HR & OD

Grade 4: - £19,612 - £21,814 per annum
Fixed Term - Full Time
Contract Duration: Fixed term until 30 September 2021
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 10-Dec-2020, 7:59:00 AM 

The Department and role purpose

People are the most important asset of Durham University and our HR Department is pivotal in ensuring that we attract, recruit, develop, reward and retain the very best talent from across the world into our University community. Building on our bold and ambitious University Strategy, a key role of HR is to secure the University’s strategic aim, ‘to be a world leading employer’ by ensuring that our staff can reach their full potential. The HR Department plays a lead role in creating a working environment for our staff (and potential staff) which is supportive, stimulating and informative which provides for creative and innovative employment practices and opportunities. Our aim is to make sure that Durham University is a great place to work.

OUR GOALS

We will:

• Oversee a workforce which can effectively and efficiently deliver the University Strategy;
• Attract, retain and reward the very best talent for every role in the University;
• Develop colleagues at every level to ensure that staff are supported to realise their potential and understand their contribution to the University’s goals;
• Make sure that the University has an increasingly diverse workforce and that all staff are demonstrably valued, engaged and treated equally and fairly; and
• Promote the well-being of all of our workforce.

The purpose of this role is to provide administrative support for HR and Payroll activities. The post holder will be responsible for accurately processing any changes on HR and Finance systems, ensuring that all activities are completed within the necessary timeframe, in accordance with policy, and that complete up to date records are maintained in accordance with legislation. The post holder will provide a first class, customer focussed HR & Payroll service to managers and members of staff.

This post is full time (35 hour per week) and fixed term until 30 September 2021.

Core responsibilities: 

• Provide a responsive and proactive support service for stakeholders.
• Focus on checking stakeholder requirements to ensure the delivery of excellence with the frontline stakeholder experience, maintaining our high professional standard of reporting and processes.
• Respond to service users answering and recording standard queries and bookings for activities and/or events.
• Contribute to the planning of team activities, work and deadlines to ensure the smooth running and timeliness of service, providing cover for other members of the team as required.
• Solve day-to-day routine problems and source background information within the role.
• Record data and information accurately and provide reports as required to team members and more experienced staff.
• Operate a booking and enquiry service and process requests finding solutions or escalating queries where necessary.
• Flexible in approach to accommodate the needs of team members and/or service users.
• Assist team members to organise, plan and prepare for events, meetings and activities.
• Liaise with internal and external suppliers, contractors and professional specialists to pass on information and improve data quality.
• Apply professional and regulatory procedures and processes and use of systems, ensuring high attention to detail and accuracy at all times.
• Establish and develop close working relationships, liaising and collaborating with staff in other areas of the organisation to ensure a seamless, smooth and efficient service.
• Resolve queries and requests for information and advice and escalate more specialist and complex queries or issues to more experienced team members. 

Role responsibilities: 

• Work with team members to ensure the smooth running of administrative processes to support people and business activities, providing assistance to others as necessary.
• Apply standard professional and recognised regulatory procedures to process, check and reconcile anomalies within data and information sets.
• Compile, record, store and archive data and information to ensure the accuracy and safety of information in line with data protection and confidentiality requirements.
• Liaise with representatives from other service areas, professional organisations and agencies, acting as a point of contact for colleagues requiring advice and administrative support on HR or payroll processes and systems.
• Use standard office-based digital systems, tools and equipment to carry out data recording, communications and networking.
• Provide service and support for networks, committees and meetings, to draft and distribute documents and communications in standard professional formats.
• Process and update key business documentation.
• Liaise with internal and external suppliers and specialists with the organisation, planning and delivery of services, activities and events.
• Provide advice and guidance on basic HR and/or payroll legislation and requirements.
• Manage own workload, mindful of the set objectives and priorities, ensuring that deadlines and queries are dealt within appropriate timescales.
• Contribute to general HR and payroll process development.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Recruiting to this post   In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below.    

In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.    

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.  

How to apply    We prefer to receive applications online.  

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.  

What you are required to submit  

1. A CV; 
2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
3. Examples of how you satisfy the person specification essential criteria.   

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.  

Contact details   For further information please contact;  Lucy Haworth, HR People & Pay Services Senior Manager (lucy.haworth@durham.ac.uk)  

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. 

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.  

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required  

Essential Criteria 

1. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
2. Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
3. Five GCSE’s at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics (or equivalent experience).
4. Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.
5. Evidence of personal development to maintain skills.
6. Relevant administrative experience in a busy office environment.
7. Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.
8. Experience of working on the front line with service delivery, and the ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines without compromising on quality.
9. Experience of working in a team.
10. Ability to solve problems as part of a team and resolve straightforward issues.  
11. Demonstrable effective time management, workload organisation and prioritisation skills with the ability to manage conflicting priorities.

Desirable Criteria

• Significant experience gained in an administrative HR or payroll role within a complex organisation.
• IT related Qualification in use of Microsoft office or equivalent
• HR or payroll related professional qualification.
• A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of an HR/payroll system.

Realising Your Potential Approach

  Grades 3 - 4 Realising Your Potential Approach behaviour indicators  

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.