HR Partner- Fixed term Specific Purpose Contract- Maternity Cover 9-12months

COPE Galway; Galway; On-site; EUR 46,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

COPE Galway is seeking an HR Partner on a fixed-term maternity cover (9-12 months) to work with the Head of People and senior leaders in Galway. You will manage the full employee lifecycle, including planning, recruitment, ER, performance, and development, within a trauma-informed, not-for-profit setting.

The role requires 4+ years of HR experience, strong knowledge of Irish employment legislation, and a collaborative approach to improve engagement, wellbeing and organisational culture across

Qualifications

• HR experience
• Employee relations
• Performance management
• Recruitment
• Employee engagement
• Organisational development
• Policy development
• Workplace culture

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Head of People to support the delivery of the organisation's people strategy and HR objectives.
• Lead employee engagement and retention activities, including surveys and action plans to strengthen engagement, wellbeing and culture.
• Lead HR projects focused on employee experience, processes and organisational development.
• Build relationships across the organisation and develop people plans aligned to COPE Galway's objectives and values.
• Analyse people data and provide insights on workforce trends, engagement and attrition.
• Act as senior HR contact for managers and employees on employment relations, performance, disciplinary, grievances and absence management.
• Manage and develop HR team members and oversee HR lifecycle objectives.
• Support the Head of People and Change Manager in delivering actions in the COPE Galway Strategic Plan.
• Promote wellbeing, DEI, and belonging across services and teams.
• Identify learning needs and develop training to build capability and engagement.
• Contribute to HR policy development and continuous improvement in line with legislation and policies.
• Coordinate cost-effective learning and development initiatives and build internal training capability where possible.
• Advise on employment legislation and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance.
• Assist in HR systems implementation and ongoing management, focusing on engagement and internal communications.
• Deputise for the Head of People when required.

Skills

HR experience

Employee relations

Performance management

Recruitment

Employee engagement

Organisational development

Policy development

Workplace culture

Education

Third-level qualification ideally HR, Business, or related discipline

Job description

HR Partner- Fixed term Specific Purpose Contract- Maternity Cover 9-12months

About COPE Galway

COPE Galway has been providing essential social services in Galway for 60 years. We respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and we support older people towards healthy, independent ageing. Our vision is for a community where every person is valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life.

COPE Galway is deeply embedded in the Galway community. We are founded on the belief that together we can make a positive difference in the lives of the people we serve and our community.

Our People

Our People, COPE Galway staff and volunteers, are the driving force behind everything we do. Their passion, commitment, and professionalism enable us to deliver a wide range of services, support more people, and make a real impact in the community.

We have a diverse range of roles, from frontline support workers and social care professionals to catering, community engagement and other professional roles. Each role is crucial in ensuring we deliver our services effectively and make a positive impact in the community.

Working with COPE Galway

Joining our team means you will make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the families and individuals we support and contribute to driving meaningful social change in the community. Whether you are a frontline worker directly supporting clients or in an administrative role, you are vital to our efforts to address critical issues like homelessness and domestic abuse and to ensure that older people are valued and supported.

At COPE Galway, we prioritise the development and wellbeing of our people. We offer a supportive work environment, with opportunities for ongoing training, personal and professional growth, and leadership development.

Our Culture

We foster an inclusive, supportive and respectful workplace, where diversity is valued. Our team is united by a shared mission and a genuine passion for empowering people and creating meaningful change. We take a trauma-informed approach to the way we work and foster this culture in every aspect of the organisation, including a focus on the health and wellbeing of our staff.

Position Overview:

Reporting to and working closely with the Head of People, the HR Partner will act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and managers, providing both strategic and operational HR support in support of shaping a values-based culture

This is a broad role, with people management responsibility, offering exposure to all aspects of the employee lifecycle, including workforce planning, recruitment, employee relations, performance management, learning and development, employee engagement, HR compliance, and HR systems.

The successful candidate will have a keen interest in building and nurturing a positive and inclusive employee experience, while promoting COPE Galway’s values and trauma informed approach. They will also be comfortable operating at both strategic and hands-on levels.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the Head of People to support the delivery of the organisation's people strategy and HR objectives.
• Lead employee engagement and retention activities, including conducting surveys, analysing outputs and implementing meaningful action plans that strengthen employee engagement, retention, wellbeing and organisational culture
• Lead a range of HR projects focused on employee experience, process improvement, and organisational development.
• Build strong relationships across the organisation and partner with managers to develop people plans aligned to COPE Galway's strategic objectives and values.
• Analyse people data and provide insights on workforce trends, engagement, attrition, and other key HR metrics.
• Act as senior HR contact for managers and employees to provide guidance and support on employee relations matters including performance management, disciplinary processes, grievances, investigations, and absence management.
• Manage and develop HR team members, overseeing operational objectives across the full employee lifecycle.
• Work closely with the Organisation Change Manager and support the Head of People in the successful delivery of all people related and impacting actions outlined in the COPE Galway Strategic Plan.
• Partner with established strategic working groups to promote employee wellbeing, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across all services and teams.
• Identify organisational learning needs and develop training programmes that build capability and engagement at all levels.
• Contribute to HR policy development and continuous improvement initiatives in compliance with employment legislation, organisation policies, and HR best practice.
• Source, coordinate and deliver cost-effective learning and development initiatives, with a focus on building internal training capability where possible.
• Advise managers on employment legislation and regulatory requirements, ensuring organisational compliance at all times.
• Support the implementation, optimisation and ongoing management of HR systems, with an initial focus on employee engagement and internal communications
• Deputise for the Head of People as required.

Required Experience

• Significant HR experience (4+ years) including experience in a senior HR advisory, HR Partner or Business Partner role spanning employee relations, recruitment, performance management, employee engagement and organisational development.
• Demonstrated ability to build positive workplace cultures that support employee engagement, wellbeing and organisational performance
• Experience advising managers on complex people issues.
• Strong knowledge of Irish employment legislation.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Experience working within the charity, community, healthcare, social care, or not-for-profit sector.
• Experience leading wellbeing, engagement, or DEI programmes.
• Experience developing HR policies, procedures, and people strategies.
• Experience managing HR systems, reporting, and workforce data.

Required Education

• Third-level qualification ideally Human Resources, Business, or a related discipline.
• Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is an advantage.

Equal Opportunity Employer

COPE Galway is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and working environments for all our employees.

HR Partner- Fixed term Specific Purpose Contract- Maternity Cover 9-12months

COPE Galway Manager 1B Salary Scale - €51,307

Experience

Significant HR experience (4+ years) including experience in a senior HR advisory, HR Partner or Business Partner role spanning employee relations, recruitment, performance management, employee engagement and organisational development.