HR Advisor

ACS International Schools is looking for an experienced HR Advisor to join the team.

The HR Advisor role is a key client-facing role with line managers and employees in our school campuses and with our functional teams in our Head Office. It represents the face of our employer brand at ACS and provides a trusted advisory service on our HR policies, procedures and required regulatory framework to enable our School Leadership Teams/Functional Leaders and Line Managers to motivate, engage and develop staff effectively.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Credible, professional, quickly able to demonstrate value and excellent customer service skills
• Strong interpersonal skills combined with the ability to influence and manage a diverse range of stakeholders
• Good verbal and written communications skills
• Approachable with a positive, can-do attitude
• Problem solver, solutions builder
• Alignment with ACS values
• A self-starter, ambitious to learn and grow
• Effective planning and organisational skills – able to balance priorities effectively
• High attention to accuracy and detail
• Can act autonomously but also a team player
• CIPD-qualified or equivalent
• Experience of working in HR, ideally gained in a customer-facing, professional services or education environment
• Good understanding of employment law and proven experience in effectively managing employee relations matters, particularly disciplinaries, grievances, and other regulatory meetings (e.g. flexible working requests, performance improvement plans)
• Familiarity and comfort with using HR systems and MS Office

It would be desirable if you had:

• Experience in interviewing and recruiting
• Experience in training needs analysis and/or training delivery

Principal Accountabilities

• Lead, facilitate and coach School/Functional Managers and staff about applying HR policies, procedures and regulations across the employee lifecycle
• Ensure ACS values and the DEI agenda are being embedded in the culture, policies and processes
• Advise School/Functional Managers on the best application of current employment law, including facilitating performance management, grievance and disciplinary meetings, and ensure ACS complies with employment law requirements and best practice
• Identify people-related gaps to ensure efficiency and effectiveness; lead and run change management projects if required
• Assist in the design and delivery/sourcing of high-quality line management training where required
• Work closely with the Recruitment team to ensure that recruitment needs are identified with line management and approval to recruit is obtained for recruitment to start on a timely basis
• Support the recruitment and induction/onboarding of new staff, including appropriate support to those staff recruited from overseas
• Ensure School/Functional Managers are aware of employment vetting, pre-employment checks, and immigration regulations and requirements and know what is required of them for ACS to maintain compliance
• Participate with the wider HR team in the design and delivery of improved induction and onboarding processes for new employees which can be delivered effectively and consistently in line with our employee value proposition and ACS’ vision and values while also welcoming new hires to their local community
• Monitor absence data and review trends/cases with line managers to ensure that absences are closed, sick pay is correctly determined/approved and OH referrals are made where appropriate
• Work with HR team colleagues (Reward Specialist/Analyst) to ensure that the annual salary review is delivered effectively
• Work closely with the HR Administrators to ensure legally compliant and up-to-date information is held on the HR Information System, Single Central Register and staff files and enable them to provide correct information as required
• Support the HR Admin team with contract changes, offers and compliance during peak periods/school holidays
• Ensure payroll changes are given to the HR Admin team in a timely and effective manner
• Manage flexible leave requests and provide advisory support to Line Managers and employees on maternity/paternity/other leave requests (bereavement, adoption, career break, sabbaticals)
• Conduct and record exit interviews for leavers, reporting data insights and ensuring any follow-up action as appropriate with line management
• Contribute ideas and suggestions and look for opportunities to improve HR practices and procedures, providing suggestions and solutions and reviewing/updating HR policies
• Build and maintain strong relationships between the School/Function and the wider HR department, facilitating an effective route of communications
• Keep up to date with external influences and best practice, impending legislation, policy changes or HR trends

To learn more about working at ACS, please visit www.acs-schools.com/working-acs

To apply, please send us your CV via the apply button.  

We look forward to receiving your application. 

ACS celebrates diversity as an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and, as an employee of ACS, you are expected to share this commitment. This position is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check.