HR Advisor

HR Advisor

Location: Great Horwood, Buckinghamshire (minimum of 4 days in the office per week)

Salary: £35,000 - £40,000 per annum

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time (37.5 hours per week)

Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives.

We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving Medical Alert Assistance Dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease.  We have an exciting new opportunity to join this small, but ambitious charity that is a world leader in its specialist, innovative field.

Main Purpose & Scope of the Role:

The HR Advisor will provide specialist and proactive support to other departments within the Charity to ensure organisational compliance in all relevant areas relating to HR.

What You’ll Do:

Reporting to the People Engagement Manager, you will be supporting the Charity to set and deliver on its People Strategy. You will be responsible for providing operational HR services, advice, and guidance with a primary focus on HR transactions, employee relations management, engagement, recruitment, and performance management.  You will identify, analyse and utilise HR data to inform decision making and identify more efficient ways of working.

Reports to: People Engagement Manager 

About the Role

You will lead the development and implementation of a best practice approach to recruitment.

You will advise managers on best practice techniques for monthly one-to-one meetings and annual appraisals to ensure staff feel confident to openly discuss challenges as well as successes.

You will review and update our existing HR policies and procedures, ensuring they not only comply with current HR law but importantly promote best practice.

You will also work with the senior leadership team to develop a set of organisational values that prioritise equality, diversity and inclusion and reflect best practice, ensuring these are then communicated to all staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.

This is a rare opportunity to join a charity that wants to strengthen the support it provides to its staff and volunteers..

Responsibilities of the Role

• Maintain all HR policies and procedures ensuring they are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect relevant legislation and best practice.  
• Ensure managers and staff are aware of and understand policies and procedures, communicate changes, and provide support to managers when interpreting policies as required.
• To work in collaboration with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team in leading Medical Detection Dogs towards our vision of becoming a staff centric Charity.
• Provide an efficient service to deliver HR transaction activities throughout the employment lifecycle, from offer to off-boarding.

Person Specification

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• CIPD Level 5 qualification and a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a similar role
• Employee relations (e.g. performance, absence, disciplinary, grievance, redundancy, etc) case management in line with current UK employment legislation
• Management of end-to-end recruitment activity, supporting hiring managers and focussed on candidate experience
• Excellent interpersonal, networking and communication skills
• Experience of managing relationships with staff at all levels

Desirable

• Experience of reward and recognition practices
• Experience of managing and inspiring staff, including encouraging innovation and improving ways of working to build a resilient and high performing
• Effective organisation and administrative skills gained within HR
• Experience on use of HR database (BREATHE)

Desirable Knowledge & Skills

• Ability to work independently and under minimal supervision in a fast paced and demanding environment, exercising good judgement, and using own initiative.
• Ability to work supportively and effectively within and across teams and build good working relationships
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when appropriate
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills
• Good influencing and negotiation skills
• Strong people management skills with the ability to train and develop individuals and create a ‘one team’ ethos

Other Requirements 

• A full current driving license
• Comfortable with dogs in the workplace/office

Diversity, Equality & Inclusion         

We are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive charity. Medical Detection Dogs thrives when everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work. We celebrate difference, whilst striving to create an environment where colleagues feel respected and valued for their unique potential. We are committed to our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Medical Detection Dogs, please do not hesitate to apply.