JOB IDENTIFICATION
Job Title: HR Support Officer
Directorate: Human Resources and Workforce Development
Department(s): Human Resources and Workforce Development
Location: Laxdale Court
No of Job Holders: 2
JOB PURPOSE
This role will be responsible for the provision of effective and efficient support to the HR Team, including delivery of specific aspects of the recruitment processes, in line with current policies and procedures ensuring a confidential, efficient and effective recruitment service through a professional, service user focused approach.
The post holder will be the first HR point of contact to all people interested in working for Western Isles NHS.
To support the Recruitment Manager in the continual review of the recruitment processes and help to identify and implement changes to service provision by promoting improved ways of working.
To provide support and accurate, basic advice and information across the full range of general Human Resources issues; including leave, sickness absence, pay, terms and conditions and HR Policies and Guidance.
All work is undertaken following Employment Legislation, Best Practice, Governance and Partnership working.
ORGANISATIONAL POSITION

SCOPE AND RANGE
NHS Western Isles, comprising of approximately 1000 staff, provides health services across the Western Isles. The area comprises remote and rural island communities, serving a population of approx 28,000. The geography of the area presents challenges for equity in terms of standards of service provision
No direct budgetary control, however, must be cost conscious and use resources efficiently and effectively
The post holder will have incidental contact with patients whilst carrying out the duties of the post.
MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
  • To process the end to end Recruitment Process for all vacancies, ensuring that all applicants are processed in a timely manner
  • Process applications for short listing, inform unsuccessful candidates and invite short listed candidates to interview, ensuring all relevant documentation is sent out electronically with the appropriate attachments. Quality assure standard of short listing returns raising concerns with the Recruitment Manager where appropriate
  • Ensure the timely issuing of offer letters for successful candidates with the appropriate paragraphs included and the correct attachments
  • Ensure all pre-employment checks and clearances are obtained in accordance with HR Policies and Procedures within appropriate timescales, including contacting candidates by telephone/email as and when necessary. To advise managers on the reference process and if delays occur.
  • Ensure the timely and accurate processing of post-interview packs, dead filing of unsuccessful applications and progressing successful applicants to offer stage
  • Ensure that Recruitment process is followed by all managers and staff and escalate non compliance with NHS policy and procedures to the Recruitment Manager, where a recruitment issue could possibly lead to a risk.
  • Arrange meetings, such as Job Evaluation/Consistency Checking Panels, including liaising with other departments and external agencies as required.
  • Provide administrative support to matching panels including accurate recording of panel evidence to support factor level awarded and any panel notes, electronically in the Computer Aided Job Evaluation (CAJE) system
  • Following consultation, provide basic HR and Recruitment advice, guidance and support to all managers and employees on HR queries, relating to the interpretation of policies and procedures, terms & conditions and employment issues and escalate to Human Resources Advisors where appropriate
  • Help maintain the internal HR website with up to date information
  • Maintain an effective accurate filing system in both electronic and paper formats for HR records and associated documentation. Ensuring HR databases are accurate and up to date.
  • Periodically cleanse and prune spent files to make sure all confidential information is destroyed in accordance with the Data Protection Act
  • Maintain confidentiality in accordance with national and local NHS guidelines and the Data Protection Act
  • Ensure adequate stock levels of stationery are maintained for the department, ordering as necessary and be authorised signatory for stock orders
  • Provide cover in the absence other HR Team members
  • In the absence of the HR Information and Systems Managers, the post holder will be responsible for exporting data from SSTS to ensure timely payment of salaries
  • Demonstrate own activities and/or workplace routines to new/less experienced employees in own work area and deliver elements of training as required
  • Undertake a variety of ad hoc administrative tasks in support of the HR Department as delegated by more senior HR Team members e.g. preparing case files and training files, some of which may be of a confidential/sensitive nature
  • Implement new office systems and practices which are necessary to provide high standards of HR support
  • Learn new procedures, seek to exploit new technologies and help colleagues to do the same
  • To actively seek feedback and identify opportunities to improve processes within the department
  • The post holder will be required to undertake regular audits of all policies and processes under area of responsibility
  • Issue ID cards using the Paxton system
  • Responsible for the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering all relevant aspects of Human Resources. Ensuring a shared understanding throughout the HR function.

SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT
The postholder must have a high degree of computer literacy with specific knowledge of Microsoft Office packages; Internet; Photocopier and Digital Recording Equipment. Competent use of manual and electronic HR information systems, for example keeping investigation files up to date in relation to disciplinary action etc.
Use of HR shared drives for documentation, meeting papers etc;
Responsible for ensuring that all systems and documentation are used and maintained in line with the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation.
Access and retrieval of employee information from the payroll system;
DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
  • Manage the Recruitment email inbox, responding to queries and directing messages to colleagues where appropriate
  • Regularly deal with telephone calls for other members of the HR Team, exercising sound judgement and redirecting as appropriate
  • Verify the eligibility of interview candidates for travel expense allowances and prepare forms for authorisation by the Head of Human Resources
  • The job will involve making an analysis of own work and prioritise work accordingly
  • Monitor vacancy lead times, and advise the recruiting Line Managers where potential delays in appointments are identified
  • Advising on the content of adverts/advertising methods and preparing and placing adverts in appropriate media to strict deadlines (SHOW, external publications & Communicate to all staff via regular vacancy bulletins)
Is aware of own limitations and seeks guidance and advice from Head of HR and HR Advisors (Higher Level) where appropriate.
Objectives agreed annually with the line manager. Support, advice and supervision is available from line manager.
Performance is reviewed through informal contact and regular meetings with manager, written reports and participation in the PDP+R process, and measuring performance against identified and agreed objectives
COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
  • Provide all recruitment candidates with accurate application information within an appropriate timeframe and respond to all candidates enquiries in an appropriate manner in order to provide a professional recruitment service to internal and external service users. Dealing with a variety of what can be at times challenging requests in order to explain recruitment process and procedure
  • Communicate on a daily basis, both face to face and by telephone, with all levels of staff, good ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships ensuring excellent levels of service at all times
  • Instruct advertising agencies on placement of advertisements, proof read the copy and obtain authorisation for the cost of placing adverts
  • Take up references within appropriate timescales, including contacting candidates by telephone as and when necessary
  • Act as a point of contact for routine enquiries to the department, both by telephone and for visitors, maintaining high standards of courtesy, discretion and confidentiality at all times
  • Deal discreetly and efficiently with telephone calls as necessary, using excellent listening and interpersonal skills to ensure that messages are relayed to the appropriate persons accurately and promptly
  • Participate in HR Department meetings where opinion on service matters sought, contribution to problem solving where immediate answer/approach is not apparent
  • Update and share knowledge with colleagues as appropriate
  • Exchanging confidential or sensitive information with all levels of staff, often requiring persuasive, empathic or reassurance skills
The post holder will contribute to the development of and comply with the HR Communication Plan.
PHYSICAL and MENTAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
  • Sitting at desk using keyboard and VDU for majority of day
  • Attend meetings at various locations throughout the Board site as and when required
  • Word processing and data inputting at a VDU screen, ensuring accuracy when composing letters, preparing interview paperwork and inputting data
  • The post holder during the course of their duties will be required to use all forms of office equipment
  • The post involves some standing and walking, whilst gathering documentation, copying, filing and distributing mail
  • Occasional movement of large quantities of files for archiving or destruction purposes
  • Dealing sensitively with candidates who are often stressed during the recruitment and selection procedures, post holder needs to be extremely patient, understanding and helpful
  • Concentration required for prolonged periods of time, for a number of tasks each day when creating complex recruitment related documentation which has to be cross referenced
  • There are frequent interruptions (answering own telephone calls and those of team members, unexpected visitors to department), which require post holder to regularly change task
  • Promote the principles of Staff Governance and Partnership working and maintain professional and positive relationships with management and staffside colleagues.
  • Periodically dealing with distressed / angry / abusive staff and managers.

MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB
  • As a member of the HR team, the post holder is expected to deal with sensitive and confidential information relating to employment issues
  • Working to competing deadlines (e.g. advertising) in a fast paced environment. Covering for planned/unplanned absence of team members requiring the post holder to adjust his/her priorities at short notice and deal with an increased volume of work
  • Volume of work and pressure from managers to process vacancies within shorter timescales
  • The post holder will be responsible for managing their own day to day work load, prioritising and planning duties, meetings, progress chasing, developing alternative or additional procedures etc

JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT
A separate job description will need to be signed off by each jobholder to whom the job description applies.
Job Holder’s Signature:
Head of Department Signature: / Date:
Date:

Person Specification

Job Title: / HR Support Officer
Department: / Human Resources and Workforce Development
Location: / Human Resources
Specification / Essential / Desirable
Qualifications / Educated to HND Level
acquired through relevant training and experience to diploma level / Chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development preferably at Assoc CIPD level or working towards.
Experience and knowledge / Experience within an office environment dealing witha range of administrative and HR proceduresand practices
Experience of taking minutes at meetings
Understanding of Data Protection
Experience of providing a service to both internal and external customers
Experience of planning, prioritising and managing time/work to meet demanding deadlines and rapidly changing priorities to meet multiple deadlines
Fully competent in Microsoft Packages
Skills and abilities / Ability to communicate and influence verbally and in writing with a variety of individuals with differing levels of understanding.
Recognition of importance of Confidentiality
Attention to detail
Ability to deal with a wide range of tasks and meet deadlines simultaneously.
Ability to use initiative and assess incoming queries/issues to decide the best way to deal with issues and when to refer to colleagues.
Ability to prioritise own workload
Personal attributes / Ability to work as part of a team.
Ability to deal with visitors face to face.
Ability to remain calm and focussed under pressure.
Flexible and adaptable
approach
Confident, enthusiastic, and self-motivated
Interest in working within Human Resources
Other requirements

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