About the job

Job summary

The Scottish Government’s ambition is to be a world-leading, diverse employer where people can be themselves at work, where everyone is respected and supported and where our workplaces are inclusive and places of equal opportunity. Are you looking for an exciting role where you can support that ambition?

Our HR People Advice and Wellbeing Team have two exciting HR People Advice Manager roles. In these Senior HR roles you will empower our leaders, staff and managers through our HR processes and promote health and well-being of our people. You will enable them to create a culture where our ambition can be embraced and delivered, whilst enhancing your communication and people management skills in an inclusive environment.

Our supportive and encouraging team of around 30 HR staff works together to support business areas across the Scottish Government. The team provides dedicated HR support and advice to colleagues at all levels across the organisation to ensure fair and consistent treatment with a focus on wellbeing and on the resolution of issues at the earliest possible opportunity.  As an HR People Advice Manager you would be playing a critical role for staff and managers in advising and guiding on complex, high risks situations.

Job description

• Support the People Advice and Wellbeing team’s approach through early intervention and wellbeing by providing expert HR advice, guidance and coaching to managers and staff at all levels on complex, multi strand HR issues (informal and formal) including performance management; sickness absence; discipline and grievance – liaising with HR policy colleagues, trades unions, legal and other HR colleagues as appropriate.

• Manage complex formal HR cases, across all professions and grades including senior civil service, where there is a significant people, business or legal risk, advising the business on handling risk and risk management and managing cases through any internal HR or external legal processes i.e. Employment Tribunals.

• Develop and manage authorisation of people risk management business cases, in line with internal processes, legislation, the Public Sector Finance Manual and other governance or legal processes.

• Work closely with the business to understand Directorate and Divisional people challenges, pressures and priorities. Build capability of managers and staff through solution-focussed interventions including coaching, surgeries, workshops etc.

• Identify and resolve issues through early intervention, by being visible, through mediation, facilitated conversations and interpreting and responding to management information and other data.•  Work with business areas to promote health and wellbeing by supporting managers as they work to improve culture, staff wellbeing and organisational and personal resilience.

• Line manage HR People Advice and Wellbeing Senior Advisers (B2).

Person specification

Qualifications

Applicants should be Associate/Chartered Member of the CIPD.

Essential Criteria

1. Recent experience of managing complex HR cases in a demanding and diverse environment, making evidence-based decisions by assessing risk, legislative requirements, and best practices to develop innovative options and solutions, ensuring a successful outcome for all.

2. Excellent interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills, with an ability to build trust and strong working relationships, with individuals and groups at all levels in the organisation, including senior leaders and an ability to communicate persuasively and defend decisions, negotiate with confidence and work collaboratively, in an HR context.

3. Robust experience of working in a fast moving and changing HR environment with proven ability to lead on and deliver an excellent HR service provision which meets the needs of its users and supports the wellbeing aims of the organisation.  ​

4. Proven planning and organisational skills, as well as the ability to respond quickly to new demands at all levels, work across teams and manage personal and teams' competing priorities and tasks.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,449, Scottish Government contributes £12,271 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Sift and Interview dates TBC. Please apply using the link provided

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.