Specialist Officer

Assistant HR Business Partner

Location: Swindon

Contract: Contract

Salary: £27.00 per hour PAYE or £34.70 per hour limited paid via umbrella company inside IR35

Our client is looking for an experienced Assistant HR Business Partner to provide HR support and assistance to the HR Operations team and to give advice and guidance to managers and staff. The role holder will build and develop effective working relationships with managers, influencing and supporting them to achieve local and corporate objectives.

• Provide managers and staff with appropriate advice and guidance on council policies, terms and conditions of employment and other HR‑related issues in accordance with employment legislation.
• Support, coach, challenge and empower line managers in managing people issues (e.g. disciplinary, grievance, attendance, well‑being, conduct and performance).
• Deal with local trade union representatives in relation to individual cases or local collective issues, building and maintaining relationships with line managers, employees and TU representatives across the directorates.
• Screen all vacancies, identify potential redeployment opportunities for employees on the redeployment register and assist in matching them to suitable alternative jobs across the council.
• Undertake effective job evaluations, drawing on benchmarking data and ensuring a fair, consistent and objective assessment.
• Ensure senior directorate stakeholders receive insight from their people data (e.g. sickness reporting, grievance numbers) and update the casework database in an accurate and timely fashion.
• Contribute to the overall development of the HR team including HR policy development and projects, research and briefing papers for the HRBP.
• Maintain own continuing professional development and liaise/network with other HR practitioners as appropriate.
• Maintain and keep up to date with HR policies and procedures and respond to queries from managers and staff on terms and conditions of employment.
• Ensure effective communication with colleagues across the council and externally where appropriate regarding work in progress, emerging trends, issues or problems.
• Participate in working groups and attend other meetings on behalf of the HRBP and the HR Operations team as required.

• CIPD qualified, or working towards this with experience of working effectively in a complex organisation.
• Proven track record of providing clear, balanced advice and guidance on HR issues.
• Experience working successfully with senior managers on complex HR issues.
• Experience in an HR department in a customer‑focused organisation, proactively facilitating and leading change.

• Significant experience of casework management – disciplinary, grievance, attendance and well‑being, conduct and performance.
• Up‑to‑date employment law knowledge, practical application on case management and ability to apply and implement process and policy change.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Solid understanding and experience in applying employee relations and employment practices to manage employee issues.
• Interpret the council’s HR policy & procedures and provide advice to stakeholders appropriate to the situation.
• Develop HR colleagues and line managers.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to evaluate data and establish key insights.
• Ability to interpret financial, people and performance data and commentaries.
• Ability to review and challenge content provided by other team members and local HR teams.
• Understanding of the directorate’s objectives and priorities and the ability to integrate external sources of data where necessary (e.g. CIPD/ACAS).
• Persuade others using straightforward and simple techniques, communicate work requirements even if technical or contentious, and create challenge to views of others with evidence when appropriate.
• Ensure data from all relevant sources can be gathered to assess complex problems and develop appropriate solutions.

• Connected: Put Swindon and its people at the heart of everything we do, promoting a positive council identity in our partnership approach.
• Resilient: Forward‑thinking, work smart, identify improvements, embed learning, evaluate and build upon a strong approach to continuous organisational development.

Colbern Limited along with our clients are an equal opportunities employer.