Overview

The Northside Partnership is a Local Development Company working with individuals and communities in northeast Dublin. A registered Charity, we work to improve opportunities for people experiencing poverty and disadvantage and offer a range of programmes and services to bring about positive changes to the lives of individuals, local organisations and communities across our catchment area. 

We wish to recruit a full-time People Development and Wellness Manager to lead and manage the HR and Health and Safety functions. Reporting to the CEO, this senior position aligns HR strategies with organisational objectives, culture and our Advantaged Thinking approach. 

Contributing to the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP 2024 – 2028), this position plays a lead role in providing capacity building support to local Community and Voluntary groups in the area of HR. The role is aimed at HR professionals eager to channel their expertise towards creating positive change in the community sector, promoting social inclusion and empowerment.

Purpose of the Role

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, this position plays a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of human resources and health and safety management. Key responsibilities include compliance with applicable laws and regulations while fostering a positive safe work environment through our Advantaged Thinking (AT) principles. This approach ensures a quality work environment for all, including beneficiaries and work placement participants.

A key aspect of this role entails ensuring HR strategies are in line with organisational objectives and culture. To accomplish this, the role involves planning and partnering with Northside Partnerships Integrated Services Team to provide coaching and support and identify management development opportunities to ensure the team has the confidence, competence and capabilities to achieve our mission.

The People Development and Wellness Manager plays an essential role in developing local community and voluntary group’s capability with regard to HR, people management, and employment legislation. Through the use of an AT, coaching/mentoring approach, the successful person will help improve outcomes for SICAP beneficiaries as well as those at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

Strategic HR

• Support Northside Partnership’s culture through the development and review of Northside Partnership’s policies, procedures, and work practices to ensure alignment with Northside Partnership's AT Framework.
• Collaborate with the Leadership team to develop and implement strategies for employee engagement and development.
• Participate in Northside Partnership’s strategic planning process and contribute to the development of strategic initiatives.
• Support and facilitate organisational change initiatives.
• Assist with submission writing where it pertains to human resources and/or health and safety perspective.

Recruitment

• Oversee the continuous review, development and implementation of Northside Partnership’s talent management process.
• Work with and guide hiring managers to ensure the recruitment process is in keeping with Northside Partnership’s goals and AT principles. This will involve the smooth running of recruitment campaigns from inception to onboarding.
• Collaborate with hiring managers to evaluate the role’s scope of responsibility, ensuring alignment with suitable remuneration terms and conditions.

Employee Relations and Engagement 

• Enhance employer-employee relations through the development of robust employee engagement strategies, along with the implementation of associated policies and procedures.
• Assist line managers Identify staff training events and activities to promote cross-partnership working and networking.
• In line with an AT approach, assist managers navigate employee relation matters, emphasising informal resolution techniques such as coaching, mentoring and mediation whenever feasible.
• Support the effective management of relationships with staff and representative bodies.

Remuneration

• Work with the management team, identify, develop and promote cost effective mechanisms to support staff retention. 
• Stay informed of pay, compensation and employment terms to guide Northside Partnership’s policy and practice. 
• When required, communicate findings to facilitate informed decision-making for the planning and implementation of pay structures in line with Community and Voluntary sector frameworks to the CEO and Finance Manager.

Compliance

• Ensure Local Community organisations receive up-to-date capability workshops and information by staying informed of emerging HR practices and legislative changes. 
• Ensure Northside Partnership’s staff handbook, policies and procedures comply with current legislation and best practices. 
• Oversee all employee relations matters to ensure they are conducted in line with Northside Partnership policies and processes. 
• Establish standards for the keeping of personnel file records and ensure standards are maintained across Northside Partnership.
• Manage Northside Partnership’s Garda Vetting process and records. 
• Oversee the processing of beneficiary feedback and complaints in keeping with Northside Partnership’s Beneficiary Feedback and Complaints process. 

