Appointment of the Director of People

Core Purpose of the Director of People

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Director of People will be accountable for the design, development and effective implementation of all workforce, education, training and organisational development strategies.

Main areas of responsibility

As our new Director of People, you will keep our people focused, productive and engaged so that the Federation can continue to grow, to upskill staff, attract top talent, and further develop its inclusive culture. The post holder will be responsible for the design, development and effective implementation of all workforce, education, training and organisational development strategies. As our Director of People you will be expected to:

• Develop, implement and oversee a Federation wide Human Resource Strategy consistent with best practice and implement HR initiatives in-line with the Federation’s objectives.
• Lead the Federation’s HR department, learning and development, employee engagement, compensation and benefits, talent management, HR information systems (HRIS) and department financial planning.
• Monitor and develop the Federation’s equalities policy and practice as it relates to staff.
• Ensure effective processes are in place to enable change management processes and restructurings.
• Establish and maintain appropriate HR policies and conditions of service and working practices, monitoring adherence and effectiveness.
• Oversee a rapid programme of opening Academies and TUPE projects from an HR perspective, including Trade Union consultation.
• Manage the provision of appropriate management information reports for HR data to all levels of management.
• Ensure the provision of a high quality Occupational Health Service.
• Liaise closely with the Principals on safeguarding issues to ensure, as a minimum, compliance with the legislative framework and guidance around safer recruitment and keeping abreast of developments in this area.
• Support senior colleagues in determining and delivering the vision and strategic goals of the Federation.
• Oversee and manage our contract with the external payroll provider, EPM.
• Represent the Federation externally in areas agreed by the CEO.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

• Ensure that staff in the HR Department are recruited, managed, appraised and developed, and that effective arrangements are made for the training and development of all staff within the department, so as to meet service needs and to provide equality of opportunity for all employees.
• Personally lead on the resolution of complex, sensitive or high impact HR matters.
• Act as the key lead to ensure all HR policies and procedures are up to date in terms of best practice and legislative changes.
• Develop a reward and remuneration strategy to ensure the Federation is competitive in attracting and retaining staff and aligned to the market and wider industry where possible.
• Produce appropriate reports for the CEO, Board, Governing body and senior managers relating to HR matters.
• Present timely and relevant advice and information to the Federation, to ensure that the CEO is briefed on major and sensitive issues and to deal promptly with other matters requiring the postholder’s personal attention, including undertaking special projects.
• Liaise with other departments (e.g. Finance, IT, Compliance, Health & Safety) to ensure accurate and effective flow of data between teams.
• Respond to relevant consultations or requests for assistance from external agencies and raise the profile of the Federation.
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the post as may reasonably be required by the CEO.

Continuous professional development, learning and innovation

• Drive continuous improvement in performance through people and organisational development.
• Lead the development and implementation of a learning and development strategy, ensuring that staff have the resources to be able to contribute to change and innovation in the organisation.
• Lead on board level and senior management engagement and support to enable staff to innovate and improve.
• Advise and support the board with oversight for staff development in respect of training requirements.
• Lead on development in performance metrics and operational improvement processes to continuously improve staff development.
• Lead on the development of organisational workforce planning processes.

People Leadership/ development

• Oversee the professional development and training needs of staff with budget and in line with training plans and the appraisal process.
• Manage and support all stakeholders, ensuring effective resource deployment leading to improved operational outcomes.
• Lead on annual appraisals for the HR Business Partners and wider HR team.
• Champion the business case for learning and development ensuring the organisation has the right capability for future growth.
• Act as a role model for people leadership and development across the Federation.
• Advise Directors and stakeholders across the Federation on the appropriate approach to preventing and managing conflict.

Employee engagement

• Lead on the employee engagement strategy to deliver a strong and effective partnership between the Federation, Academies and its employees.
• Support an internal communication strategy and to drive improved employee communications.
• Drive programmes to support line managers to be effective managers of people and performance.
• Develop strategies to drive wellbeing initiatives and safety culture as part of our cultural change.
• Develop and implement a line manager development strategy to emphasise workforce engagement and the ability to address staff concerns.

