Job Description:

Senior People & Culture Officer (Recruitment and Employee Relations)

Location: Remote (UK based) / Bristol / London
Salary: £34,200 (Grade 4) per year (plus Inner London Weighting of £3,483.94, if eligible)
Length of contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time, 37 per week
Closing date: We reserve the right to adapt the advert at any time per organisational circumstances and to close this vacancy early for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 
Interviews: Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis  

Who are Women’s Aid?  

Women’s Aid (WA) is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. We are a federation of just under 180 organisations which provide over 300 local lifesaving services to women and children across England. For 50 years we have campaigned on behalf of our members and survivors to shape policy and practice, and to raise awareness of domestic abuse. 

Our support services, which include the Survivors’ Forum, the No Woman Turned Away Project, the Survivor’s Handbook, Love Respect (our dedicated website for young people), the national Women’s Aid Directory and our advocacy projects, help thousands of women and children every year.

Purpose of the Senior People & Culture Officer (Recruitment and Employee Relations) role:                 

To work as part of the People & Culture (P&C) team, providing expert employee relations and HR support across WA and to WA’s member organisations. The postholder will act as a trusted advisor to managers and staff, championing early intervention and informal resolution so that concerns are addressed constructively before they escalate to formal processes. The post-holder will also lead on recruitment activity across the organisation, ensuring a proactive, fair and timely approach to filling vacancies, as well as working closely with the P&C Officer (HR and Engagement) to ensure the smooth running of day-to-day HR activities and administration across WA.

Key duties and responsibilities of the Senior People & Culture Officer (Recruitment and Employee Relations):

• Independently manage a caseload of employee relations matters across WA, from early-stage advice through to formal processes, escalating complex, novel or high-risk matters to the P&C Manager
• Champion a resolution-focused approach to workplace issues, providing proactive early intervention, de-escalation and facilitated conversation support to managers and staff, so that formal processes are a last resort rather than a default
• Deliver Women’s Aid Federation’s membership ER offer, providing first-line employee relations guidance, advisory support and training to member organisations
• Lead on recruitment activity across the organisation, ensuring a proactive, fair and timely approach to filling vacancies
• Work closely with the P&C Officer (HR and Engagement) to ensure the smooth running of day-to-day HR activities across WA, and act as a source of guidance and coaching for more junior colleagues in the team

What we are looking for in our Senior People & Culture Officer (Recruitment and Employee Relations):

• CIPD Level 3 or equivalent demonstrable experience in HR / employee relations
• Competent knowledge of Employment Law and its practical application, including current and forthcoming legislative change
• Demonstrable experience of independently managing a caseload of ER matters, including investigations, capability, grievance, disciplinary and absence cases
• Track record of resolving workplace issues informally through early intervention, de-escalation and facilitated conversations
• Experience of advising and coaching managers on ER and performance management matters, and delivering training or guidance sessions to groups
• Demonstrable experience of conducting end-to-end recruitment processes
• Experience of providing a customer-focused HR service and successfully achieving against agreed objectives and SLAs
• Experienced in the use of online HR software, such as People CRMs and recruitment ATS
• Strong influencing skills and the ability to build trust quickly at all levels, and demonstrable problem-solving skills and ability to think innovatively

Benefits of joining us as our Senior People & Culture Officer (Recruitment and Employee Relations) include:

• Generous Annual Leave: 25 days + 2 Company Holidays + 8 UK Bank Holidays, with an extra 1 day per year after 1 year of service, up to a maximum of 5 additional days.
• Valuable Pension Benefits: a generous 7% employer contribution.
• Flexible Working: remote working, a generous TOIL scheme, and family-friendly policies

NB:

• Women only need apply under schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010  
• All posts, including remote posts, must be based in the UK.
• Women’s Aid is committed to quality, equality, and valuing diversity. Applications are particularly welcome from Black and minoritised women. Please see the Reasonable Adjustments Statement on Job Description.
• Please read our Single Sex Statement on the Women’s Aid Website
• Please note that applications will be reviewed, and interviews arranged, on a rolling basis, so for the bestchance of success, please apply ASAP.