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Role Description – People Director

JOB TITLE: People Director
TEAM: HR Team
DURATION: Permanent
LINE MANAGER: Diocesan Secretary/Chief Executive Officer
RESPONSIBLE FOR: HR, Learning & Development Manager

The People Director will support the Bishops Leadership Team (BLT) and the Diocesan Board of Finance Leadership Team (DBFLT) equipping them in their respective roles to build a positive leadership culture, and working with clergy, DBF staff and volunteers.

Acting as a strategic partner, the People Director will advise and support leaders to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, promoting best practice in people management across the Diocese.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

  • Provide leadership that ensures a culture of employee and clergy development, retention and attraction of exceptional talent.
  • Develop and implement a strategic people strategy with appropriate governance that aligns with the overall mission, budget and strategy of the Diocese.
  • Provide insightful, innovative thinking and problem solving on critical issues – being able to explore pragmatic responses and consider appropriate risk approaches
  • Leverage data and information to support evidence-based strategy development, monitoring and evaluation.
  • Review and implement best practices and policies that will service the needs of the Diocese (clergy, volunteers and DBF staff) to build a high performing culture of excellence, accountability, transparency and collaboration. This includes ensuring full compliance with the HSE requirements and best practice, including staff training.
  • Coach and counsel those with leadership responsibility in developing themselves and their teams to achieve improved performance and engagement.
  • Oversee remuneration and reward practices and philosophy to ensure salary benchmarking conducted on a regular basis.
  • Work closely with the Bishops and Archdeacons, recognising their own responsibilities around clergy appointments, which includes work with parishes and patrons.

Operational Oversight

  • Support the Diocesan vision and mission through effective and efficient design and delivery of processes of recruitment, learning and development, performance management, reward and recognition and succession planning.
  • Ensure compliance with employment law and Church of England policies, including safeguarding and health & safety standards (in collaboration with the Head of Safeguarding).
  • Ensure health & wellbeing is prioritised for employees and clergy office holders.
  • Working with the Bishop’s Advisor for disability and others, ensure the diverse needs of employees and clergy are understood and responded to creatively.
  • Manage the diocesan engagement with the national data systems as they impact clergy contacts, payroll, pensions etc.
  • Optimise the HR function, modernise and refine key policies and processes and activities aligned toward achieving the strategic objectives of the Diocese, including any implementation activities.
  • Lead the HR function to counsel, coach and guide managers and staff in addressing concerns and complaints to ensure fair and equitable treatment and promote an inclusive and diverse workplace environment.
  • Lead on all legal requirements regarding employment and engagement of office holders. Emphasising the importance of the values and talents of our people aligning with our work in the Diocese.

Learning and Development

  • Create and implement a learning and development strategy to support the work and mission of the Diocese.
  • Equip managers and clergy with the skills and tools needed for effective performance reviews and development conversations.
  • In conjunction with line managers, identify the training needs of staff to improve the overall performance of the DBF.
  • Work with the Ministry team on developing a clergy leadership and wellbeing programme that enables our clergy to flourish and grow.

Clergy Office Holders

  • Advise Archdeacons and Bishops on and provide support for appointments, review, and occupational health issues i.e. general advice and on specific cases.
  • Support and advise on deployment, planning and work with the Discipleship, Vocations and Ministry Committee in monitoring the pipeline of vocations and its implications.
  • Advise on employment law as it applies to clergy as well as interpreting measures relating to Common Tenure and how the two interact, including in relation to chaplaincy and where posts are centrally employed and locally deployed.
  • With the Bishop’s, support and encourage open, positive and effective development reviews for all Clergy to ensure mutual flourishing and wellbeing throughout the Diocese.
  • Provide the HR advice and presence required under certain formal procedures such as disciplinary, grievance and capability, sickness and absence.
  • Advise the Bishop’s Offices on Statements of Particulars and related documentation for those under Common Tenure and ensure the clergy handbook is up to date.
  • Draw upon support from the Registry in advising the Bishops and Archdeacons in all aspects of clergy support.

Support for local churches

  • Working with the Bishops, Archdeacons and other clergy to promote and encourage good HR practice within parishes and to develop model resources and policies for use by parishes.
  • To ensure that clergy, parish officers, and PCCs (A parochial church council (PCC) is the executive committee of a Church of England parish and consists of clergy and churchwardens of the parish, together with representatives of the laity.). receive the highest standards of professional advice and guidance, as well as customer care, support, encouragement and professional information and/or advice from all Diocesan offices.

This document indicates the general level of responsibility and overall aims/outcomes of the position. The above is not an exhaustive list of activities and responsibilities. You will be expected to perform relevant activities, as necessitated by your role, to meet the aims and the overall objectives of the organisation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The role requires a high level of confidentiality and will involve dealing with sensitive data which at times has the potential of having an emotive impact on the reader.

The post holder must always undertake activities in accordance with legislative and regulatory requirements.

The post holder must always carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the DBF Equal Opportunities Policy and be vigilant in complying with Health & Safety regulations to maintain a safe and secure working environment.

In addition, the post-holder will need to occasionally be able to travel within the diocese and be available to attend events outside normal working hours on a “time off in lieu” basis.