Hr Officer

About the School

King’s Ely can trace its origins from at least 970AD, making it one of the oldest schools in Europe. Originally a monastic foundation and then a grammar school by Royal Charter, today it is a thriving independent day and boarding school for around 1000 boys and girls aged from 2-18, offering a broad range of GCSEs and A-levels and from which almost all pupils go on to good universities in the UK and abroad. Most students are day pupils from Ely, Cambridge and the surrounding area, and there are also about 200 boarders with over 40 nationalities represented overall.

The School is subdivided into three sections: King’s Ely Senior (age 13-18) and King’s Ely Preparatory (age 7-13), which occupy adjacent campuses and shared facilities, and King’s Ely Acremont and Nursery (ages 2-6) which has its own self-contained campus about 400m from the main site.

The main campus extends to around 70 acres in total and comprises several historic buildings adjacent to Ely Cathedral as well as more recent, purpose-built facilities spanning the thirteenth to the twenty-first centuries, and almost 40 acres of playing fields.

King’s prides itself on being an academic school but not an academic hothouse. There is a great emphasis on personal development through an extensive co-curriculum of sporting, creative and performing arts and service opportunities as well as through building positive relationships with others in a tight-knit but outward-facing community. The safety, wellbeing and pastoral care of the whole community is central in what is a happy and purposeful school where our diversity and breadth of talent and ability is valued and nurtured.

King’s Ely also plays a key role in the local community. The School is one of Ely’s largest employers and also educates the boy and girl choristers of Ely Cathedral. King’s is also a proud founder member of the Cambridgeshire Educational Partnership, which numbers twelve local schools working together to improve educational attainment, especially for disadvantaged children. The School also offers a number of bursaries to enable pupils from all walks of life to benefit from the education it offers.

King’s Ely is a registered charity administered by a Board of Governors. The Principal is a member of HMC and the School is also affiliated to the Society of Heads, IAPS, the Boarding Schools’ Association and the Choir Schools’ Association.

Job Description

Employment

· Support and assist in the production of suitable and professional documentation, such as include staff handbooks and policy documentation.

· Support when required the implementing of new initiatives, for example, appraisal processes, goal setting, new pay practices, policies etc

Recruitment

· Ensure all HR support is effectively actioned in line with the School’s procedures and that appropriate recruitment material is produced and issued in a timely manner.

· Establish effective advertising campaigns which are relevant to the vacancy, and use appropriate and varied media to ensure a good pipeline of relevant candidates

· Supervise and liaise with recruitment advertising consultants, and other outside bodies as required. This may include the setting up of a preferred supplier list for recruitment agencies and negotiating rates.

· Support the HR Co-ordinator in ensuring that all HR/Recruitment evidence/paperwork is always in a state to be scrutinised by those who spot-check the SCR and any DfE/ISI Inspectors whilst complying with Data retention policies/statutory requirements.

· Be able to advise in line with the ‘right to work’ requirements and procedures, and support the HR Co-ordinator in ensuring all checks are completed

Absence Management

· Support the operation of the sickness absence procedure, monitoring sickness absence levels and providing support to managers and staff through the procedure.

· To be able to provide Line Managers with guidance on the School’s policies and ensure adherence to them.

Employee Relations

· Implement and support employee relations practices necessary to engender a positive employer-employee relationship and promote a high level of employee engagement, morale and motivation

· Provide support in addressing employee complaints or concerns. This may include carrying out correspondence, providing the relevant policies and procedures to staff members and managers, taking notes during investigation meetings and answering policy-related questions about the School’s employee relations procedures.

· Support in the provision of practical and realistic solutions to HR problems within the school, whilst ensuring compliance and best practice.

· Support in the monitoring of probationary periods so that any early employment issues can be raised and dealt with positively and in a timely manner

· Provide support in carrying out comprehensive and clear joiner and leaver administration, which may include holding exit interviews with staff members and recording key metrics from their experiences in the School.

Human Resources Information Systems

Become proficient in the day-to-day use of the HRIS system

· Support the HR team in the development and maintenance of the HR sections of the internet and intranet sites, which may include our present Intranet and future share- systems

· Be confident and discreet in handling confidential employee records, ensuring where applicable that they are accurate and up-to-date.

