HR Business Partner

at  Teagasc

Location: Head Office, Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow, R93 XE12
Administration
Salary: Admin Grade 5 with a Salary Scale of €79,086 to €98,559
Closing Date: 27/11/2024 12:00 PM
Permanent Full Time

QUALIFICATIONS

At the time of applying, candidates must have:

• A minimum Level 8 qualification, as recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications, in Human Resources or another related discipline.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience operating at a senior HR level in a medium-large sized organisation.
• Post graduate qualification in leadership, change management, or another relevant discipline.
• Relevant public sector experience.
• CIPD ‘Chartered Fellow’ membership.
• Knowledge and/or experience of HRM technology, AI for talent management, HR analytics or other relevant HR technology tools.

SKILLS / KNOWLEDGE

• Demonstrated ability to lead and implement organisational change.
• Strong business acumen in areas such as workforce planning, performance management, public sector reform.
• Understanding and appreciation of the Irish Public Sector staffing and pay arrangements.
• Strategic awareness, innovation and change management skills.
• Good knowledge of employment law and the employee relations bodies.
• Excellent organisational and programme management skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Experience supporting organisational culture initiatives and development programmes.
• Experience introducing digital transformation changes to HR work would be advantageous.

THE HR BUSINESS PARTNER ROLE

This HR Business Partner role is a senior position, with responsibility for engaging at a HR strategic leadership level, and for providing insightful guidance and HR operational expertise across the Knowledge Transfer (KT) and Operations Directorates. These two Directorates comprise approximately 700 staff members, including 12 Advisory Regions, 7 Agricultural Colleges, and 5 Head Office Operations Departments (Finance, ICT, Corporate Services, Business Delivery, and Human Resources).
The appointee will be an experienced and knowledgeable HR professional who will be capable of taking a lead HR role working autonomously, and as part of a highly driven and accomplished HR team, to deliver a comprehensive and seamless HR partnering service to assigned Directorates. The role is hands-on and requires strategic and operational capabilities, together with an ability to efficiently manage one’s own administration.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• As a key member of Directorate leadership teams as assigned, undertake the role of HR Business Partner and operational lead for people management and related matters.
• Coach, facilitate and support Heads of Directorates and other senior managers to build organisational capability by utilising a range of HR initiatives, including performance management, workforce planning and succession planning.
• Lead the design and delivery of a comprehensive Staffing Plan for the Directorates to address programme priorities.
• Develop forward thinking staffing solutions that optimise the use and deployment of available resources; people and budget.
• Design and execute effective and engaging HR initiatives that re-enforce a high performance ‘Teagasc Together’ culture.
• Champion the Teagasc Values and contribute to new programmes that help to embed these Values.
• Ensure good governance and compliance with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) requirements regarding pay, terms and conditions, public sector codes, and Irish employment law provisions. This involves carrying out risk assessments on current practices in assigned Directorates, and driving forward changes to ensure risks are being managed/reduced and there is a high standard of governance.
• Lead and or support negotiations on industrial relations, including designing proposals that align with DAFM and DPER policies and requirements.
• Lead organisational change projects with a clear focus on maintaining positive employee relations, open consultation and best practice change management interventions.
• Facilitate the roll out of initiatives to support employee engagement and staff well-being.
• Provide in-depth advice and guidance to leadership teams and their direct reports on modern, LEAN HR interventions, policies and procedures to enable them to carry out their people management roles effectively.
• Support wider HR Department initiatives including the implementation of Teagasc HR strategies, and lead on specific projects, as assigned.
• Contribute to the development of people data analytics, and HR digital transformation within HR, as assigned.
• Such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.
• This Job Specification is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and responsibilities and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive. It will be reviewed from time to time with the post-holder.

The Teagasc Human Resources Department has a key role to play in managing and supporting various aspects of the organisation’s workforce, and in aligning human resource practices and processes with the organisation’s business strategy. Comprising of approximately 20 staff members, the Department is more specifically responsible for providing a wide range of professional services across five main HR programme areas:

• Business Partnering
• Pay and Pensions
• Recruitment
• Staff Learning and Development
• Employee Relations and Staff Engagemen

The selection process for this role may include all or some of the following:

• Pre-screen interview
• Pre-interview Case Study
• Candidate shortlisted for interview will be advised in advance of the presentation title and all other relevant details**
• Medical and reference check