Hr Advisor

HR Advisor

Full time, 1 year fixed term contract

35 hours – Monday – Friday

Salary circa £27,000

We are looking to appoint a highly motivated HR Advisor on a one year fixed term contract to provide effective HR support, advice and guidance across the full range of HR activities Foundation wide. This will include supporting the HR Managers with projects and casework and working alongside the HR Administrators with transactional tasks. You will also support the Foundation Director of People with project work as required. With the launch of web recruitment across the business and other people related projects, you will play an important role in driving change within Coventry School Foundation.

This is an exciting opportunity to support the team and assist the HR function in moving forward. The role is varied and rewarding. You’ll be an experienced advisor, flexible in your approach with the ability to handle multiple competing priorities. You will be confident and organised, with an ability to hold difficult conversations, and to make decisions quickly.

The Coventry School Foundation is strongly committed to inclusion and is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to create a welcoming, respectful and safe environment for all members of our community, from every ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability/disability, religion and background. We know that more diverse teams are stronger teams, and that the more inclusive we are, the more our staff and pupils will feel a sense of belonging and will thrive. To enable us to make any reasonable adjustments, please let us know when you submit your application whether you have any special requirements to enable you to participate fully in the recruitment process.

The Coventry School Foundation is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to this post, including checks with past employers, social media checks, the Disclosure and Barring Service and overseas police check if necessary. Candidates from overseas must provide information about their past conduct, for example, by providing documents issued by overseas teaching authorities.

A completed application form including contact details for two referees, accompanied by a covering letter should reach the HR team at [email protected] as soon as possible, and no later than 12 noon on Friday 28th June 2024.

Applications will be considered as soon as they are received up until the closing date. Early applications are encouraged.

Expected start date: As soon as possible

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• With the support of the HR Managers, to provide advice and guidance on the full range of HR activities to stakeholders in the Foundation. Provide first line employee relations advice across common HR issues, escalating to the HR Manager as appropriate.
• As the first point of contact for schools, provide a timely, professional and confidential high quality employee relations advice, across a broad range of HR issues, drawing on Foundation policies, procedures and legislation, escalating to the HR Manager as appropriate. Develop strong and positive working relationships across the Foundation, acting as a representative of the HR team.
• Undertake first line casework as required to support leaders within schools within the Foundation ensuring the correct processes in relation to absence, change management, complaints, disciplinary, grievance, capability and appeals are followed in accordance with relevant timescales. Support managers with meetings as appropriate.
• Coach line managers on People related issues, ensuring that they are equipped to deal with them in line with Foundation policies and best practice.
• Attend and take accurate notes of meetings ensuring they are checked before appropriate distribution/recording.
• Maintaining the HR and Recruitment inboxes whilst ensuring all queries are dealt with in a timely fashion.
• Supporting HR transactional processes including payroll and recruitment to ensure deadlines are met and a high quality of service is provided. Support the HR Administrators with transactional escalations as needed.
• Manage pre-employment checks across employees and others who require checks to work on site, ensuring that files are fully compliant and meet all safeguarding requirements to provide a positive and compliant on boarding experience for all candidates.
• Prepare contractual documentation, including contracts and variation letters.
• Support the Foundation Director of People as required, to include assisting on project work, provision of administrative support as required and support with meetings/ note taking as needed.
• Assist the HR management team with producing management information as required to support HR priorities and assist with preparation of presentations as needed.
• Support the HR Manager, and wider HR team, with projects and key HR priorities as designated, including project administrator responsibility, maintaining action logs etc.
• Manage confidential information securely and in line with agreed practice.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties and responsibilities as required by the HR Manager.

Personal Specification

• Significant previous office administration experience, including ability to manage confidential information and handle multiple competing priorities.
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Office and database systems. 
• Used to working under pressure and to tight deadlines with multiple stakeholders.
• Confident and well organised, with an ability to hold difficult conversations, and make decisions quickly.
• Evidence of a real passion for HR.
• Experience and ability of working collaboratively and cross-functionally with others at all levels, to developing strong networks and relationships utilising excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• A recognised HR qualification such as CIPD (Level 3 preferable).
• Experience supporting an HR function, ideally in an educational establishment.
• A genuine interest in Education.