HR Manager (Employee Relations)

Job summary

Are you a Human Resources professional eager for a new challenge?

Do you have current knowledge and recent experience of dealing with formal and informal cases such as disciplinaries, grievances and attendance management?

Can you manage multiple cases at the same time?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

You will join the Directorate of Corporate Services that is responsible for the effective delivery of Corporate Services to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). Corporate Services includes Communications, IT, Procurement, Finance, Health & Safety, Human Resources, Internal Audit and Assurance, Programme Management Office, and Property & Facilities.

Human Resources is a key enabling function responsible for the planning and delivery of the MCA's People Strategy and a full range of HR services including Organisational Design and Development, Talent Management, Employee Relations, Volunteer support, Reward and Resourcing, Planning and Governance.

Internally this role is called HR Employee Relations Casework Manager.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

This exciting opportunity will see you will be responsible for the effective management of cases from disciplinaries to grievances and performance to probation. You will work autonomously as you provide effective stakeholder management ensuring formal policies and procedures are followed to MCA standards whilst providing a high level of governance.

In this exciting opportunity, you will be responsible for:

1. Managing multiple cases ensuring that all casework and employee relations (ER) activities are carried out in accordance with MCA and wider Civil Service policies and procedures.
2. Ensuring ER cases have a timely conclusion and act as an escalation point, where required.
3. Managing litigation cases including Employment Tribunal and Personal Injury.
4. Working in partnership with relevant internal and external stakeholders to gather and prepare evidence, witness statements and supporting individuals through the process.
5. Effective internal and stakeholder management which includes, but is not limited to: Government Legal Department, Trade Union Representatives, Department for Transport (DfT) Voice of the Customer, DfT Group Policy, MCA managers and employees.
6. Monitoring and maintaining up to date casework Management Information, identifying trends and risks, whilst proactively identifying solutions.
7. Leading and implementing relevant policy changes communicating these effectively to the business.

For further information on the role, please read the role profileattached. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. Experience of Employee Relations casework management which may include grievances, disciplinaries, attendance management, litigation, performance or probationary issues.
2. Up to date knowledge of Employment Law.
3. Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal).
4. Excellent organisational skills with the ability to effectively manage priorities.
5. Ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders including senior managers and external service providers.
6. CIPD Level 5, or willing to work towards.

Additional Information

This post is offered on a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) basis to complete a finite piece of work, however this may be extended or made permanent.

Permanent Civil Servants will be appointed on an inward loan and subject to the terms of the agreed inward loan. You must have your home departments approval to return to them at the end of the loan before you apply. Internal candidates will return to their previous post at the end of the loan period, which will need to be agreed with your line manager in advance. If your home department cannot agree to release you on loan, there is the opportunity for you to move across to the department on a fixed term appointment. In this instance the Department for Transport would become your home department and if there is no role available for you at the end of this appointment, you would be subject to the redeployment and redundancy process.

If you're employed by a non-departmental public body (NDPB) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on continuity of employment.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at your designated workplace, or when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. Therefore, this role is not open to applications from those who require sponsorship – candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,663, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £10,331 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.