To ensure the preparation and issuing of contracts of employment for all National Resource team staff, including all pre-employment checks as required.
To ensure Payroll is notified of new starters, leavers and other employment changes, update the personnel database, as appropriate.
To participate in the induction process for new starters including:

putting together a welcome pack
monitoring the return of induction checklists.
Monitoring probationary periods and taking any necessary action during or at the end of such periods

To issue performance review documentation to staff and managers, log completed forms and chase up any outstanding forms, as necessary.
To co-ordinate the delivery of the performance review process, and to review the performance review and grading structure to ensure consistency and effectiveness, making recommendations for improvements, as appropriate.
To prepare medical referrals in liaison with staff and managers and advise managers on sickness absence issues.
To provide guidance, coaching and support on disciplinary, grievance, attendance and performance issues to ensure a consistent and fair approach and participate in hearings, as necessary.
To support the use of flexible working practices, and to manage the formal process for considering flexible working requests.
To advise on new legislation and its implications, draft policies and procedures and assist in their implementation.
To provide guidance, information and advice as appropriate to managers and staff on the company’s HR policies, procedures and terms and conditions and ensure managers are able to apply these effectively.
To undertake exit interviews and ensure that any issues are followed up, as appropriate.
To update, monitor and maintain manual and computerised HR and recruitment records and ensure compliance with legal and data protection policies.
To oversee and support the training and development of staff through internal and external training sources and methods, including management (with the Team Leaders) of the overall training and development budget for the National Resources Team.
To provide support and guidance to the Head of Support Services on pay and reward issues, including the annual pay review, pay benchmarking and grading structures.
To assist the Head of Support Services in the management of change, organisational restructuring, implementation of HR projects and the development of HR strategies which support the Union’s aims and objectives, including preparation for the Investors in People standards.

HR support to the regional Association teams

To provide HR documentation and materials including standard contracts of employment,handbook templates and sample letters, as required.

To provide guidance and support on handling employment issues to ensure a consistent approach in line with the Union’s policies and ethos.

To provide training on handling of recruitment, appraisals and HR issues, as required.

Specialist guidance and support to Baptist churches

To provide specialist guidance and support in handling complaints against ministers, ensuring fair procedures are followed in line with the Union’s policies and ethos.
To prepare articles and information for the BUBG website and newsletters to support and guide those with HR responsibility in churches.

Culture and Working Style at BUGB

Everyone who works as a member of BUGB staff is encouraged to model their working style and behaviour on the same values and working tenets.

Our culture and working style is still developing, and can be best described in the following words:

Collaborative culture – We understand and encourage the positive outcomes that result from good team working at all levels in the Union. Wesupport each other to reach across traditional boundaries and find new ways of working that are to the benefit of all involved.

Partnership working – We value the differing perspectives and experiences brought by others, both inside and outside the Union, and weactively work to include a wide range of views and backgrounds so that we come to informed and considered decisions, appreciating both common ground and areas of difference.

Enabling Outcomes – We always aim to be enablers of the overall purposes and strategy of the Union, using our gifts, time and expertise to guide and support the Baptist family with its overall mission. We support effective governance through fair and consistent application of policy and process, and welcome questions that encourage us to improve our governance approach.

Relational– We recognise that each person we encounter as we are involved in the work of the Union is unique and precious in the eyes of God. We are committed to creating and sustaining excellent working relationships at every level, and we recognise that this shapes our approach to consultation, debate, handling of conflict and treatment of each other in the day to day work environment.

Interdependence – We recognise that our work has the potential to affect the lives of many others in the Baptist family and beyond. Our behaviour and attitudes towards our work will always endeavour to involve, engage and value the input of others, and to recognise the enhanced outcomes that result from genuinely interdependent working.

Personal Attributes and Experience

Experience and training

We will expect the HR Manager to be CIPD qualified (or an employment lawyer with relevant HR experience) with wide generalist experience in a senior HR role. Candidates will have a track record of handling complex employee relations issues such as disciplinary investigations and hearings, grievances, poor performance and sickness absence cases. They will also be confident and competent in delivering small group training on HR related matters. Experience of working to resolve difficult issues in a church setting would be desirable.

Technical skills and abilities

Candidates will have an up to date knowledge of employment law and good HR practice, and will be able to demonstrate a track record of delivering an effective HR service. They will be able to develop, implement and evaluate policies and procedures and have good IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Mediation and/or counselling skills will be helpful.

Communication

Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written will be vital for this role. The HR Manager will need to quickly establish credibility and build rapport and trust with staff and managers. Candidates will need to be able to write HR policies and procedures along with guidelines and correspondence to support HR processes, as well as translating good practice into training sessions and materials for wider use.

The HR Manager will be called upon to provide confidential support in a wide range of sensitive situations, and will work with the Ministries team to help to resolve complaints from church members about ministers. Candidates will be able to offer a biblically based and practically relevant approach to ensure that such matters are properly investigated, carefully managed and constructively resolved.

Personal attributes and interests

Due to the sensitive nature of the issues that the HR Manager will be involved with, particularly in relation to complaints within churches and the need to handle these issues in line with the ethos and beliefs of the Union, we are looking for an HR Manager who is a practising Christian, and ideally a member of a Baptist church.

The HR Manager will need to be resilient and comfortable working with staff at all levels. They will need to be able to investigate issues objectively and mediate in staff disputes. Candidates should be able to organise and prioritise their own work, balance competing demands and work to deadlines. An understanding of the need to respect confidentiality and be able to maintain a tactful approach is essential.

Special job requirements

We expect the HR Manager to work between 25 – 35 hours a week, and we can be flexible about working hours and working patterns. We are happy to accommodate a blend of office and home based working.

The HR Manager will be required to visit regional Association teams, to deliver training and provide advice and support, as necessary.

Changes to this role profile

This role profile is designed to be illustrative rather than exhaustive. The Baptist Union may add to the responsibilities of the HR Managerany tasks or activities that they see as relevant and appropriate to the role, and will discuss any such additions with the post-holder.