HR Case Worker (HEO)

On behalf of Defra, we are looking for HR Caseworkers (HEO) (Inside IR35) for a 4-month contract based remotely.

In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives. We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards. We have developed a set of three strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all the important work we carry out.

Our objectives are:

• To pass on to the next generation a natural environment protected and enhanced for the future. 
• To lead the world in food, farming, and fisheries with a sustainable model of food production. 
• To be an outstanding organisation focused on making a difference, with world class delivery capability.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs www.gov.uk. 

25 Year Environment Plan - GOV.UK www.gov.uk.

Defra Group HR is strengthening its HR casework service through additional HEO capacity. These roles will work across HR Casework and the Professional Standards Unit, providing practical, responsive support while helping move towards a more preventative service that builds manager confidence and capability.

As an HR Caseworker, you will:

• Provide advice, coaching and guidance to managers in Environment Agency and Natural England dealing with low-risk employee relations issues. This could include absence and performance management, probation, ill health retirement and employee moves on medical grounds. Postholders will coach managers to understand the relevant HR policy, consider the options and associated risks, and provide HR advice and guidance to managers, supporting them to progress cases towards timely and appropriate outcomes in line with employment law, organisational policy and ACAS guidance.
• Support our increased focus on early intervention and prevention across Defra group (Defra, Environment Agency, Natural England, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Rural Payments Agency and Veterinary Medicines Directorate). This will include helping to deliver manager training, tutorials and bookable drop-in sessions on topics such as difficult conversations, informal resolution, performance, disciplinary and grievance matters. Existing materials for early intervention will be used and developed to extend support across the Environment Agency and Natural England.
• Work within the Professional Standards Unit, supporting the Speak Up campaign and supporting expansion of the mediation offer. This may include coordinating and promoting Speak Up activity, supporting implementation of the 12-month plan, supporting mediation and casework continuous improvement activity to increase line manager confidence and capability, coordinating stakeholders and helping improve the accessibility and effectiveness of these services.
• Support casework data and reporting, maintain guidance and shared resources, and help ensure documentation and processes are ready for the introduction of a new system.
• Collectively, the roles will provide immediate additional capacity while helping establish more sustainable, consistent and user-focused approaches to HR casework.

Essential:

• Experience of working in an operational HR environment and applying HR policies to employee relations issues, with experience managing complex and high-risk casework.
• Stakeholder management experience.
• Strong communication, coaching and interpersonal skills, including the confidence to influence and appropriately challenge managers in difficult or sensitive situations.
• Able to assess information, identify risks, manage competing priorities and work collaboratively across HR and the wider business.
• Some experience of coaching, delivering training, briefings, workshops or learning sessions, either virtually or face-to-face.
• Comfortable presenting information clearly to groups, explaining HR policies or processes in an accessible and practical way, and adapting their approach to meet different levels of knowledge and experience.

Desirable:

• Confidence in facilitating discussion, responding to questions and using existing training materials to support learning and build manager capability would be beneficial.
• CIPD Level 5 or Associate-level qualification, or equivalent relevant HR experience, would also be advantageous

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a Disability Confident employer, Defra encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates. Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".