About the Job
HR Advisor – Organisational Change
Human Resources Division
Contract: Fixed-Term Contract (6 Months)
Salary: Grade A7 – Up to £40,000 per annum (FTE equivalent)
Location: Cambridge (Hybrid Working) – Typically 2 days per week on site, increasing during consultation periods
Responsible to: HR Business Partner
Essential: Organisational change, collective consultation and trade union experience
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced HR Advisor to join the Human Resources Division at the University of Cambridge on a fixed-term basis to support a significant organisational change programme.
This is a specialist HR role focused on delivering organisational change rather than business-as-usual HR activities. Working as part of a small HR team, you will play a key role in supporting collective consultation exercises, providing practical HR advice throughout the restructuring process and ensuring consultations are delivered professionally, consistently and in line with employment legislation.
The Opportunity
You will support the delivery of a two-phase organisational change programme involving collective consultation exercises affecting 20 or more employees in each phase.
Working closely with managers, stakeholders and recognised trade unions, you will act as the HR representative during consultation meetings, providing practical guidance and ensuring a fair and compliant process throughout.
Your responsibilities will include facilitating consultation meetings, reviewing consultation documentation and minutes, responding to employee queries, producing FAQs and providing day-to-day organisational change advice to managers.
This is not a generalist HR Advisor role and involves very little employee relations casework or business-as-usual HR activity. The focus is on supporting the successful delivery of a high-profile restructuring programme.
Requirements
- Demonstrable experience supporting organisational change and restructuring programmes
- Experience managing collective consultation processes involving 20+ affected employees
- Strong working knowledge of employment law relating to organisational change and redundancy consultation
- Experience working with recognised trade unions
- Ability to confidently facilitate consultation meetings alongside managers
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Strong written communication skills with experience reviewing consultation documentation and meeting notes
- Ability to respond pragmatically to employee queries and provide clear HR advice
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
- High level of IT literacy, including Microsoft Office
Desirable
- Experience within higher education or another large, complex organisation
- Experience supporting multiple phases of organisational change programmes
- CIPD qualification (or working towards) – although practical experience is valued above formal qualifications
- Experience working within unionised environments in either the public or private sector
Key Competencies
- Practical, solutions-focused approach
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to build credibility quickly with managers and employees
- Calm and confident under pressure
- Sound judgement and attention to detail
- Professional, approachable and collaborative working style
- Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion
How to Apply
Please apply online or contact Abbie Carr or Jack Sharpe at Spirehouse for a confidential discussion.
Spirehouse Recruitment is an equal opportunities employer and promotes a diverse and inclusive recruitment process.