· Work in line with GDPR regulations in the handling, storing and deletion of data.

Training and Development

· Provide assistance in the provision of training to line management, which may include attendance and support at face-to-face classroom-based training sessions, or the production and distribution of course material and invitations to relevant staff

· Be prepared to coach or instruct line managers on an individual basis on a process or policy, and to be a ‘listener’ for any concerns raised by employees, feeding back as appropriate to the HR Co-ordinator so that a solution can identified and implemented in line with employment law

Staff Remuneration

· Understand the School’s existing staff salary structure, pay policies and allowance schemes, and be prepared to provide information on these as needed to line management or staff

· Be mindful of equal pay practices and principles and uphold fairness and cost effectiveness at all times

· Assist in ensuring HR data is recorded accurately and on-time for monthly payroll

Legal

· Be prepared to attend training on industry-related regulations, or on areas of employment law or best practice as they apply to the School.

· Support in the pursuit of compliance within including Employment Relations, National Minimum Wage, Equality Act, Working Time Directive

This description is not exhaustive and may well be subject to change over time. The intention is to offer candidates an accurate impression of the expectations commensurate with the post and an outline of the role as it is envisaged at this time.

PRACTICAL SKILLS AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

· Be prepared to offer advice, guidance and support on a wide range of HR issues.

· Uphold fairness, consistency and compliance with employment legislation and safeguarding requirements

· Good oral and written communication skills

· Excellent interpersonal skills, to be approachable and have the ability to interact effectively, and consult with all staff at all levels

· Excellent organisational skills and able to work on own initiative.

· Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Windows). Must include Excel and skills in record keeping

· To be diplomatic, discreet and retain appropriate confidentiality at all times

· A calm and professional approach at all times.

· Have a positive and proactive approach in their work.

· Able to find practical and pragmatic solutions to HR issues in the workplace.

· Resilient and able to handle conflicting priorities.

· Able to inspire confidence in managers

· A commitment to the job and to the ethos of the school.

· Sound understanding of equality and diversity.

· The ability to travel to Fairstead School in line with operational need

QUALIFICAYIONS AND EXPERIENCE

· Knowledge of employment legislation and HR best practice.

· Generalist HR experience gained from working in an HR department

· Experienced in building relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels

· CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) part qualification is preferable

· School/Education sector experience, including an understanding of safeguarding within an educational setting is advantageous but not essential

· Experience in employee relations, employment law, recruitment, sickness management, the use of an HRIS system

Remuneration and Hours

· This is a 44 week a year role covering term time plus four out of term weeks, 37.5 hours per week (normally 8:30am-5pm daily with an unpaid hour’s break at lunchtime). The four weeks out of term required are the first and last week of the summer holiday period, the week of February half term and one week of the two-week October half term.

· The salary offered is £26,600. Staff are paid monthly in arrears.

Terms and Conditions

• Enrolment in the statutory auto-enrolment pension scheme. The employer and employee contribution rates for the auto-enrolment pension scheme are currently: Employee contribution 5% and Employer contribution 3%.
• Members of staff may educate their own children in any of the three parts of the school or at Fairstead House, subject to availability of places and successful admissions procedures. Staff currently enjoy a discretionary discount on fees for children in Reception year onwards, details of which will be provided upon request.
• The School offers a private healthcare insurance scheme, which staff may opt to join, at their expense, shortly after the start of each academic year (the policy starts on 1st November each year). The scheme can only be joined at the start of the policy year, not part-way through the year.
• School lunch provided when at work over lunch time and tea and coffee throughout the day.
• A cycle to work scheme available (presently administered by Evans Cycles).
• Limited use of school gym facilities (during specific times) and use of the school swimming pool at specific times (during summer school holidays – small fee applies)
• Limited free on-site parking.
• King’s Ely is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.
• If you are selected for interview, you will need to provide proof of identity, birth certificate, documentation confirming your National Insurance Number or your right to work in the United Kingdom and certification of qualifications.

We appreciate your effort in completing this application and for your interest in working for King’s Ely.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £26,600.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted or free food
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Education:

• GCSE or equivalent (preferred)

Language:

• English (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (preferred)

Work Location: In person