IR and HR Policy Team Manager

Job Introduction

Together, we’re delivering the future together and becoming an employer, partner, and place shaper of choice. To achieve our goals, we need to transform how we work by redesigning our organisational structure, so we’re set up for success and sustainability in the future.

Our HR & Cultural Change service is at the start of its journey, to fundamentally change how it works to deliver the Our People and Culture Strategy, helping to make sure the organisation is well-equipped to respond to opportunities and challenges, now and in the future.

About Us

Oxfordshire County Council is a values-led organisation committed to delivering excellent services to our communities while creating a supportive and inclusive workplace for our people. Our HR & Cultural Change service is central to this mission, driving forward our “Delivering the Future Together” transformation programme and embedding a culture that is collaborative, innovative and people-focused.

We are proud of our strong relationships with our recognised trade unions and our commitment to fair, transparent and inclusive employment practices. Our HR policies and procedures are a key part of this, and we are looking for a skilled and experienced leader to help us take this work to the next level.

About You

You are a confident and experienced HR professional with a deep understanding of industrial relations and HR policy development. You are skilled in negotiation and consultation, particularly within a unionised and politically complex environment, and you are committed to building constructive relationships that support both organisational goals and employee wellbeing.

You bring a strategic mindset and a practical approach, with the ability to develop innovative policies and procedures that are legally compliant, aligned with best practice, and reflective of our organisational values. You are also a capable leader, able to manage and develop a team, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and ensure that your team’s work is joined-up, cohesive and impactful.

You are someone who understands the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion, and you embed these principles in everything you do. You are also comfortable working across organisational boundaries, collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver high-quality outcomes.

About the Role

As the Industrial Relations & HR Policy Team Manager, you will lead a team responsible for managing all aspects of industrial relations and HR policy development across the Council. You will be the lead officer for negotiating and consulting with our recognised trade unions on terms and conditions and HR policies, ensuring that the Council meets its obligations as an employer across all services, including maintained schools and the fire service.

You will oversee the development of innovative HR policies, procedures and toolkits that support the employee lifecycle and reflect our values and ways of working. You will also act as a subject matter expert, providing advice and guidance to colleagues across the HR & Cultural Change service and ensuring that all policy documentation is compliant, consistent and user-friendly.

This is a role that requires both strategic vision and operational delivery. You will be responsible for ensuring that our policies are not only legally sound but also support our ambitions to be an inclusive, high-performing and values-driven organisation. You will also contribute to wider HR projects and initiatives, helping to embed the Our People and Culture strategy and support the Council’s transformation journey.

Following our service redesign, the new HR & Cultural Change operating model ensures everyone has clarity on their role and remit, while reinforcing a ‘one team’ ethos. This is an exciting time to join us, as we take the next steps in our service together. 

Rewards and benefits

• Culture of flexible working 
• Technology to support agile working
• 30 days’ holiday p.a. plus bank holidays 
• Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development.

Our commitment to:
 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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If you encounter any technical issues with the application system, please contact us at: careers@oxfordshire.gov.uk