Head of HR

Ethical Property Company Oxford United Kingdom Human Resources

We are leaders in the movement for positive change, as one of the UK’s leading social businesses, we provide a variety of workspace, including office, retail, meeting/event spaces as well as studios and educational spaces, that are used by some of the UK’s most influential and creative charities, not-for-profits, voluntary groups, and impact-based organisations.

Based in 9 cities across England, Scotland and Wales, we support approximately 800 organisations per year. We are proof that business can have a positive impact on society and the planet.

As well as providing space designed and managed to maximize its impact our tenant contracts are flexible and transparent and we ensure that our processes and procedures are simple and efficient, which leaves our tenants to focus on their own impactful work.

Salary: £52,000 per annum gross subject to skills level and experience

Working hours: Full time, 37.5 hrs a week, Monday to Friday. Office based, usually 3 days per week.

Location: Oxford

Closing date for applications: Monday 17th June, midday

Interviews dates: Monday 24th June (virtual) Monday 1 July (in Oxford)

Are you an experienced Head of HR looking for a new challenge?

Do you thrive in an environment where every day brings new opportunities to make a difference?

If so, Ethical Property would like to hear from you.

As we enter a period of transformation, we are seeking an experienced Head of HR to help us deliver proactive and supportive solutions. As Head of HR, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping our future, providing guidance to the Senior Management Team, line managers and staff on a wide range of HR matters. From managing change and individual employee cases to overseeing recruitment processes and implementing new policies, your expertise will drive our department's success.

A pivotal role that provides support to the leadership team in delivering our company’s strategy. This influential and dynamic role is at times strategic and often ‘hands on’.

Head of HR will ensure HR always delivers an excellent service; ensuring all company policies and procedures are up to date in line with current employment law and line managers are up to date with changes to any policies; working with managers, coaching them and advising on all people issues and, when required, dealing with complex disciplinary/grievance and HR issues.

Due to the geographical split of the organisation, you will need to be an excellent communicator, able to quickly build relationships and trust with the regional teams. This will involve occasional travel, mainly to London and Bristol, but also to our other centres when needed.

Along with our Senior Management Team (SMT), Head of HR holds the ‘conscience’ of the organisation, ensuring that our employees are considered in major decisions. Further to this, Head of HR ensures that managers have a trusted and thoughtful ear to turn to when problem-solving, and that employees facing tough personal issues have somewhere to turn.

You join Ethical Property at a time of change. Your objectives in the first year will include assisting and advising the leadership team through change across the company.

Your main duties will include, but not limited to:

Strategic HR

Head of HR will be an influencer at the highest level. You will work with our senior managers (SMT) and the wider management team to deliver a new People’s Strategy. You report into and support the Governance and HR Committee, working with our Board of Non-Executive Directors.

Change Management

You will advise on organisational development and design, focusing on the people side of change, including changes to business processes, job roles and organisational structures. You will support SMT on the leadership and delivery of change management activities and initiatives, ensuring seamless transition and minimal disruption, in line with best practice and employment legislation.

Reward and Benefits

You have overall responsibility for the payroll process. You will conduct an external benchmarking process on a regular basis and support the salary review process. You will lead on the reward strategy as part of the development of the new People’s strategy, looking at pay and benefits to effectively reward our employees and help to attract new ones.

Recruitment and resourcing

You will work with our managers to ensure we recruit the right employees at the right time. You will challenge managers to think of alternatives when opportunities come up, thinking about the company, as well as the local centre or department needs. You will need to be hands on at times, including liaising with candidates and attending interviews as appropriate, and especially during busy recruitment periods.

Inductions, development, and training

You will work with other key stakeholders in developing and, where relevant, delivering training to our employees. This will include general training for all employees such as company induction sessions and equality and diversity training, as well as specific skills training in HR, recruitment, etc.

You will be key in helping to promote a positive working environment, improving staff relations and retention. You will take an active part in implementing a wellbeing strategy and a champion of our mental first aiders network and a valued member of the H&S Committee.

Employee relations and management policies and procedures

This role will manage all employee relations issues in the first instance. However, the aim is to enable our managers to do more for themselves, seeking guidance from HR when needed. You will therefore be able to both manage an ER caseload as well as enable and train others in how to do so and provide the right support to managers and employees alike.

Management responsibilities

You will be responsible for the line management of the HR Administrator.

You will also be responsible for monitoring and reporting on:

· supervision meetings and performance management

· sickness & absence

· annual leave

Other responsibilities

· Working within and developing the company’s procedures and policies

· Working to improve the company's social and environmental objectives.

· Supporting and reporting into the Governance & HR Committee, and working with the Board

· Other duties commensurate with the post

· Attendance at company-wide events, including the staff conference, company training, etc.

· Highly motivated and enthusiastic about the role that HR can play in bringing the best out of people.

· Solid working knowledge and understanding of UK HR policies, best practice and UK employment law.

· Qualified to CIPD Level 7, but Level 5 will also be considered, with relevant experience in HR Management.

· Able to influence and shape strategic thinking with a proven track record of implementing HR Strategy, Organisational Development and Design.

· Experience of Change Management in an HR context including TUPE and redundancy.

· Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.

· Able to work on own initiative and manage a wide range of projects.

· Able to prioritise work and to meet challenging deadliness.

· Able to communicate clearly and effectively in person and in writing.

· Willingness to undertake day to day HR tasks while keeping an eye on the big picture.

· Experience of coaching and developing managers

· Commitment to social and environmental issue

Excellent Microsoft Office skills and ability to use databases and a variety of HR systems.

This is a permanent full-time role with a six-month probationary period. The post is full-time based on a 37.50-hour week, working five days a week Monday to Friday with core hours from 10AM to 4PM.

The role benefits include 25 days holiday entitlement per year increasing with length of service, as well as statutory bank holidays. We offer a company contribution up to 7% to a pension dependent on scheme choice, a free company bicycle scheme with bicycle maintenance costs, season ticket loans, interest free personal loans, as well as other benefits.

Please note: Ethical Property is a flexible employer. There may be scope for a flexible, or 4-day, contract for an exceptional and experienced individual. We would also consider candidates that are based in other locations as long as they are willing to travel into the Oxford office on a regular basis.

To apply please upload your CV and Covering Letter outlining why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience are a good match.