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HR Officer

Full time

Role Profile & Person Specification

Introduction

Established in 1952, HorseWorld Trust is a registered charity based in Whitchurch, near Bristol, committed to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing horses, ponies and donkeys in need. Our Welfare department provides a home to all our new arrivals, including sick, neglected and traumatised horses and ponies. We have a team of trained staff committed to their care and rehabilitation and eventual re-homing. HorseWorld also runs a ground-breaking educational programme called Discovery which supports emotional growth and learning in young people through hands-on experience with our rescued horses, ponies and donkeys.

Strategic Mission

HorseWorld is a caring team and a safe environment for the rehabilitation and training of rescued horses who become vital to support young people in their personal learning journey, building confidence whilst creating life-changing opportunities and a positive future for both.

HorseWorld Values

Caring  .  Collaborative  .  Proactive  .  Adaptable  .  Inclusive


Job Title HR Officer

Job Purpose

HorseWorld’s home at Keynes Farm is approx. 150 acres of outstanding land.  Home to 100+ horses and a learning centre that helps thousands of children through Equine Assisted Learning.  We adhere to safer recruitment practices in line with OFSTED requirements, together with strict safeguarding regulations.

As a key part of the Core Services team, you will work closely with the Deputy CEO, managing robust systems and controls to provide efficient and effective site wide advice for the overall leadership of the Charity's HR, payroll, employee relations and training coordination.

It is essential you have demonstrable experience and knowledge in HR law and providing advice to senior managers.  You will need good communication skills at all levels and a proven ability to work unsupervised as well as the ability to know when to escalate matters as you will be the primary contact for all HR and Payroll matters. 

You will work with the Senior Management Team and Line Managers on recruitment and selection, onboarding, training, employee relations and payroll.

Salary

FTE of up to £30,000 (depending on experience and qualifications) per annum, plus benefits package.  Pro rata for part time hours.

Hours

35 hours per week (part-time working will be considered).

Location

HorseWorld Trust; Delmar Hall, Keynes Farm, Staunton Lane, Whitchurch, Bristol, BS14 0QL.

Line Manager

Deputy CEO

Key Tasks

Employee Relations

  • You will be working closely with the CEO and Deputy CEO and provide quality HR advice in all areas of employee relations: disciplinary, grievance, flexible working, absence and performance management.
  • You will advise, coach and support managers on HR matters and effectively manage an employee relations caseload.  

Responsibility for recruitment administration for all employees

  • We adhere to safer recruitment practices in line with OFSTED requirements
  • Liaising and advising Managers on updating job descriptions
  • Advertising vacancies using the most cost effective channels
  • Ensuring the entire recruitment process adheres to safeguarding and safer recruitment practices
  • Reviewing recruitment documentation to ensure it remains compliant and relevant
  • Arranging/overseeing the interview process, in conjunction with the Line Manager, providing feedback to unsuccessful candidates and offering employment to the successful candidate
  • Preparing the induction programme in liaison with the line manager and taking ownership of the onboarding process for new starters
  • Carry out DBS checks for new employees and ensuring self-disclosure statements are held for all staff, Trustees and volunteers

Employee life cycle activities

  • Managing all administration for the full employee life cycle including new starters, changes to T&Cs and leavers; issuing paperwork, processing salary changes, recalculating holiday entitlements, updating personnel records, including probation, processing changes within the HR and payroll systems
  • Ensuring the Single Central Record is kept up to date for periodical review by Deputy CEO and appointed Safeguarding Trustee
  • Assist with the Trust’s performance and development review process for employees
  • Monitoring sickness and non-sickness absences of employees, taking appropriate remedial action where required
  • Completing DBS checks for employees and trustees and annual self-disclosure checks as required, ensuring checks are up-to-date and maintained
  • Maintenance of employee right to work files

Full responsibility for payroll and accompanying administration

  • Collating monthly payroll for circa 60 employees
  • Calculate changes and payments, input and process payroll for all staff through Sage Payroll
  • Liaising with Deputy CEO once ready for checking, authorisation and payment
  • Undertake submissions to HMRC, Pension provider and ensure PAYE payment is sent
  • Upload payslips to HR suite and check holidays and lieu time is correct

Employee training

  • Liaise with line managers to prepare a training plan for the year with associated budget
  • Ensure routine line manager training is in place and regularly review PDR results
  • Coordinate all mandatory training and ensure all records are updated
  • Act as administrator for our online training system, acting as an expert user to support managers to develop their own training courses
  • Ensure appropriate evaluations are completed after all training courses, to capture employee feedback and record learnings for future training
  • Support the CEO to ensure the trustees have the necessary training to undertake their governance responsibilities

HR duties and administration

  • Ensure the Code of Conduct (In our HorseWorld community) and values are integrated into our employer brand and woven through all our HR and training activities
  • Constant review of the Employee handbook which is an integral document for our organisation
  • Keeping up to date with legislative changes, in conjunction with the CEO/Deputy CEO, reviewing and writing policies as required and ensuring staff are aware of any changes
  • Provide senior management with data and statistics on HR related matters
  • Co-ordinating and minuting HR employee relations meetings as necessary and assisting line managers with all HR processes
  • Ensuring all HR data is stored in line with GDPR legislation

Ensuring the effective operation of HorseWorld:

  • Adhering to HorseWorld’s policies, procedures and performance expectations and upholding the ethos of HorseWorld in all functions of the post.
  • Taking responsibility for any clothing, footwear and personal protective equipment issued to you.
  • Behaving in a polite and acceptable manner to staff, clients and general public.
  • Presenting HorseWorld in a way that is consistent with its work and philosophy.
  • Attending and participating in meetings and completing training courses as required.
  • Performing any other duties consistent with the role and/or as reasonably required by the role.

Essential Knowledge and Experience

  • Level 5 CIPD qualification or proven equivalent experience 
  • Demonstrable experience of working in a standalone HR Role
  • Experience of co-ordinating and managing HR administration for the full employee life cycle
  • Experience of managing a dedicated HR database
  • Committed to best practice in HR, CPD development and keeping up to date with current legislation
  • Experience of coordinating training activities
  • Experience of employee relations casework
  • Safer recruitment in education training.  Applicants without this training will be considered if they are willing to undertake the training on commencement in the role.
  • A DBS will be required for this role

Desirable Knowledge and Experience

  • Knowledge of the education sector
  • Experience of working within the charity sector
  • Knowledge of the equine sector
  • Experience of using online training systems

Essential Personal Skills and Qualities

  • The ability to deal with confidential information and maintain confidentiality at all times
  • Highly proficient in all Microsoft packages, particularly Word and Excel
  • Confident communicator with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to deal effectively and establish rapport with people at all levels
  • Proactive and positive, 'can do' attitude
  • Flexible, adaptable and able to cope with a busy and varied workload
  • Excellent attention to detail and high level of accuracy in both written and oral skills

To apply for this role in the first instance, please submit a full CV and covering letter.  If you are shortlisted for interview you will be required to complete an application form.  We are a Safer Recruitment organisation and this is mandatory.  Applications to be sent to: liz.appleby@horseworld.org.uk

Liz Appleby, HR & Training Advisor, HorseWorld, Delmar Hall, Keynes Farm, Staunton Lane, Whitchurch, Bristol BS14 0QL

The closing date for applications is 9.00am on Monday 17th March. Interview dates are Thursday 20th and Friday 21st March.