Purpose HR Business Partner
•To support delivery of the council’s people strategy (At our Best) and the Swindon Plan as a senior member of the HR and OD leadership team.
•To balance your role as strategic advisor and member of the Senior Management Team to a specific service with supporting the council in its ambition to be an employer of choice.
•To be an expert strategic HR and OD advisor to senior leaders across the breath of complex HR issues.
•To contribute to the improvement of services through the design, delivery, and implementation of people strategies and solutions that deliver organisational excellence.
•To be a role model in bringing the council’s culture, values and behaviours, and new ways of working to life.
Key responsibilities and accountabilities:HR Business Partner
To contribute to the strategic management of the council as an extended member of the Senior Management Team to an allocated Directorate / Service, ensuring that people related issues are considered in the design and delivery of services.
Strategic alignment: Partner with senior leaders to develop, implement, and embed HR strategies that support long-term goals, drive organisational performance and sense of belonging and ensures the council’s financial sustainability.
Organisational design & change management programmes: Lead initiatives around the design and delivery of restructuring, workforce planning, and transformation to ensure organisational agility and scalability.
Talent and development strategy: Collaborate on succession planning, leadership development, and talent acquisition strategies to build a robust talent pipeline and support a culture of growing our own.
Culture & engagement: Champion initiatives including the At our Best programme that enhance employee engagement, inclusion, high performance, continuous improvement and a values-driven culture.
Performance & capability: Drive performance management processes and support capability building across teams.
Data and Digital: Commission and interpret HR analytics to inform evidence-based decisions, identify trends, and recommend proactive solutions.Utilise systems, technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital solutions to deliver an effective service
Employee relations & risk management: Embed best practice and provide guidance on complex employee relations issues, ensuring compliance and mitigating risk in line with council policies, employment law and best practice to deliver innovative people solutions. To provide and evaluate riskbased options, and advise upon risk ahead of key decisions, adjusting plans as necessary.
Commission the HR&OD & Enabling Services to develop and embed innovative interventions that drive transformational change across and within services.
Lead and contribute towards Council transformation workstreams as required. Contributing to the effectiveness of the services provided by the HR &OD Service; and support and advise on the departmental contribution to business processes, making suggestions for improvement / change where appropriate.
Assist in developing and rolling out organisational HR policy, practice and procedure ensuring their consistent application within services.
Qualifications: HR Business Partner
1. Chartered Membership of the Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or equivalent
2.A professional with wide ranging and in-depth experience of all areas that the role covers.
3.Experience of working within HR in a large / complex, unionised organisation.
4.A clear understanding of the principles of effective employee relations and the ability to advise and persuade managers successfully.
5.Experience of working with trade unions.
6.Excellent management and / or matrix management skills to motivate, mentor and develop team members to achieve high levels of performance and engagement.
7.Proven experience in supporting and advising on the management of change and project management.
8.Experience of undertaking research and drafting briefing papers / reports, including an ability to interpret and present and complex information simply.
9.An up-to-date knowledge of employment law.
10.Understanding of national and local government developments, policy and emerging trends.
11.A clear understanding of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity and an understanding of how that can be implemented within the scope of the role.
12.Excellent IT skills (Microsoft package).
13.Strong proven analytical and planning skills, and the ability to analyse problems and to successfully and creatively implement practical solutions to address these.
14.Excellent communication skills (oral, written and presentation skills).
15.Outstanding organisational skills.