Hr & Od Consultant

6 weeks contract with local authorities (6 months extension is a possibility)

Job Summary:

• This role will report to a HR & OD Business Partner who is allocated to provide Strategic Human Resources support to a group of Chief Officers with regard to their cluster of services. This service support may alter to respond to service delivery requirements, therefore giving the post holder an opportunity to support each Business Partner with specific tasks and a diverse range of projects and experience across services. 

• The total council workforce is around 5300 this includes school-based employees.

• The workforce strategies include the Council’s Organisation and Development Workforce Strategy which supports the Council plan and the Social Care Workforce plan. This plan supports the recruitment and development of the social care sector including external providers.

• The postholder will be assigned to a portfolio of services and allocated to projects, commensurate with expertise and for development.

Key duties (sample):

• Provide professional advice to departments and/or schools – Chief Officers, other Managers, Headteachers (including, as required, attendance at appropriate meetings e.g. schools, DMTs. To advise on HR & OD policies and procedures, terms and conditions of service and employment legislation to ensure that employees in all services are managed in a fair and consistent way.

• Contribute to the delivery of the Council’s priorities e.g. A modern and resilient Council, the Organisation Development and Workforce strategy, Social Care Workforce Strategy, workforce planning initiatives and other plans across the Authority, as a member of the HR & OD team. Contribute to the development and delivery of recruitment and retention initiatives including the social care sector as part of the priority board work and other identified needs.

• To be the designated adviser allocated on a range of projects or work stream to develop, coordinate and contribute so that changes are effectively introduced and integrated into services. To provide specialist professional advice, guidance and support to the project including appropriate coordination, development work, research, policy review, improve and modify procedures including HR & OD service improvements and prepare and communicate guidance and updates to the team.

• To identify trends that require preventative initiatives to improve service and organisational culture, a style of management which improves employee engagement and develops a coaching style of management. Working as a collective HR & OD team, share good practice and resources to enable corporate wide approach.

• To establish working relationships with managers, including new Managers providing induction support. To provide professional HR & OD advice to enable managers to be clear on their people responsibilities, signpost to resources available and have an understanding of their people role alongside the service support from the full range of HR & OD services.

• Advise, support and guide managers and/or Headteachers in relation to service employee relations activities in order that employee involvement and working relationships are optimised and consistent with operational efficiency.

• Provide specialist and professional employment law/case work advice and guidance in relation to case work e.g. disciplinary, capability, dignity at work, managing attendance, performance management, grievance, redundancy issues, recruitment & selection etc. This will include advice and preparation of content for case information. To be responsible for the planning and prioritisation of case activities and monitoring of own cases including trends. To consider trends in order to support management to identify and help resolve underlying issues to maximize performance, provide effective responses and ensure fair and equitable treatment of employees.

• Work in partnership with a range of recognised Trade Unions corporately and for support staff and teachers in schools in relation to case work, dealing with employment related issues, avoidance of disputes and conflict resolution. Advise managers/ Headteachers on approaches to ensure that managers develop good working relationships with the Trade unions to seek early resolution of matters to achieve positive outcomes for the Authority and its employees.

• Advise, coach and support managers and/or Headteachers in the implementation of organisation change, job design, recruitment & selection and other associated policies to ensure fairness and consistency and that the agreed procedures and processes are complied with.

• To be the specialist technical adviser for knowledge on all aspects of employment law e.g. contractual, case law, regulations, guidance. To research and advise on complex queries and/ or options for potential solutions. Working as part of the wider HR&OD team, escalating actions or solutions to the HR Service Centre as appropriate. Sharing HR & OD expertise as required to develop guidance and coach HR &OD colleagues to ensure that administrative HR activities and service complements the professional HR function. 

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• Each HR & OD Officer will provide identified support to the Service Centre as required through the escalation process and provide advice and guidance updates on matters that impact on their HRSC roles and support to services.

• Provide specialist professional advice and guidance to managers and/or Headteachers and trade union representatives on organisation change, including job design (e,g. advice on the development of JDs and Person specification) to support career structures ,recruitment campaigns and job evaluation process, so that manager’s understand their responsibilities to ensure that HR processes including job evaluation and recruitment proceed effectively and efficiently. To evaluate jobs in accordance with agreed procedure taking part in Panels as required and liaising with the Job Evaluation post holder/Team Manager as necessary.

• Preparation and evaluation of workforce planning information to interpret, summarise and forecast trends, including employee surveys, monitor external sector development and research. This can include external workforce practices, preparation of responses to information requests national, regional or externally. Analysis of information to collate and present for Head of Service HR &OD and HR&OD BP for strategic reporting.

• Provide training and development advice to Managers dealing with a range of complex and contentious people management issues. Identify any development needs develop, design and deliver training (to complement the corporate programme and/or in accordance with the school’s service level agreement) and to contribute to Corporate/school (including Governor) training programme for employment topics. This includes support for processes, induction, formal courses for identified need, develop and share for all HR & OD consultants as a shared resource. This aims to assist managers in their people management roles.

• Support managers and/or Headteachers in developing their skills and confidence necessary to ensure consistency and best practice and resolve HR issues in the workplace within the employment legislation and HR & OD policy framework. E.g. coaching, mediation. 

• To support the HR&OD Business Partners with the monitoring, development and delivery of any workforce contracts for services e.g. Agency supplier, Occupational Health, Rewards. Managing changes, liaison with procurement and the provider. Updating guidance, providing specialist advice on the service and its daily operation or portal/system. 

• Maintain specialist professional knowledge/ awareness of relevant UK employment legislation, case law, regulations, guidance and policy procedures including safeguarding matters that need to be considered during the application of HR case work, including DBS/EWC registration and referrals as required.

• Represent the Authority at regional/national events as required. E.g. workforce groups, local management meetings

Essential qualifications needed:

• Graduate/Associate Member of CIPD, or equivalent experience

• Experience of managing a busy HR & OD work/case load in a diverse workforce, providing specialist advice in a large & complex organisation

• Knowledge of HR & OD professional issues- employee relations, principles underlying sound recruitment and selection, re-organisation, organisation design, TUPE.

Additional information to note:

· This position is located at Wrexham, LL11 1AY.

The closing date for this position is Friday, 23/02/2024 at 11:00 am