Head of People

Job overview

We are seeking an inspiring and forward-thinking Head of People to lead our People & Workforce functions across both South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust and George Eliot NHS Trust who will play a pivotal role in delivering the Trust’s ambition to excel at patient care through effective leadership of a responsive, high quality and staff centred People and Workforce function. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic HR leader who is passionate about creating positive, inclusive workplaces and driving high-quality, people-centred services. Joining the established People and Workforce Operations Teams in both Trusts the successful applicant will  manage the day-to-day provision of a professional, high quality and staff centred Workforce & HR service providing strategic direction and leadership in moving forward the Trust's Workforce agenda, working with stakeholders across the organisations and applying their skills and knowledge to improve outcomes, processes and delivery of the service.

Main duties of the job

Manage the day-to-day provision of a professional, high quality and staff centred Workforce & HR service providing strategic direction and leadership in moving forward the Trust's Workforce & Resourcing agenda, including external reporting and compliance requirements.

To collaborate with The Foundation Group and ensure that where possible policies, procedures and protocols are harmonised and consistent across the Group and within GEH and SWFT.

Provide information and advice to Divisions and the Trust centrally across the organisations in order to facilitate the development and management of staff, and the improvement of services, ensuring that they are consistent with and staff centered approach, legislation, agreed local and national workforce policy.

Provide guidance and coaching to the People and Workforce Team on complex Workforce & HR issues to ensure the consistent delivery of a high quality and employee-centric service through the provision of accurate and timely professional information and advice.

Support the implementation of initiatives and projects across Staff Experience, Workforce & Resourcing, Workforce Planning and HR performance and improvement, including responsibility for the development, implementation and monitoring of a Workforce Plan.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Service Delivery and Improvement

Lead the People & Workforce Team in relation to human resources and general management issues, enabling them to fully contribute to the business and take responsibility and lead on HR issues within the Directorates with confidence.

Continually review the Trust’s approach to employment and contractual issues and legislation and DoH policy changes, taking lead responsibility for all legal issues in relation to employee relation cases, in conjunction with the Associate Director of People.

Anaylse and interpret highly complex employment legislation and guidance to deliver a full range of Workforce and HR professional services across the Trusts, providing information, advice, recommendations and decisions relating to complex cases with legal, financial and organisational wide complications.

Lead the development, implementation and monitoring of effective and staff centred local employment policies and procedures that foster good employee relations which complete with employment legislation and relevant codes of practice within the context of a partnership approach.

Ensure all operational Workforce & HR services meet the requirements of legislation, Internal Audit, Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the NHSLA standards for Trusts.

Support the People & Workforce Business Partners to develop integrated workforce plans to in order to ensure that the developing staffing needs of directorates are captured and described, contributing these workforces plans towards the implementation of a workforce development strategy.

Cover for senior HR, Workforce and Education colleagues and deputise for the Associate Director as required, as appropriate, to ensure that a professional senior People & Education service can be maintained across the organisations at all times.

Work flexibly with the People and Workforce Team to manage the employment relations caseload, ensuring that best practice and staff centered processes are followed. This may also include directly managing some cases as appropriate.

Ensure all medical workforce matters are managed in accordance with the required policy framework (MHPS).

Take the lead in, or contribute to, other appropriate projects which meet strategic/operational objectives and as directed by the Associate Director of People and Workforce.

Participate in regional and/or national workforce & HR related forums as a representative of the Trust taking appropriate action as required.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Identify and support the delivery of measures in relation to the embedding of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across the Trusts, both in relation to employment practice and staff experience.

Act as the Trust HR lead for employment matters in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. This will require specialist knowledge for the development of Trust wide policies, procedures, processes and training courses.

Ensure there are effective plans that ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010, the Trust’s statutory duties and NHS requirements through EDS2, WRES and WDES. These should be developed in partnership with staff networks and Staff Side colleagues and EDI Leads.

Health & Wellbeing

Support with the implementation of a staff Health and Wellbeing Strategy in line with the aspiration to create excellent staff experience to excel at patient care. To ensure through this strategy that we support our staff’s physical and mental health & wellbeing, supporting good attendance and looking after staff with long-term conditions. To engage with a wide range of managers/staff/staff side representatives in order to develop and implement the strategy.

To lead on specific health and wellbeing initiatives as indicated by the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and annual action plan.

Organisational

Provide comprehensive and professional employment advice and support managers and staff across the Trusts, investigating and advising on complex employment issues.

Support the Leadership Management Teams by ensuring effective performance management processes are in place for the provision of employment advice and support.

To provide professional leadership to the People and Workforce Team, providing or facilitating coaching, mentoring, support and advice on all aspects of the Divisions work relating to service delivery, ensuring the highest standards are met and consistently monitored.

To develop and maintain effective business partner relationships with Trust senior managers, clinicians and key stakeholders.

To manage and monitor shared services, Service Level Agreements for subsidiary companies, ensuring they continue to  meet organisational needs and regulatory requirements.

Professional

Support the ongoing development of a positive employee relations climate through the promotion of effective partnership working with staff side colleagues, ensuring effective mechanisms for staff representation, communication and consultation, developing an environment of trust, cooperation and involvement.

Lead coordination of Joint Negotiating Committee and Joint Local Negotiating Committee Forum meetings, ensuring that Trust standards in regard the productions of agendas, minutes and associated papers are adhered to.

Establish links with Partner Organisations to enable and facilitate joint initiatives and benchmarking on employment practices where appropriate.

Communication

Support the People and Workforce team to develop skills to deal with a range of highly complex and/or sensitive situations where a high level of communication is necessary, imparting such information in possible hostile, antagonistic or emotive atmospheres often against significant barriers to acceptance i.e. redundancies, terminations of employment, disciplinary outcomes, absence management, grievance issues, appeals and closure of units.

Design and deliver training sessions on a range of workforce & HR topics to groups of staff across the Trust and provide continuous support and guidance in these matters.

Possess exceptional communication and negotiation skills with the personal creditability to influence and lead key stakeholders in your area.

Project Management

Lead and have responsibility for specific projects across the Trust. This will include the development and management of robust project plans, including the management of risks.

Effectively engage and manage stakeholders and key staff.

Develop appropriate communication strategies to support projects and ensure they are integrated with trust-wide communication plans.

Monitor and manage performance against project milestones and action plans.

Establish procedures/protocols to ensure ongoing compliance/maintenance of standard/topic areas as projects end and integrate into business as usual.

Ensure effective IT systems are in place to aid implementation, monitoring and reporting.