What you need… You will be full- or part-CIPD qualified with strong employment law knowledge and excellent communication skills. You will have a minimum of three to five years’ generalist HR experience. Requirements will vary from role to role, but you may need previous experience of managing a number of HR projects, a working knowledge of assessment and development centre techniques, and experience of managing a small team and/or working in a unionised environment. Generally speaking, experience of working in a public or not-for-profit environment is an advantage.
What is involved… You will work as part of the HR team providing a comprehensive service, including professional advice and support, to managers and staff on a range of HR issues.
You are likely to be responsible for the day-to-day administration of policies and programmes, which may encompass recruitment and retention, training and development, performance management, employee relations, compensation and benefits and compliance.
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You may also contribute towards policy development, and be required to research and produce reports and carry out analysis. This could be anything from analysing the cost effectiveness of resourcing activities to identifying high levels of sickness absence and ways of reducing it. You may also be the key HR contact in the absence of the HR manager.
Prospects… This type of role can be an excellent stepping stone from the position of HR officer to HR manager, so opportunities for progression are excellent. However, senior HR officer positions are generally only found within larger organisations, with well-established, sizeable HR departments.
