Human Resource Advisor

Job Title:Human Resource Advisor Reporting to:Director of Governance and Support Services Grade:Equivalent to NICS Staff Officer Salary: £34,524 - £35,712 (under review) Location:Belfast Main purpose of job The post holder is responsible for ensuring a high-quality Human Resource (HR) service to the Ombudsmans office that will support management in policy development, preparation of guidance, recruitment and selection, and training and development which enables the recruitment and retention of staff with the correct skills and experience to ensure NIPSO provide a quality, efficient and timely service to the public and develops staff to achieve their full potential making NIPSO an employer of choice. Summary of principal duties and responsibilities Further development and implementation of a People Strategy which will support the achievement of the NIPSOs key Business objectives Provision of timely advice and guidance on HR and related employment law issues to management as required; Review, development and implementation of NIPSO HR policies and procedures as required and in line with any changes in legislation; Work with directors and managers to ensure effective succession and workforce planning; Provide high quality and timely recruitment, selection and induction of employees; Liaison with external payroll provider (HR Connect) on payroll and pension related matters; Liaison with external HR Advisors and Legal advisors as required Development, implementation, monitoring and review of performance management and learning and development plans to promote continuous improvement, staff development and support management and staff in the achievement of NIPSO targets and objectives; Promote, develop and maintain an effective and positive employee relations culture that supports agreed change and enables the development of the Ombudsman service while establishing NIPSO as an employer of choice; Play a leading role in the established engagement processes with employee representatives and recognised trade union; Establish and maintain appropriate systems to enable the effective monitoring and reporting of the HR function, issues and plans as required; Act as Monitoring Officer and be responsible for the promotion of equality of opportunity, ensuring that the Office meets the requirements of all relevant legislation, that the required returns are submitted to the Equality Commission in a timely manner, Equality Action Plans are developed as required while ensuring that management and staff receive appropriate training; Keeping up to date with changes in employment law and advising on how these might impact on the Office by ensuring that it is adequately prepared for any proposed changes; Maintain and update professional knowledge and skills through proactive engagement in the performance review process and the identification of development needs, updating skills and knowledge as agreed with line manager; Contribute to the development of policy and corporate and business plans as required; Represent the Office as required at Ombudsman Association Interest Groups and other external events as requested; Provide support and guidance to managers and directors undertaking any HR related investigations Develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues and those working in other public bodies. General Responsibilities & Duties Adhere to the NIPSO values of fairness, independence, people focused and excellence. Adhere to and promote NIPSO policies on Equality of Opportunity and Dignity at Work, demonstrating a commitment to the principles of equality, fairness and diversity in all aspects of work. Have due regard for own safety and that of others, behaving appropriately at all times and recording all accidents no matter how minor. Take responsibility for the development of own skills and knowledge through proactive engagement in the internal performance review processes. Undertake ad-hoc, cross-functional project work supporting the development of the Office and service provision as reasonably requested by your line manager. This job description is subject to review and amendment as the demands of the role and the organisation evolve. Therefore the postholder will be required to be flexible and adaptable and aware that they may be asked to perform tasks, duties and responsibilities which are not specifically detailed in the job description but which are commensurate with the role. PERSON SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL CRITERIA Applicants must, as at the closing date for receipt of applications, be able to demonstrate by providing personal and specific examples on their application form that they have: (i) Hold a current professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development at Associate member (Assoc CIPD). (ii) Minimum of 3 years general experience in at least 3 of the following areas; Providing HR support and advice to management; Developing and implementing HR Policies & Procedures; Recruitment and selection; Training planning and organisational development (iii) A minimum of 3 years experience in application of employment legislation in NI. (iv) A minimum of 3 years experience working under pressure to tight timescales and manage competing work priorities; (v) A minimum of 3 years experience drafting reports and policy documents with evidence-based conclusions and making appropriate recommendations to management; (vi) A minimum of 3 years experience in working as part of a team and contribute to an environment of continuous improvement; (vii) A minimum of 3 years experience communicating with various stakeholders in a range of formats while maintaining impartiality. DESIRABLE CRITERIA In addition to the above essential criteria, NIPSO reserves the right to only shortlist those candidates who can also demonstrate, by providing personal and specific examples on the application form that they have: Hold a current professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development at Chartered member (Chartered CIPD) Have successfully completed a bachelors degree or equivalent in Human Resources, business or other relevant discipline; SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES Applicants must be able to demonstrate evidence of the following skills, competencies and attributes which will be tested at final interview: Organisational and planning skills Oral and Written Communication Collaborative Working Influencing Analytical and Problem-Solving skills Continuous Improvement WORKING FOR US Remuneration The salary for this post is currently equivalent to Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) Staff Officer which is £34,524 - £35,712 (under review). Location The role will be based at NIPSO, Progressive House, 33 Wellington Place, Belfast, BT1 6HN. Working Arrangements We operate hybrid working arrangements i.e. a mix of working from home and from the office which offers employees additional workstyle choices. Candidates should note that whilst we do have a flexible approach, the operational requirements of this role are likely to require office based working a minimum of 3 days per week. Working Hours The post is permanent, full-time (37 hours per week), subject to a probationary period of 9 months. Pension The successful candidate will be eligible to join the NICS Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. Annual Leave Annual leave entitlement is 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years service, plus 12 days public holidays. Other benefits We have a generous occupational sick pay and maternity, paternity and adoption leave/pay arrangements, as well as a suite of work-life balance policies. Employees also have access to an Employee Assistance Programme. We provide support for ongoing training and provide development opportunities for all staff. In 2022 we implemented a coaching framework to ensure all employees of NIPSO receive regular support and guidance from their line manager. SELECTION PROCESS Application forms are available on ouror obtained by emailing Completed application and monitoring forms must be returned by email tono later than 12 noon on Monday 14th October 2024 Applicants who meet the shortlisting criteria will be invited to participate in a selection and assessment process. In the event of a high volume of applications NIPSO reserves the right to apply additional criteria in order to achieve a manageable shortlist of applicants. Guidance notes for completing your application form NIPSO is committed to providing equality of opportunity for all job applicants. The information you supply on this application form will be treated in the strictest confidence and will be used solely for assessing your suitability for the post. A candidate found to have knowingly given false information, or to have wilfully suppressed any material fact will be liable to disqualification from the process, or if appointed, to dismissal. All appointments are made on merit and in accordance with our Recruitment and Selection Policy. Any canvassing of officers directly or indirectly in connection with an appointment will automatically disqualify the candidate. Applications will only be accepted on the specific NIPSO application form. Incomplete application forms will not be considered. CVs, letters or any other supplementary material will not be accepted in place of, or in addition to, completed application forms and will not be made available to the shortlisting or interview panel. Please also note: Applications which are received after the closing date or time will not be accepted. Please use black ink/type when completing your application form. Please keep responses limited to the space provided and where applications are being typed ensure a minimum font size of 12. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the completed form, together with the completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, is returned by the closing date for applications.