Human Resources Manager – Diversity

Our client, a leading law firm, require a Human Resources Manager – Diversity to join their expanding team who are responsible for the development of HR strategy in line with the Firm's strategy and business goals, driving this through the design and implementation of HR policies, practices and initiatives across all areas of people management including professional development, recruitment and selection, diversity, employee relations, pay and benefits, and organisational change and development.

The role is part time, over 3 days per week (flexible, but must include Tuesday & Thursday).

Key Requirements:

To develop, implement and drive forward the Firm's diversity and inclusion strategy and action plan, in alignment with the Firm's business plan.  

Responsibilities

Strategy & implementation:

• In consultation with Human Resources Director and Head of Diversity, continue to develop and deliver the Firm's Diversity & Inclusion strategy and action plan.
• Provide advice and strategic input to Departmental Managing Partners and Practice Areas Managers on diversity & inclusion, ensuring the strategy is embedded into individual department practices and processes.
• Review and develop Firm wide HR policies and practices to ensure they promote diversity & inclusion for all members of the Firm.
• Plan and attend internal events and awareness raising activities to promote diversity in the workplace.
• Prepare and oversee the diversity budget (in consultation with the Human Resources Director and Head of Diversity).
• Conduct regular reviews of the effectiveness of the Firm's diversity and inclusion strategy.

Statistics & Reporting:

• In conjunction with the Head of Diversity, produce an annual report to the Management Board on diversity & inclusion at the Firm.
• Oversee collection of the Firm's diversity statistics in accordance with Firm policy, and the requirements of the Law Society Diversity & Inclusion Charter and the SRA.
• Use RARE/Allhires to produce reports on the Firm's recruitment diversity statistics from application to offer, including trainee recruitment.
• Provide diversity information for client pitches/tenders.
• Manage the biennial internal diversity survey, including survey design and implementation and analysis and reporting of survey results.
• Work with HR Officer to develop 'diversity' and 'engagement' sections of the staff survey, analyse results and identify actions.

Diversity in Recruitment:

• Work with Knowledge, Learning & Development (K,L&D) to manage the Firm's profile and attendance at University law fairs.
• Work with K,L&D and HR to ensure that diversity & inclusion is embedded into each stage of the recruitment cycle (including a review of the current recruitment and selection processes).
• Manage the Firm's relationship with RARE.
• Oversee the Firm's participation in Change 100 and report back to the Head of Diversity and the Board after each placement.
• Develop the outreach scheme to provide soft skills to high potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Training and Development:

• Work with K,L&D to identify and implement training that supports the diversity and inclusion strategy.
• Work with K,L&D to develop and re-launch the Firm's mentoring scheme.
• Manage the Firm's parent transition coaching programme, with support from HR Officer.
• Establish best practice and success metrics for all diversity and inclusion training and development programmes.

Diversity Forum:

• Arrange and attend quarterly meetings of the Diversity forum. Co-ordinate actions arising from forum meetings.

CR and Pro bono:

• Work with CR Committee to develop D&I and CR agenda and action plan for the Firm.
• Manage communications internally and externally.

Diversity Projects:

• Ad hoc diversity projects as identified by the Head of Diversity (in conjunction with Human Resources Manager – Projects), for example:
• Work allocation pilot.
• Review of diversity in recruitment, including embedding of diversity & inclusion into all stages of the recruitment cycle, and addressing historical perceptions of the Firm as an 'old fashioned' employer and provider of services.

Diversity Calendar:

• Plan and implement the annual 'Diversity Month' (DM). Work with Head of Diversity to identify areas of focus for DM, to ensure that it aligns with the Diversity & Inclusion strategy and action plan.
• Manage 'Modern Families' client/Business Development (BD) series.
• Work with BD/Marketing to identify and establish future events.

Best Practice & accreditations:

• Lead on award submissions and benchmarking indices for diversity & inclusion (e.g. Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, 100 Best Employers).
• Identify and harness relationships with external partners (e.g. Working Families, 30% Club, Stonewall).
• Keep abreast of new initiatives and programmes relating to diversity in the workplace (thought leadership).

Diversity intranet & website:

• Maintain the diversity & inclusion sections of the Firm's internal and external websites.

Skills and Experience

• Manager level experience required.
• CIPD qualified.

Special aspects

Our office hours are 9.30am to 5.30pm but it is essential that the applicant is committed, flexible and prepared to work beyond normal office hours when necessary and in response to the demands of the business.