Director of People and Culture

The Director of People & Culture will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the College's People Strategy, ensuring the College attracts, develops, engages and retains a high performing and values driven workforce. Working as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will shape and deliver a progressive People & Culture Strategy aligned to the College's Strategic Plan, enabling high quality education, strong organisational performance and a positive, inclusive culture. Through excellent people leadership and workforce strategy, the postholder will directly support positive student outcomes by ensuring that staff are skilled, motivated, engaged and aligned to the College's educational priorities.

Employer: Craven College

Location: Skipton

Salary: Management Pay Scale, points , £64,676.38 to £69,054.06 per annum

Hours: 37 hours per week

Closing date: May 6, :59

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Lead the development and implementation of a college wide People & Culture Strategy aligned to the College's vision, mission and values.
• Act as a strategic advisor to the Principal, Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body on workforce planning, organisational design and people risk.
• Ensure workforce structures and resourcing models support long term financial sustainability, efficiency and value for money while maintaining high standards of education and staff wellbeing.
• Use data, workforce insights and staff feedback to inform continuous improvement and evidence based decision making in all areas of responsibility.
• Be accountable for progressing, reporting and presenting the College's key HR reports and KPIs to the Senior Leadership Team and Governing body and its subcommittees.
• Ensure the College meets all statutory, regulatory, and audit requirements relating to employment, safeguarding (single central register), and workforce compliance.
• Lead workforce planning to ensure the College has the capacity and capability to meet current and future needs.
• Provide leadership on organisational change programmes, ensuring staff are engaged, supported and empowered.
• Champion and lead on organisational development, leadership capability and continuous professional development aligned to the college's strategic plan.
• Work closely with the Assistant Principals and Deputy Principal to implement appropriate and effective staff training.
• Lead succession planning across the College, identifying future leaders and ensuring staff have access to developmental opportunities that support the College's long term organisational capabilities.
• Lead cultural and transformational change to improve engagement, performance and wellbeing.
• Lead the team in the delivery of training and support for leaders and managers across the College on all 'People' matters, promoting confident, consistent and values led people management across the College.

HR Operations, Employee Relations & Trade Union Engagement

• Oversee a comprehensive, high quality and responsive HR service at the College, ensuring compliance with employment law, safeguarding, data protection and sector specific regulations.
• Oversee the College's payroll service, ensuring a high quality efficient payroll service that delivers timely and accurate payment of all staff and payroll liabilities in line with legal and audit requirements.
• Deliver supportive business partnering services to leaders and managers focused on being critical friends and trusted colleagues.
• Lead the College's end to end recruitment activities, including the development and sharing of effective recruitment materials, the efficient management of interview processes, and the timely delivery of onboarding and initial training.
• Ensure inclusive recruitment and development practices that attract, support and retain a diverse workforce.
• Provide senior leadership on complex/sensitive employee relations matters.
• Ensure the timely review, development and implementation of HR policies, procedures and processes in accordance with current employment legislation, statutory regulations, FE sector expectations and organisational developments.
• Maintain a positive work environment by addressing staff concerns and employee relations in a fair and effective manner.
• Maintain constructive and professional relationships with recognised trade union representatives.
• Lead the College's equality, diversity and inclusion strategy and ensure compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
• Monitor workforce equality data and lead action plans to improve representation, accessibility, retention and belonging.
• Lead and support the implementation of proactive college wide staff health and wellbeing strategies that support attendance, physical, mental and emotional health and improve staff satisfaction measures.
• Work closely with leaders across the College to ensure wellbeing and inclusion priorities are embedded across the College.

Safeguarding & Safer Recruitment

• Ensure robust safer recruitment practices, safeguarding compliance and oversight of DBS and Single Central Record requirements.
• Liaise with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Local Authority Designated Officer for safeguarding as appropriate.

Leadership, Culture & Impact

• The Director of People & Culture will play a central role in fostering a strong, inclusive and high performing culture across the College, ensuring that leaders at all levels are supported to develop, manage and motivate their teams effectively.
• The postholder will promote high standards of professionalism, fairness and consistency in people management, ensuring that staff workload, wellbeing and development are actively considered and supported. By embedding robust people practices and leadership capability, the Director will help ensure the College is a confident, well led organisation in which staff are enabled to support and deliver high quality education and training for learners.

Other Duties

• Take responsibility for leading, supervising and managing line reports in line with all college practice and policies.
• Manage and have oversight of the HR budgets ensuring resources are used to provide a cost effective and efficient service.
• Attend and chair cross college committees, where required.
• Participate in the College's performance management scheme and undertake professional updating/staff development as required.
• Implement the College's range of safeguarding policies and procedures, promoting a safe environment for children and young people learning at the College to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all students and staff; be alert to any indication or allegation of abuse and take appropriate action under the College procedures for the protection of children and vulnerable adults.
• Support the College in all health and safety matters and take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.
• All staff are expected to contribute to the way we engage with prospective and existing students, supporting key processes that enhance learners' experience such as attendance at promotion activities, open events, student admissions, enrolment, induction, invigilation and graduation events.
• Carry out any other duties commensurate with grade and status as may reasonably be requested by the Principal.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in a related subject area or equivalent professional experience.
• CIPD Level 7 qualified and evidence of continuous membership.
• Chartered Membership of CIPD as a minimum or Masters level in HRM.
• Minimum of Level 2 in English & Maths.

Knowledge & Experience

• Significant senior HR leadership experience within a complex organisation.
• Extensive and up to date knowledge of employment law legislation and its practical application within organisational policy and practice.
• Experience of successfully designing and delivering high quality HR/people related strategies, policies, processes and procedures that balance staff and organisational needs.
• Experience of developing and delivering people and workforce strategies that improve culture, engagement, performance and wellbeing.
• Experience of working with leaders at all levels in delivering effective change management within a complex organisation.
• Proven experience of leading organisational change and cultural transformation.
• A proven track record of building and sustaining effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience of advising and managing complex employee relations cases.
• Experience of leading recruitment and other organisational processes.
• Knowledge of EDI matters and wellbeing practices and a commitment to developing and promoting these.
• Experience of financial and budgetary management with an ability to understand, manage and interpret budgetary and other financial information.

Skills & Attributes

• The ability to analyse and navigate challenging HR and people related issues effectively, presenting effective solutions for resolution.
• The ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form to a wide range of audiences and stakeholders.
• Strong leadership skills, demonstrating the ability to provide direction . click apply for full job details