Who are we?

South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England, and the Isle of Wight.

Join our team and help us continue to improve quality of life, by bringing people together to get the most out of life.

SWR is part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About you:

You're looking to build a career in HR and looking for a role that gives you opportunity to develop whilst in role.

You're passionate about Human Resources. You have strong attention to detail and enjoy designing and presenting effective communications. You enjoy working as part of a team along with the ability to work independently, whilst making sound business decisions. You will have a flair for analysing data. You're confident presenting your ideas to others using your first-class communication skills.

This role is designed to develop those who are in the early stages of their HR career. Through on the job development and support, and through being given the opportunity to build a network of contacts, this role will provide an entry level stepping stone to fast progression within the HR function for the right candidate. As your development builds you will grow into delivering the full role as follows.

About the Job:

The ability to work alongside all functions within South Western Railway will be essential to the success of this role. Our work affects the whole organisation, meaning you'll be partnering with colleagues across all our business functions; this could include Operations, Engineering, Customer Experience, Major Projects, Finance and Procurement. You will need to be adaptable to business requirements whilst being resilient in providing effective people solutions

Your main responsibilities will be:

You will work collaboratively on all people issues, building strong relationships with Managers and Trade Union Representatives.
Develop effective people solutions; Provide advice and guidance and supporting the management teams to deliver a fair and consistent application of all people policies and procedures
Prepare and deliver internal presentations and reports.
Develop and maintain working relationships with SWR Managers, HR Colleagues, Trade Union Representatives and Colleagues.
Liaise with HR specialist functions to provide a quick and seamless approach to training, recruitment, talent and succession, employee wellbeing and change management.
Provide a proactive HR service to your relevant business area by acting as the subject matter expert on all Employee Relation cases, such as disciplines, grievances, AWOL, ill health and redeployments.
Work with HR Colleagues to support the coordination and administration of ER programmes in a timely, accurate and consistent manner to help ensure that all Colleagues are engaged in delivering SWR's business objectives.
Assist in the management of the employment tribunal cases in liaison with solicitors and the Head of HR Services.

As a minimum, you will need to have:

Educated to degree level having achieved a minimum of a 2:1. Degree can be for any subject or relevant practical work experience in the Railway Industry.
Strong ability to be able to influence, highlight and suggest recommendations to managers at all levels whilst maintaining an impartial professional viewpoint.
Experience in a customer service environment desirable.
A sound knowledge of employment legislation and ACAS best practice.
Experience of working as part of a team along with the ability to work independently, whilst making sound business decisions.
Ability to communicate clearly in writing and orally.
Experience of managing/leading others.
Knows how to gather data from a variety of sources, to inform credible conclusions with the use of presentations.
Highly effective written and presentation skills at all levels.

Applicants who require a visa, must have at least 6 months remaining at the time of their appointment.

About the location

This role will require travel across our network, with the primary location being our offices in Southampton. Overline House is conveniently situated overlooking Southampton Central Station and is easily accessible by public transport. The station is very local to West Quay, a hub for retailers and restaurants, and provides an excellent link between London, Coastal areas and the Isle of Wight.

Working pattern

You will work an average of 37 hours per week, across 5 days, typically; Monday to Friday, office hours.

The Reward

In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits, including:

Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employees
Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependent)
75% discount on many other train operating companies
Full training and support with development
Large range of exclusive retail offers
Excellent pension scheme
During your time you will have the opportunity to work towards a level 5 Apprenticeship as HR Consultant Partner. You will have the option to undertake an HR specialism from the CIPD.

We all belong at SWR. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/

FirstGroup

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