1. HR Manager – HR Business Partners Role Description
August 2014

2. The Student Loans Company Vision for Human Resources
Our HR Vision:
To be regarded by our customers, stakeholders and peers as providing a high quality, strategic and collaborative HR service, which is aligned to the SLC Vision and Mission, based on robust foundations, including up-to-date, fit for purpose policies and processes.
Our service will be delivered through a well established, consistent and effective HR Business Partnering model.

3. HR Manager – HR Business Partners
Responsible to:
Head of Human Resources
Directorate:
Finance, Strategy & Corporate Services
Purpose of the role:
To establish and lead a comprehensive HR service across all SLC business areas, through an effective and integrated and customer focused Business Partnering model, ensuring the effective implementation of SLC’s HR Plan.

4. HR Manager – HR Business Partners
As an HR Manager (HR Business Partners) you will be measured by:
Corporate Responsibilities:
Contribute towards, the company’s vision and mission to guide and set the pace for current operations and future development.
Put the customer at the heart of decision making, resource allocation and delivery.
Support SLC to achieve its vision, by delivering on the mission, including business objectives.
Live and promote SLC’s values and behaviours.
Encourage staff groups to work towards the SLC mission, supporting and enabling them to deliver it.
HR Responsibilities:
To support SLC to achieve our Vision and deliver our Mission through appropriate development and delivery of strategically aligned HR policies, practices and services.
Delivering a quality service in support of all aspects of the employee life cycle, in particular:
Workforce planning and resourcing (including recruitment and organisational change)
Regular management information to support effective planning and decision making
Administrative services
Implementing policy, process and system changes which whilst legally compliant are supportive of organisational/transformational change
Employee relations support
Enhancing people management skills and capabilities through an HR Business Partner approach (ensuring consistency of service; strengthening relationships between HR, the business and key stakeholders; ensuring our service is relevant and aligned to business objectives.

5. Responsibilities & Objectives
Key Accountabilities:
Alongside HR Manager counterparts, provide leadership and support the implementation of SLC’s HR Plan, policy and procedures, as required, adopting an appropriate balance of flexibility and consistency, relative to business need
Provide leadership and management support for areas of functional responsibility
Lead the further development and effective ongoing management of SLC’s HR Business Partnering model, moving HR to establish a more in depth and customer focused Directorate relationship
Develop a strong HR Business Partner and HR Adviser team with cross skilled capability, i.e. able to support across multiple directorates and locations, and provide a breadth of HR generalist knowledge and experience making best use of available HR resources
Provide Business Partner services directly as required during peak periods of activity and/ or to cover periods of absence or other short term capacity issues
Support the effective completion of the performance management/ development cycle, with particular focus on facilitating decisions on performance ratings
Work with the Resourcing, MI & Support Manager to establish and implement an effective resourcing approach and plan, aligned to Corporate and Directorate needs
Act as a primary source of specialist knowledge for HR Business Partners on current employment law to support and address issues arising across the Directorates, and act as escalation point as required to achieve appropriate resolution
Contribute to HR policy, procedure and practice development, which aligns to and addresses business and Directorate needs, taking an active role (with the HR Manager, Policy & Practice) in leading effective implementation across the organisation
Contribute to Corporate and Business planning activity

6. Responsibilities & Objectives
Key Accountabilities:
Support the Head of Human Resources in developing and implementing an HR Strategy and Plan, including Transformation elements as appropriate, in line with solid understanding of Business and Directorate objectives
Providing guidance and mentoring support to managers to improve people management capability
Working with key stakeholders including senior managers and unions/employee representatives to effect and promote a positive employee relations environment
Responsible, with the support of the HR Manager, Policy & Practice for the effective management of employee relations activity
Support L&D and Organisation Design activities, with particular focus on ensuring appropriate practices and processes, from an HR perspective (and specifically your functional responsibility) are deployed consistently and impacts on people are managed effectively
Work with OD colleagues to understand the impact of organisational change/restructure, based on HR functional responsibility, to inform best approach to implementation, aligned to organisation goals and capacity
Actively participate in relevant benchmarking activity eg HR Metrics and employee surveys, interpreting the corporate level results, identifying consistent issues/positives across the organisation and supporting the articulation of a corporate action plan which delivers positive outcomes
Engage with HR management colleagues on HR governance and communication to determine, challenge where appropriate and deliver appropriate HR governance and communications
Undertake Continuous Improvement with a view to progressing own professional growth, alongside introducing and maintaining good practice in SLC. Actively encouraging your reports and wider HR team.

7. Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential Skills, Knowledge and Experience:
Chartered CIPD Membership or equivalent eg preferred degree qualification
Robust analytical and organisational skills, demonstrating ability to provide a systematic review of policy/process/practice and develop logical implementation plans which secure the buy in of key stakeholders, including HR and management
Significant experience at a management level within a progressive HR department
Well organised, able to lead, manage and deliver on varying tasks and deadlines across multiple locations
Ability to challenge and exercise good judgement, as appropriate
Experience of providing advice and guidance to line managers/staff on a wide range of complex matters
Knowledge and experience of the HR implications of large scale organisational change
Ability to demonstrate a positive, pragmatic and solutions focused approach
Experience of facilitating disciplinary, performance, attendance and grievance hearings; coaching line managers and managing complex cases
Strong relationship management skills, able to positively influence all levels of staff up to senior management level and work effectively in partnership with, for example trade union representatives and/ or staff forum
Excellent engagement, communication and presentation skills
IT literate, ideally with experience in Oracle HR and MS Office
Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience
Experience of working with external partners and providers
Experience of public sector, Non Departmental Public Bodies