Human Resources Manager

Ministry of Justice; Highgate; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental HR department in the UK seeks an HR professional to support managers in optimizing HR processes. The role involves decision-making, HR data analysis, and maintaining stakeholder relationships. The ideal candidate will have a Chartered MCIPD or equivalent HR qualification and strong communication skills. This position offers hybrid working arrangements, and candidates should have previous HR delivery experience.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Flexible working options

Extensive training opportunities

Qualifications

• Previous experience in an HR delivery role
• Ability to build diverse relationships, including with senior stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills in verbal and written formats
• Ability to analyze and apply data to business delivery

Responsibilities

• Support business areas by assessing and adapting to HR issues
• Make autonomous decisions to optimize resource deployment
• Interpret HR policies and procedures for effective implementation
• Analyze HR data for appropriate interventions
• Maintain professional relationships and support team decisions

Skills

Communication skills

Judgment and decision-making

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Problem-solving

Education

Chartered MCIPD or equivalent HR qualification

Job description

The Ministry of Justice People and Capability (MoJ P&C) supports the organisation by enabling its people to be the best that they can be. We are continuously reviewing and enhancing the services that P&C provide across the MoJ to deliver high quality services for our customers. MoJ has a team of committed and capable professionals delivering people services across the Justice family. With a passion for people management and a desire to build an HR generalist foundation for a future career, the post holder will work with managers from within HMPPS to optimise the effective working relationship and ensure maximum impact of HR on business effectiveness. This is your opportunity to be part of the HR enabling prisons and probation to make society safer and help people turn live. The role involves a proactive approach to problem solving and enabling the business to find solutions to HR challenges. With a generalist knowledge of case management and essential functional HR experience, the role is key to enabling business leaders through interpretation of HR policy, application of case management advice and the delivery of key HR processes to maintain the links with essential systems; SSCL, Occupational Health, Civil Service Pensions etc., as a HR professional in either a regional role or a HQ delivery role to a sector of the business, the post holder will support business leaders, managers and specialists with more complex HR cases and provide a professional link to the central case management service, working together to achieve effective outcomes. As the first point of contact to the business, the post holder would be required to manage stakeholder expectations and gather business intelligence to provide specialist advice or deploy the appropriate service from within the team.

Responsibilities, activities and duties

• Supporting an area of the business with wide ranging impact, appraising, assessing and adapting to a wide range of issues on a day-to-day basis and developing options to maintain or improve performance.
• Role holder will have autonomy to make decisions within their discrete area of work to deploy appropriate resources using initiative and in communication with their established network of contacts across the wider HR community.
• Interpreting HR advice which may require follow up questions or discussion to understand the wider impact of the issue, Decisions might involve considerable discretion but will be constrained by policy and best practice.
• Analysing HR data and applying understanding to decide on an appropriate intervention or course of action.
• Considering sensitive or multiple opposing opinions to establish facts; establishing the best approach; determining appropriate methodologies; analysis to ensure quality and application of results.
• Exercise judgement and make decisions based on their own interpretation. Details may be unclear and require further investigation.
• Required to maintain relationships by supporting others, contribute to team decisions and use initiative to solve problems.
• Contribute directly to the achievement of operational organisational objectives by developing internal credibility and providing guidance and consultancy to managers on HR related issues, which include: Employment Tribunal, Grievance, Disciplinary Support Attendance Management Support Audit, Assurance & Compliance Commissioner: Expert Services & Support (Internal & External), Behaviours - please provide examples of how you have met each one of the behaviours listed below:

Behaviours

• · Managing a Quality Service (Lead Behavior)
• · Communicating and Influencing
• · Leadership
• · Working together

Please submit an anonymous copy of your CV. Please refer to the 'essential knowledge, experience and skills' section above which details how each essential criteria will be assessed. Technical Skills - You will have completed and achieved your Chartered MCIPD (or have an equivalent HR qualification) or be willing to work towards it and actively demonstrate Continuous Professional Development. Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on the lead behaviour of Managing a Quality Service. Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview, testing both behaviours and strengths. Interview: Please note that interviews will be held remotely. During the interview, we will be assessing you on the Behaviours listed above and Strengths from the Success Profiles framework. Contact for further questions [e-mail] Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity. Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) - See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location's respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended). Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer. All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ's Flexible Working policy.

Training & Development

A sift based on the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered. Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit 250 Managing a Quality Service Communicating and Influencing Leadership Working Together Experience We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods CV or Work History Evidence of Experience CV or Work HistoryInterview stage assessments Interview Dates Expected after 2nd December 2025 Behaviours Managing a Quality Service Communicating and Influencing Leadership Working Together Strengths Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here. Level of security checks required Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)

Required Experience

• Previous experience of an HR delivery role (assessed via CV)
• The ability to confidently build and manage a diverse range of relationships, including with senior stakeholders (assessed via Communicating and Influencing behaviour)
• Supporting others to optimise performance of their People Management Skills (assessed via Leadership behaviour)
• Excellent communication skills, both in verbal and written formats (assessed via Communicating and Influencing behaviour)
• Ability to analyse and understand data and apply analytics to business delivery (assessed via Managing a Quality Service)

Desirable Experience, Knowledge and Skills

• Previous experience of working in a HR team within the Civil Service and an awareness of the wider Civil Service HR operating model.
• Experience of HR consultancy work or other service delivery based on a Customer Relationship Model.
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or equivalent or willing to work towards a qualification as part of career development. This role can be linked to the HR Apprenticeship (Level 5) and may be appropriate as a route into CIPD qualification.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. A Great Place to Work for Veterans The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Benefits

• Annual Leave: 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
• Pension: The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
• Training: The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
• Networks: The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed directly to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
• Family Friendly: opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Flexible benefits: voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• Eligibility for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Support (Non-Technical)

A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share. Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services. For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/. Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave. Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order.

To transform business services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [e-mail]); To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]); To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.