Skills and Attributes

Leadership skills – the ability to lead and manage people to work towards common goals.

The Director of People should be able to use appropriate leadership styles in different situations to:

• Create a secure commitment to a clear vision for the Federation
• Initiate and manage change and improvement in pursuit of strategic objectives
• Prioritise, plan and organise
• Direct and coordinate the work of others
• Build, support and work with high-performing teams
• Work as part of a management team
• Devolve responsibilities, delegate tasks and monitor practice to see that they are being carried out
• Deal sensitively with people and resolve conflict.

The Director of People should have the professional competence and expertise to:

• Command credibility through the discharge of their functions and to influence others
• Provide professional direction to the work of others
• Make informed use of inspection and research findings
• Apply good practice from other sectors and organisations.

Decision making skills: the ability to investigate, solve problems and make decisions. The Director of People should:

• Make decisions based upon analysis, interpretation and understanding of relevant data and information
• Think creatively and imaginatively to anticipate and solve problems and identify opportunities
• Demonstrate good judgment.

Communication skills: the ability to make points clearly and understand the views of others. The Director of People should:

• Communicate effectively orally and in writing to a range of audiences
• Negotiate and consult effectively
• Manage good communication systems
• Chair meetings effectively
• Develop, maintain and use an effective network of contacts.

Self-management skills: the ability to plan time effectively. The Director or People should:

• Prioritise and manage time effectively
• Work under pressure and to deadlines
• Achieve challenging professional goals
• Take responsibility for own professional development.

Attributes:

• Personal impact and presence
• Adaptability to change in circumstances and to new ideas
• Energy, vigour and perseverance
• Dedication, hard work and commitment
• Reliability and integrity

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level – preferably in a relevant subject or equivalent post graduate qualification, or equivalent senior level experience
• Chartered member of CIPD
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Relevant leadership and management qualification (desirable)
• Postgraduate qualification in Organisational Development practice or equivalent experience (desirable).

Experience

• Previous experience of working within a unionised environment and engaging in union consultation and negotiations
• Application of best practice in recruitment, training, and L&D
• Excellent knowledge of all HR functions relevant to a multi-site, multi-disciplinary organisation delivering complex services within financial constraints and under significant scrutiny
• A track record of leading change and organisational development, engaging line managers and staff across a large scale organisation
• Extensive experience of the management of complex and sensitive employee relations issues
• Demonstrable success at a senior level in HR policy and practice
• Experience of HR systems and their strategic importance to effective delivery of HR strategy
• Design or implementation of information sharing, knowledge management systems, monitoring and evaluation
• HR Director level experience (desirable)
• Experience of working within a complex, multi-professional education and training establishment (desirable)
• Track record as a member of the senior management team of a non-profit or public sector organisation (desirable)
• Experience of leading an HRIS implementation programme (desirable).

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Expert knowledge of current HR and OD issues and awareness of broader developments in the field
• Well-developed consultancy and organisational diagnostic skills with the ability to translate strategic issues into HR interventions and solutions to meet business needs
• Current knowledge of HR, Health & Safety & Equality legislation and best practice
• Up to date knowledge of EDI, wellbeing and engagement requirements and practices
• Ability to coach colleagues effectively and to empower and enable them to undertake their professional roles
• Excellent communication skills including report writing and presentation skills
• Proactive, strategic thinker with sound judgement
• Solution-oriented, flexible and collaborative
• Knowledge of the Education sector and legislation (desirable)
• Knowledge of HR systems and technology, and an awareness of technological advances and the potential impacts on people and staffing (desirable).

Quality issues

• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of equality issues and legislation
• Able to integrate quality policies into service delivery and employment practices.

Other requirements

• Ability to work under pressure and be resilient in the face of challenge
• Ability to prioritise
• Experience of working as part of a Federated or similar structure of associated schools (desirable).