Health & Safety

• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance with all Health and Safety requirements across Northside Partnership.
• Develop and review in conjunction with the health and safety committee and management team, safe systems of work.
• Ensure that the health and safety strategy is integrated into the overall strategy for the organisation.
• Develop and promote a positive health and safety culture at Northside Partnership by supporting managers and teams to create and maintain a safe and healthy work environment.
• Assist staff in identifying health and safety hazards and develop risk assessments as required.
• Conduct or support health and safety investigations as required.
• Develop staff understanding of health and wellbeing, through positive engagement, training and support across the partnership.
• Support line manager to ensure a safe and compliant work environment.
• Ensure health and safety is an agenda item at Board, management and team meeting agendas. 
• Report to the Board of Management and the CEO and provide briefings on health and safety as required.

Staff Training and Development

• Ensure Northside Partnership’s policies and practices regarding staff training and development comply with legislation and good practice. 
• Streamline the onboarding process for new hires, this includes providing training and guidance on policy and culture and ensuring all necessary paperwork is completed.  
• Liaise with the management team in identifying and addressing staff training and development needs. 
• Develop and promote formal and informal mechanisms to support staff training and development. 
• Ensure future and current statutory training requirements with regard to Health and Safety, and Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults are met. 
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; and participating in professional societies.

Performance Management Systems 

• Oversee the ongoing development and implementation of Northside Partnership’s Performance Management System.
• Ensure adequate processes and procedures are in place to support the Performance Management system including documentation and evidence gathering. 
• Support the management team in implementing Northside Partnership’s Performance Management System. 
• Provide mentoring/coaching to managers, supervisors and employees in matters relating to performance and staffing relations.

HRIS, Reporting and Administration

• Maintain accurate employee records on HRIS (BrightHR).
• Ensure HR employee time and attendance related systems are accurately maintained.
• Liaise with payroll regarding new hires, leavers, sick leave or any staff contractual changes.
• Provide reports to the CEO as required and provide reports to the Board and sub-committees as required.

Community Support

• Develop and deliver HR workshops for Community Organisations within the catchment area.
• Provide employee relations support and advice to Local Community Organisations as required.
• Provide updates to Local Community Organisations regarding emerging legislation and trends.

Person Specification

Candidates are encouraged to apply for this role with the requirement that they can demonstrate both the relevance of their skills and experience. The person appointed will likely demonstrate a genuine commitment to Northside Partnership’s ethos and vision. Northside Partnership is committed to implementing an Advantaged Thinking approach which focuses on identifying, developing and investing in skills, capabilities and assets of the people we work with and our staff. The successful candidate will ideally have the skills and attributes as detailed below.   

Qualifications 

• This is a senior post. A relevant third-level degree, preferably at a Maser's level with at least 5 years of experience in a similar role is required. 

Desirable qualifications:

• Membership of the CIPD.
• Diploma in executive coaching/mediation or similar area
• Health and Safety qualification.  

Experience/Knowledge 

• Strategic planning and work plan preparation.
• Developing and implementing HR policies and procedures. 
• Delivering workshops to internal and external community organisations.
• Leading and managing workplace dispute processes.
• Identifying and implementing workplace development opportunities.
• Provide coaching and or mentoring to Local Community Leaders and Northside Partnership’s management team. 
• Building and maintaining effective relationships.
• The ability to provide clear direction to management and staff on emerging legislation and good practice.
• Experience managing ambiguity and change in a complex and dynamic environment.

Technical Skills 

• Strong knowledge of employment law, employee relations and HR process management. 
• Management across the full Employee Lifecycle.
• Performance and Reward systems and HR metrics.
•  Proficiency in HR systems and MS Office applications.
• Understanding of the community environment in which the Northside Partnership operates.

Personal Attributes 

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Listens to understand, fostering a positive work environment.
• Can create strong relationships, foster trust and facilitate idea sharing to develop capability in others.
• Ability to manage and drive a diverse range of responsibilities, make decisions and interact with others in a manner that demonstrates competence and professionalism.
• Collaborative can influence and motivate.
• Fair, impartial and open to new ideas and information.
• Skilled communicator and facilitator. 
• Focused on the delivery of key objectives and shared priorities in line with an AT approach.
• Credible, with the capacity to represent the organisation,
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Be approachable and non-judgemental.
• Have a passion for supporting the mission and values of the community sector.
• Commitment to the ethos and values of Northside Partnership (refer to: http://northsidepartnership.ie/about-us ).