Ballarat Grammar – Learning to Thrive; Engaged in the Word.

A leading regional co-educational Round Square School, where wellbeing sits at the heart of all learning.

Ballarat Grammar is one of regional Australia’s leading co-educational schools with a proud history dating back to 1877 and a flourishing community of over 1,500 students from 6 months to Year 12, including around 250 boarders.

ORGANISATION UNIT

This position is an integral member of the General Staff team at Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School.

ORGANISATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports via the Risk, Compliance and Culture Manager to the Headmaster.

This position works closely with the Deputy Head, Heads of School and Assistant Heads (Senior Staff), Daily Program Manager, Business Manager, Payroll Manager, the Director of Staff, and other key staff in the supervision of all staff across the School. This role has interaction with teaching staff, non-teaching staff, potential employees, related entities and the wider school community.

PRIMARY FOCUS

This position is responsible for the facilitation of all HR programs and functions throughout the School, including Ballarat Grammar and BGS Educational Services staff.  This position seeks to support Senior Staff in the operation and achievement of HR strategic objectives, through the provision of best practice HR advice and procedures.

The Human Resources Manager aims to facilitate performance excellence, and promote a safe, efficient and productive workplace, with a focus on staff wellbeing and effectiveness to ensure a positive educational environment for its students. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Recruitment and Onboarding Support

• Guide and advise Senior Staff to ensure an efficient and effective recruitment and selection process for Academic Staff, consistent with the School’s requirements and policies
• Create and update position descriptions and high-quality advertisement content to attract appropriate applicants from a variety of sources
• Ensure current staff are aware of vacancies ahead of recruitment periods through Stafflines
• Co-ordinate the selection of applicants for interview, including applicant management, creation of interview questions and summaries, and panel selection
• Send responses and updates to job applicants
• Conduct candidate reference checks, as required
• Post advertisements for staff vacancies via the Ballarat Grammar School website, online e-recruitment and print media outlets
• Be responsible for incoming staff processes including follow up of outstanding items e.g. VIT Registration, completion of training/compliance items, copies of academic transcripts etc.
• Assist with communication and co-ordination of regular HR related projects including:
  • VIT Registration renewal;
  • Anaphylaxis re-training;
  • Mandatory Reporting online module re-training; and
  • First Aid training sessions.
• Prepare offers of employment and populate employment contracts
• In conjunction with the Director of Staff or Risk Compliance and Culture Manager, organise and conduct new staff HR inductions, as required

Return to Work Co-ordinator

• Be responsible for all Return to Work (RTW) processes and be the nominated Return to Work Co-ordinator
• Regularly communicate with relevant staff regarding Return to Work Plans
• Ensure staff returning to work following a period of unexpected absence are supported, and that they understand their responsibilities and those of the School
• Liaise with medical professionals to inform each RTW Plan
• Manage all additional measures required to support a returning staff member
• Conduct regular review meetings to ensure RTW Plans remain current and adjust accordingly
• Seek confirmation and/or advice from medical professionals to inform the RTW Plan, as appropriate
• Conduct follow up meetings with staff who have concluded their RTW period to ensure that their capacity is as reported
• Liaise with staff regarding their wellbeing

Performance and Conduct Management

• Provide HR advice to the Headmaster, Senior Staff and relevant Heads of Department, as required
• Provide guidance to staff in positions of responsibility regarding how to manage difficult conversations
• Support Senior Staff to manage both the performance and conduct of teaching staff, when appropriate, and support the undertaking of investigations where necessary
• Co-ordinate and attend performance and conduct management interviews for teaching staff, as required
• Manage and conduct performance and conduct management interviews for general staff, as required
• Create documentation that is consistent with both school policy and legal responsibilities/best practice, in relation to concerns with performance and conduct of all staff

Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT)

• Communicate with Victorian Institute of Teachers (VIT) on a regular basis
• Oversee the maintenance of VIT database for the School
• Ensure all teaching staff have current VIT registration at all times
• Ensure a twice-yearly audit of VIT registration is undertaken
• Ensure Director of Staff supports graduate teachers with their Provisional Registration process
• Manage the Permission to Teach application process

Positions of Responsibility (PoR)

