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SalaryJob Title : Director: People Management and Employee Relations
Grade: SEE Q Grade, SP 53 - 56, Salary £76,773-£81,064
Responsible for: Leading the People Management, and Employee Relations strategic priorities, and a member of the Leadership Team.
Responsible to: Chief Executive
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DIMENSIONS
South East Employers (SEE) is a regional employers’ organisation for local government. We are independent, member-led and not-for-profit, specialising in local government, working in partnership with other public sector organisations and the private and voluntary sectors.
The South East is the largest of the 9 regions in England with 70 local authorities (County, Unitary and District Councils), serving a population of over 9.2 million people. SEE provides value-added advice and consultancy support to local authorities in their capacity as employers leading and managing diverse and multi-skilled workforces providing services to their communities, undertaking their democratic function, responding to local and national change agendas and challenges.
Membership of SEE is voluntary and we currently have membership rate of approximately 55-60%. In addition, to larger councils, we have in membership over 100 smaller employers including fire and rescue services, parish and town councils, housing associations, colleges, universities, and charities.
REQUIRED OUTCOMES YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AND DELIVER
- Build relationships with Chief Officers and HR professionals and expand the membership of SEE.
- Innovate and further develop the SEE consultancy and membership offer to meet identified future needs.
- Broaden the range and increase the take up of our learning and development products.
- Achieve ambitious consultancy income targets for your business plan area to ensure on-going financial sustainability of SEE and the services we provide.
JOB PURPOSE
- Through your work in SEE, and engagement with our client authorities, , identify, champion and influence public sector improvement in the region through exemplary human resource advice and consultancy services to improve People Management services and employer/ Employee Relations, through collaboration with a range of stakeholders.
- Develop and implement business plan priorities and commercial objectives, through identifying and implementing new opportunities for growth and new partners to achieve ambitious income targets for your business area.
- Through active collaboration and engagement with colleagues in SEE, the Local Government Association (LGA), other national and regional bodies, external partners including regional Trade Unions, and agencies, ensure the SEE Membership offer is relevant, responsive, high quality, accessible and timely.
- Provide leadership, manage, and develop the SEE team working on our priority areas, and engage Associate Consultants, to maximise capacity, skills and expertise offered to our customers and partners to ensure value for money for SEE and our member organisations.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Policy and Strategic Development
Lead on the development and delivery of the People Management and Employee Relations strategic priority areas ensuring the SEE offer continues to be developed, expanded and relevant to Senior Executives, Councillors and Leaders in other public sector organisations; that is is marketed and promoted to build reputation and grow uptake and income.
Identify, anticipate, and contribute to policy and legislative developments, building insight into changing People Management and Employee Relations legislation, policy, and practice, sharing this with member organisations, SEE Executive Committee and SEE colleagues.
Fulfil the role supporting the Local Authority Employers in providing conciliation services and supporting collective dispute resolution within our region.
- Product and Service Development and Delivery
Through the delivery of the SEE Membership offer, generate innovative solutions, develop resources, and support and facilitate networks and webinars to contribute to improvements for our local government partners. Continue to build the reputation of SEE as an invaluable and trusted partner and a Centre of Excellence for advice and services provided.
Support our clients with Management and employment services as part of their SEE membership, and bespoke consultancy, including sourcing and commissioning Associate Consultants in specialist areas as appropriate.
Develop, manage and quality-assure an SEE pool of Associate Consultants, identifying appropriate specialisms and areas of expertise, and deploying into assignments as required.
- Commercial and Income Delivery
Lead the delivery of programmes that contribute to the income earnings target for the People Management and Employer/Employee Relations areas of the business by undertaking specialist fee-earning consultancy assignments for clients. Identify new opportunities with a focus on such areas as Employee Relations advice, conflict resolution, organisational reviews and restructures, pay and grading reviews, job evaluation, benefits and terms and conditions.
Lead the independent investigation function of the business, including triaging enquiries, undertaking complex and sensitive investigations, including those made against senior managers, councillors, governors in local authorities and other public sector organisations.
Work closely with the Chief Executive to identify any external resources, or funding opportunities, that could be accessed to support the work of SEE and / or Member Councils.
- Relationships Management
As an ambassador for SEE, raise the reputation and profile of SEE as a Centre of Excellence and valued partner for the advice and services provided, including lobbying on behalf of South East Councils in matters relating to pay, grading, HR and Employee Relations, and responding to national consultation documents.
Lead the development of new partnerships and relationships across the region.
- Intelligence and Insight Development
Oversee, and contribute to, building the intelligence bank of SEE to ensure relevant data is captured and shared. Work in partnership with the Employment Insight Manager, to produce analysis and insights to enable a more comprehensive understanding of employment trends within the region, and the take up of SEE offer, to enable more impactful targeting of engagement, marketing and communications, and the review of the annual Business Plan priorities.
- Corporate Leadership and Development
As an active member of SEE’s Leadership Team, contribute to developing the Corporate Plan, monitoring performance and income targets and assessing impact and risks.
Prepare and deliver update reports for the SEE Executive Committee and other stakeholders.
Undertake other tasks/responsibilities, appropriate to the role of Director, and support the Chief Executive, to deliver the requirements of the SEE Executive Committee. Actively comply with, and promote, the Fairness and Dignity at Work Policy. Be knowledgeable of, and comply with, Health and Safety policies, data protection legislation, procedures, and responsibilities regarding safe and secure working practices to meet statutory obligations and good employment practice.
- Management
Manage the staff and resources, for the relevant area of the Business Plan, ensuring an effective and responsive delivery of services to clients as determined by the Business Plan and Business Objectives. Support the annual refresh of the Corporate Business Plan.
Manage and develop staff through coaching, performance Management and professional development. Share learning and development across SEE colleagues and Associates.
COMMUNICATIONS AND KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Our ambition is to grow our membership base of both member and associate member organisations. As a member of the Leadership Team, you are required to develop, build and manage positive and impactful relationships with the following internal and external stakeholders and partners:
Internal
- Chief Executive
- Other Directors (Leadership Team of SEE)
- SEE colleagues
- Treasurer and Accountant at Winchester City Counci
- SEE Business Associates
External
- SEE Councillor representatives, Leaders and other elected members
- Senior Leadership Teams and Executive and Statutory Officers including Directors of HR/OD, HR professionals
- Local Government officers
- Professional groups, agencies, partners and service providers across the south east
- Employers Organisations across other UK regions
- LGA and government departments
- Contractors and suppliers
PACKAGE AND WORKING TERMS
The conditions of service are as set out in the SEE staff handbook, amended as required by SEE.
Office and working pattern: The registered office is in Winchester, but the SEE team mainly work remotely via M/S Teams meetings, with some attendance in Winchester at the discretion of the Chief Executive.
Travel: You are required to work anywhere in the region, travelling to visit/work in authorities’ premises where in-person meetings are requested by clients or where winning new business or building relationships, or developing partnerships and networks is best achieved by in person means. Meetings can also take place in London and in other locations or regions. Public transport should be used where possble. Where travel by car is the most effective means, expenses are paid at HMRC recommended rate of 45p per mile. Should mileage exceed the minimum travel threshold, consideration will be given to applying an essential user allowance.
Hours: The post holder will be required to work hours necessary to complete the priorities of the organisation.
Leave: 28 days per annum, plus bank holidays.
Probation: The post will be subject to a probation period of 6 months’ satisfactory service.
