Employee Relations Consultant at Stanbic IBTC Bank

Stanbic IBTC Bank is a leading African banking group focused on emerging markets globally. It has been a mainstay of South Africa's financial system for 150 years, and now spans 16 countries across the African continent.

Ultimately, Standard Bank’s success is built entirely upon our people. With an unrivalled global reputation for innovation and service, our corporate culture promotes independence, teamwork, and creativity. Optimising this environment and ensuring clarity of goals and communication is just one aspect of the work managed by our HR division, and they now need a Human Capital Business Partner to help them meet these business-critical goals

We are recruiting to fill the following position:

Job Title: Employee Relations Consultant

Job ID: 12591
Location: Nigeria

Position Description
To provide a high level advisory service on a wide range of employee relations and human resources matters (including terms and conditions of employment, disciplinary action, grievance management, performance management, termination,
industrial action), while maintaining a strategic focus which facilitates the achievement of key corporate outcomes.
To assist the ER Manager to manage the Employee Relations programs, processes and policies

Dimensions
(Quantitative terms, the key areas on which the job has an impact)

(a) Financial:

• To maximise profits for SBN's bottom line by effective dispute resolution.
• To assess risk in order to minimise the financial burden

(b) Customer:

Image

• Drive effectiveness and value add of Industrial Relations service.
• Representation in conciliations and arbitrations.
• To provide quality advice to our customers resulting in customer satisfaction.

(c) Internal Business Processes:
High Quality Productivity

•  
• Legally compliant and procedurally fair and efficient IR processes that promote good governance and fair outcomes.
• Effective and efficient delivery of services and agreed projects that meet the business's expectations.
• Monitor and ensure compliance to all risk and regulatory requirements e.g. controls to ensure consistency in the formulation of settlements.
• Proactive identification of continuous improvement suggestions that are implemented.

Key Result Areas/Key Performance Area/Principal
Acountability.

• To provide an effective employment relations service
• To advise, guide and support managers with all matters relating to employee relations
• Effective case management of people related issues such as: Disciplinary, Performance management, Employment tribunals, Grievance and Absence management
• Developing effective relationships with the business to promote good employee relations across the organization
• Providing advice and guidance on disciplinary cases, grievance, and coaching managers where appropriate.

Effective risk mitigation in protecting the reputation of the bank

• To ensure compliance of applicable labour legislation, SBN policies, procedures and collective agreements that impact on the individual employment relationship.
• Execute proactive employee relations initiatives to ensure consistency and fairness throughout the Bank.
• This job also entails the guidance to business processes to understand ER implications.

Assistance to the ER manager in the upskilling of Line Managers, Chairpersons and Forensics on ER matters (including ongoing advice and guidance)

• Liaise with Head of Individual BU to identify training needs
• Make suggestions to Head of BU on the effectiveness and completeness of training material

Effective handling of internal ER matters

Disputes

• Analyse case file and assess risks and options (if any), as well as the most effective way of resolving the matter
• When there are issues in question, debate and discuss with team

Advice

• Provide sound, fair and objective advice in line with SBN’s policies, relevant legislation and recent case law
• Continually keep team abreast of recent precedent-setting cases

Effective internal and external stakeholder management

• Updating and Submitting weekly and monthly reports
• Communicate to Forensics on the outcomes of their investigations
• Continually network with business to build relationships, understand their needs and keep them abreast of trends and developments
• Continually maintain relationship with external stakeholders e.g. Ministry of Labour, Office of the Labour Commissioner.

Effective teamwork and self management

• Continually drive best-in-class systems and practices
• Make an effort to stay relevant and up-to-date (with legislation, new developments, etc)
• Take ownership and accountability for tasks and activities and demonstrate effective self management
• Maintain a positive attitude and respond openly to feedback
• Manage own disruptive emotions (handle stress in ways that do not negatively impact others).

Key performance measures

• Proactive internal management of disputes
• Proactive identification of trends
• Positive feedback from internal stakeholders on the quality of advice and support
• Sound working relationships with external stakeholders
• Incumbent achieves results in ways that build strong partnerships, both internally and externally

Key dimensions of the job

• Provides services to PBB,CIB & Support
• The ER Consultant is the custodian of fair disciplinary practices in the Bank. The ER Consultant will ensure transparency , consistency and fair outcomes to HR, Line Managers and Employees in SBN

Important Relationships

Internally:

• Head: HR, ER Manager, Regional Head HR, HR Consultants, Line managers, Chairpersons, Legal Department, Integrity OPS and Financial Crime Control (Forensics).

Externally:

• Legal Attorneys
• Office of the Labour commissioner/Ministry of Labour
• Unions

Required Skills and Qualifications
Knowledge

• Relevant tertiary qualification.
• Knowledge of Namibian Labour law, dispute resolution mechanisms and relevant case law as it pertains to employee relations.
• Sound knowledge of the ER Procedures and Disciplinary Code.
• Good knowledge of Standard Banks structure and chain of command.
• Understands and is comfortable in utilising the technical knowledge of the job.
• Keeping abreast with current events, changing trends, business drivers and best practices impacting the Financial Sector and the group’s broader HR strategy.

Experience

• At least 6 years Human Resources/ER experience
• HR Diploma or B-degree or equivalent
• 3 to 5 years experience in Labour Relations

Required Competencies
Problem solving, planning and decision making

Problem solving

• Risk assessment is a key factor in problem solving and in relation to recommendations of outcomes.
• Solutions are derived using case research as well as application in terms of legislation, policy, procedure compliance. The ER Consultant can work unsupervised as advice given is generally tested against precedents in labour law.
• Resolutions of problems require extensive investigation and consultation in order to obtain additional information as well as in the interest of consistency. The ER Consultant uses initiative in terms of advice given, training needs and arbitration hearings.
• Statistical data analysed in order to identify trends and address these trends by means of training initiatives.
• Nature of problems faced is generally complex where HR would seek an expert opinion. Volume of work is immense as time is spent preparing for Disciplinary hearings and consulting with FCC all at once. The ER Consultant will consistently deal with difficult customers but will ensure fairness to all even if it is not what the customer wants to hear. A challenge in terms of the ER Consultant role would be the experience of Commissioners/ Arbitrators in a dispute resolution forum because lack of understanding of the Banking environment could result in an unsatisfactory award.

Planning

• Effective time management skills to be effectively applied in terms of preparation for cases to be presented at arbitration.
• Planning for cases entails consultations, case research, requesting additional documentation/information.
• Planning ahead in terms of preparation of statistical data by ensuring that the dispute schedule is constantly updated.
• Planning ahead in terms of cases
• Planning in advance for training needs for business units.

Decision making

• Decision making governed by legislation , policy , procedures , disciplinary code etc. which need to be adhered to so as to avoid cost implications or a reputation risk to the bank.
• Decisions based on information collated and analyzed from various sources ie. consultations , case law , legislation , policy

Competencies

• Strategic thinking
• Conflict Management
• Excellent negotiation, influencing and persuasion skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Building relations and networking.
• Assertiveness
• People development
• Practical execution management with
• Strong focus on customer service.
• Business insight
• Judgement
• Analysis and attention to detail
• Risk Management
• Problem solving

Application Closing Date
15th April, 2014

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online