The starting salary for this position is £29,844 per annum based on a 36-hour working week and is offered on a 12-month fixed-term or secondment basis.
This role is open to remote and agile working meaning you aren’t required in the office 5 days a week, nor work a standard 9-5. In support of our people and our greener futures strategies, we’d welcome a conversation with the successful candidate on what remote working may look like for you.
An opportunity for an Employee Relations (ER) Support Officer has arisen within Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s Operational Professionalism team. This would be a great role for someone looking to venture into the HR/ER world!
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service has the responsibility of protecting over one million people who live in the 650 square miles of Surrey. The Service employs just under 700 people across the County in a variety of roles comprising both uniformed personnel and support staff; they all share one vision: ‘With you, making Surrey safer’.
About the role
This is a brand-new role reporting into the Employee Relations Partner and joining the Operational Service Investigation Manager, who both work with a variety of teams within Surrey County Council to ensure the successful conclusion of all types of HR Advisory case work in the Fire and Rescue area, as well as drive the continuous development and quality assurance of ER processes for the Service.
Your role will be key in supporting support the team by undertaking administrative tasks that aid the coordination of employee relations case work. On a day-to-day basis this might look like:
Monitoring the SFRS ER inbox and maintaining the SFRS Case management system
Ensuring reportable case data is available
Supporting managers in the preparation of meetings, diary management, and ensuring there are notetaking provisions
We are introducing a ‘Speak up Service’ (a reporting line) to our current offerings of raising concerns routes which aims to support our cultural improvement journey. You will be involved in this and other ER related projects that drive quality assurance and continuous improvement to the department and wider Service.
The role is fast-paced but a great opportunity for an organised self-starter to take on a wide range of HR administrative based tasks including digital case file collation, notetaking and supporting ad-hoc HR project work.
What we’re looking for
We think the role would suit someone with an administrative or customer service background, looking to venture into HR, or interested in learning more about the employee relations function of HR.
Here are the qualities, skills & experiences we are looking for in our Employee Relations Support Officer:
Excellent administrative and notetaking skills
Attention to detail whilst working on multiple tasks with varying timescales
Excellent communication skills and ability to build relationships with different stakeholders
Confident, organised and with a proactive approach to work geared towards continuous improvement
Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft 365 applications (Excel, Word and SharePoint)
At Surrey County Council, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow.
Surrey Fire and Rescue’s values are aligned to the ‘Core Code of Ethics’, all SFRS employees are expected to work in alignment with these.
We also invite you to read our Life at Surrey handbook to see insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.
Additional information
Applications will be accepted up until 29th June 2023.
Please read the role description and person specification carefully before you apply. An application can be made online by clicking the apply button below. Please provide a CV and cover letter of no more than 2 pages when applying. Unfortunately, applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
** Please note should significant interest be received for this role, the service reserve the right to close the role earlier than the dates shown **
Interviews will take place on 18th July 2023. Interviews can be held both virtually on Microsoft Teams and in person. If your interview is virtual, you will be sent a MS Teams link before the interview.
Contact Information
For specific information about this job or an informal discussion, please contact Hannah Patchett, Employee Relations Partner, via email at hannah.patchett@surreycc.gov.uk.
Benefits
From flexible working to job sharing, we are committed to providing a healthy work life balance. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit MyBenefits for Surrey County Council staff.
Our Commitment
We are a Disability Confident Employer which means we are committed to employing people with disabilities and supporting them throughout their employment with us.
A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:
The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form
Our online application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.
We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.