• Manage annual process regarding PoR turnover, recruitment and selection
• Ensure PoR policy is followed and internal recruitment process is undertaken in a transparent and timely manner
• Ensure PoR’s are advertised, as appropriate
• Oversee the co-ordination of interviews for all internal applicants
• Participate in PoR interviews, as appropriate
• Oversee the preparation of all documentation at conclusion of selection process
• Ensure the Synergetic database is maintained to reflect change

Human Resources Administration

• Production of formal HR correspondence including letters, contracts of employments and variations.
• General printing, filing and maintaining records pertaining to recruitment, staff training, staff leave forms and similar.
• Updating Synergetic and HR databases including new employee records, qualifications, Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) Registrations, National Criminal Record Checks and Working with Children Checks (WWCC).
• Monitor and facilitate staff probation processes and prepare recommendations for the Headmaster’s review in consultation with the Senior Staff and the Risk Compliance and Culture Manager
• Be responsible for maintaining accurate records of the recruitment lifecycle to satisfy audit requirements.
• Be responsible for the preparation of statements of service, confirmation of employment, new employee packs and other Human Resources related documents.
• Take responsible for ensuring all Position Descriptions and reporting lines reflect the current responsibilities and lines on the organisational chart.
• Monitor the Human Resources inbox and respond to Human Resource related staff queries.
• Ensure HR data is maintained in accordance with Australian Privacy Principle and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
• Assist with ensuring compliance of relevant awards
• Human Resources data entry.

Other

• Liaise and organise negotiations and documentation regarding the School’s Enterprise Agreement
• Refer staff, as required, to the Mind Life Clinic and confirm employee status with the clinic in a timely manner
• Be responsible for internal mediations for staff, as required
• Assist with the completion of WGEA Survey & other surveys as required
• Attend Professional Development workshops and seminars including with Ecumenical Schools Australia and ISV that will assist in successfully meeting the objectives of this role
• Co-ordinate and innovative recruitment projects
• Liaise with providers to order name badges for new staff
• Process leave forms including scanning and emailing documents to Payroll and filing of relevant correspondence for Academic Staff
• Conduct research, when required
• Other duties as requested by the Risk, Compliance and Culture Manager and the Headmaster.

Judgement and Decision-making

This position is required to carry out tasks in accordance with the specialised methods, procedures and processes developed from previous operations. However, the position is required to improve and develop methods and techniques, and to apply these to new situations in order to improve the efficiency and operation of the School’s Human Resources Department. In this respect, the Headmaster, the Head of Schools and the Risk, Compliance and Culture Manager are available for guidance and advice on this process.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Working in the Human Resources Department of Ballarat Grammar requires the ability to maintain confidentiality to the highest level. It is expected that confidential information will not be shared with any other individual including any other Ballarat Grammar employee unless they are or have permission from a direct line Manager or the staff member’s Head of School.

Child Safety Standards Statement

Ballarat Grammar is committed to zero tolerance of child abuse in every form.  All staff and members of our community have a duty of care to protect the safety, health and wellbeing of all children in their care. 

As a school with a diverse population, this includes students with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

This position description is a guide only, and not intended to be an exhaustive or exclusive list of the duties of this position.  All position descriptions are subject to review and modification by the HR Manager or the Risk, Compliance and Culture Manager in response to the changing needs of the School.

LNM

June 2020

Qualifications/Memberships/Skills:

• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Law and/ or significant relevant experience in a similar environment/organisation
• Outstanding interpersonal skills – face to face, email and in telephone contact – with confidence, cultural awareness, sensitivity and understanding
• A current membership with Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI)
• A current Working with Children Check for employment purposes
• A current National Police Check
• Ability to exercise confidentiality, sensitivity and discretion in relation to employee and HR information at all times
• Strong capabilities in Excel and Word
• Knowledge and experience of Synergetic and ELMO favourable
• Strong data entry skills
• Sound problem solving skills and excellent attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to follow instructions, ask for help when needed and adapt to change positively
• Ability to build and maintain effective and positive working relationships with team members, colleagues and key stakeholders.
• Experience with the operation of not-for-profit organisations desirable and knowledge of the independent school sector an advantage.