Job Introduction
As a completely independent organisation, the IOPC seek to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing.
Assistant Business Partners (APBPs) support the work of the People Business Partners (PBPs). The primary focus of the role is on casework in relation to employee relations and recruitment. Assistant People Business Partners own cases from start to finish. They work closely with line managers providing advice and assistance. They work within organisational policies and agreed practice but also identify policy concerns and contribute to work to develop new policy and guidance. As one of the key links between the business and the People Directorate APBPs will also maintain an excellent knowledge of work being progressed in the wider directorate and provide insights to the OD and Talent and Learning and Development teams to inform their work.
APBPs will tend to focus on employee relations and recruitment casework. It is essential that all APBPs have sufficient knowledge of team activities to be able to assist and guide line managers.
APBPs will work closely with the People Co-ordinator to ensure that the processes for administration are efficient and undertaken in a timely manner. APBPs will also provide advice and guidance to more junior colleagues in the team in the absence of the PBP.
There are 2 parts to the application:
- Please upload your CV to your profile (please ensure you remove your name and personal contact details).
- In a maximum of 500 words, please detail how you meet the requirement of the person specification, paying particular reference to your experience of Employee Relations and managing relationships with stakeholders.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, to find out more, please click here. If you are shortlisted for interview, we will share further information regarding what will be assessed.
Main Responsibility
Employee Relations Focus
- Maintain an ongoing understanding of the employee relations issues in the client group assigned, engaging regularly with colleagues and line managers to pre-empt issue and solve problems
- Act as a mediator to find solutions to difficulties
- Commission work from the OD and L&D teams to enable local problems to be solved
- Act as a point of contact for colleagues in distress signposting appropriate services
- Advise on ER issues such as long term or regular sickness, disciplinary and grievance matters and performance management and assist managers to find pragmatic solutions to difficulties
- Seek advice from our employment lawyers about complex cases and assist in preparations for ETs
- Support IOPC internal investigations into staff related matters
- Assist the People Business Partner with work force and succession planning
- Develop policy and guidance to first review stage and present to staff council and staff networks for comment
- Providing advice, coaching support and training on people policies and best practice
- assistance on policies, procedures, legislation, and collective agreements
- Ensure that HR record keeping is up to date and of the highest quality
- Operate regular HelpPoint surgeries for colleagues
Recruitment Focus
- Maintain an ongoing understanding of the staffing needs of the client group assigned, by engaging regularly with client group managers to establish any potential future or current recruitment requirements
- Advise on job design and undertake job evaluations
- Advise on job evaluation appeals
- Conduct full and detailed job briefings with line managers and establish campaign timelines promoting good practice in the pre-planning of recruitment activity
- Advise hiring managers on policy and process including the use of the New Assessment Framework model
- Draft job advert and job packs for line management approval and ensure that roles are appropriately advertised
- Assess candidate applications and screen them against the job requirements
- Conduct detailed and insightful telephone interviews at initial stages to assess candidate suitability and provide feedback to hiring managers
- Coach managers to consider and select the most appropriate methods of assessment offered from the Assessment Toolkit
- Organise and facilitate assessment centres, including test administration
- Assist on selection panels involving internal candidates
- Provide interview coaching and training to line managers and internal candidates where needed
- Provide candidates with appropriate and constructive feedback
- Make candidate offers and work with the Team Co-ordinator to ensure that pre-employment screening is completed as quickly as possible
- Maintain the HR applicant tracking recruitment system and undertake associated administrative tasks
- Work closely with the Talent Acquisition team to ensure that front line feedback and learning is shared
The Ideal Candidate
- Experience of providing advice, guidance and coaching to managers
- An excellent knowledge of the law as it relates to recruitment and/or employee relations
- Demonstrable pragmatic problem-solving skills
- Organised, self-motivated and capable of working autonomously.
- Confident communicator with the ability to influence and engage colleagues
- A good understanding of the General Data Protection regulations and experience of working with and protecting personal data
- Knowledge or experience of working with people who may be marginalised, ensuring that they are able to get their voice heard
- Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development
Desirable
- Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development at Level 5 or above.
- Formally accredited mediation skills
- Working knowledge of success profiles
Reasonable Adjustments
The IOPC is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. We are open to providing you with the tools you need to succeed, from extra time to formatting changes, to name a mere few. If you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process, please email campaigns@policeconduct.gov.uk
Internal tag - 'IND'
Package Description
- 27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days)
- Options to carry over, buy or sell annual leave
- Civil Service pension
- Civil Service maternity leave package
- PAM employee assistance programme
- Access to Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) membership
- Cycle to work scheme
- Opportunity to enjoy the latest home and electronics in a more affordable way provided by Vivup
- Car Leasing Scheme
- Staff networks focused on each of the protected characteristics – run for staff, by staff:
- Enable Network
- Welsh Network
- Pride and LGBTQI+ Network
- Sex and Family Network
- Race, Religion and Belief Network
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity behaviours
Additional Information:
The IOPC is not eligible to participate in the Civil Service transfer process, therefore successful candidates will not be able to transfer to the IOPC on their existing terms and conditions.
The IOPC does not participate in the UK Visa Sponsorship Scheme therefore, candidates will have to provide evidence of their Right to Work in the UK if offered a role with us.
This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out for the successful candidate during the pre-employment process.
Any move to the Independent Office for Police Conduct from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Emotional Consideration:
In performing this role, you may have occasional exposure to distressing material which will likely be impactful, traumatic and challenging. Given the nature of the work, It is also possible that you will have contact with individuals who are experiencing extreme distress. The IOPC recognises this and offers all staff a range of wellbeing provisions, including TRiM (Trauma Risk Management) peer-to-peer support, a dedicated Wellbeing Advisor, and access to free confidential counselling. All staff are strongly encouraged to proactively access and engage with the support available. If you would like to speak about this element of the role with somebody already doing similar work at the IOPC, please contact humanresources@policeconduct.gov.uk and this can be arranged.
Rydym yn croesawu ymgeiswyr i ymgeisio am rolau trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg fel eu dewis iaith.
About the Company
As a completely independent organisation, the IOPC seeks to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing. The IOPC is an organisation steeped in history, influenced by significant figures such as Stephen Lawrence and Sir William Macpherson. We are looking for people to uphold our core values, and in return we will give you a supportive and inclusive work environment to flourish in.
Be yourself
The IOPC is committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity in everything we do. Our vision is to be, and to be seen as, a leader in inclusive employment and services, demonstrating this ethos in everything that we do.
- As a silver standard Stonewall employer, we continue to commit to being a LGBTQ+ employer through the work of our Pride LGBTQ+ Staff Network, creating welcoming environments for lesbian, gay, bi and queer people.
- We are pleased to share that we are a signatory of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. The Charter is composed of five calls to action for leaders and organisations across all sectors.
- Being a Disability Confident employer, the IOPC is dedicated to removing the barriers for disabled people to thrive in the workplace.
- Our Staff Networks are constantly working to make the IOPC the leaders of inclusive employment, from our Allyship Programme to Welsh Language Standards and our Know the Line Policy, we are constantly seeking new ways to create an environment for all to develop and thrive.
