Human Resources Manager

Solomon Group is looking for an experienced, pragmatic HR Manager who is comfortable operating at both the strategic and hands-on ends of HR.

We need someone who can work alongside our CEO and leadership team, deal confidently with complex people matters, coach managers through challenging situations and help us lift the standard of people management across the organisation – while still being happy to roll up their sleeves and manage the practical HR work that comes with the role.

There is plenty to get stuck into.

About Solomon Group

Solomon Group is a leading tertiary education and social services provider that has been serving our communities for more than 25 years. We empower individuals to unlock their potential in a respectful and supportive environment. Rooted in the principle of ka mahi, ka ora (to work is to live), we deliver foundation skills and self-development programmes that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Together with NZ Welding, Trades and Services and Treehouse, we help people develop the skills, confidence and pathways they need to succeed in work and in life.

Our learners and clients come from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances, and our people are passionate about making a difference. That makes this an incredibly rewarding environment to work in – and also one that requires an HR professional who is resilient, fair, commercially minded and comfortable having difficult conversations when they're needed.

What you’ll be doing

You'll work closely with the CEO and leadership team to provide practical, commercially sound HR advice and support across the employee lifecycle.

A major focus will be employee relations. You'll confidently lead and support managers through grievances, disciplinary processes, performance issues and other complex employment matters, ensuring managers follow fair, consistent and legally sound processes.

You'll also help us strengthen the capability of our middle managers. Rather than simply solving every people problem for them, you'll coach managers to have better conversations, manage performance effectively, address issues early and become more confident leaders of their teams.

Recruitment is another area where we need additional resource. Our managers need hands-on support with the practicalities – getting adverts to market, managing applications and recruitment administration – as well as support to make good selection decisions and ensure new employees get a strong start through effective onboarding.

And when significant organisational change is required, you'll be capable of taking the lead – planning and project managing restructuring processes, preparing documentation, coaching leaders, managing consultation and implementation, and ensuring the process is both legally robust and handled with respect.

We're also an organisation that continues to evolve. Continual improvement is part of our DNA, so we are specifically looking for someone who has personally led significant restructuring processes from beginning to end. If your restructuring experience has primarily been providing support to somebody else leading the process, this probably isn't the right role.

What we’re looking for

You'll be an experienced New Zealand HR generalist who is comfortable rolling up your sleeves and getting involved.

You'll need:

• Strong generalist HR experience, ideally at HR Manager, Senior HR Advisor or HR Business Partner level
• Current, practical knowledge of New Zealand employment legislation and employment relations
• Significant hands-on experience managing grievances, disciplinaries, performance management and other complex ER matters
• Demonstrated experience personally leading significant restructuring/change processes end-to-end
• Strong recruitment and selection capability, with ideas about how to improve hiring quality
• Experience coaching managers and building their confidence in managing people
• Excellent judgement and the confidence to give clear advice, even when the conversation is difficult
• The ability to build trust while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
• Strong written skills and attention to process and documentation
• Resilience, pragmatism and a good sense of humour
• The ability to move comfortably between strategic thinking and the practical day-to-day work that needs to get done
• Experience within tertiary education, social services or another complex, people-focused environment would be useful, but isn't essential.
• An understanding of Māori and Pasifika culture and values is highly desirable.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of HR in an organisation where your contribution will be visible.

You'll have the backing of the CEO and senior leadership, the opportunity to improve how we recruit and manage our people, and the scope to build stronger HR practices rather than simply maintaining what's already there.

Most importantly, you'll be working for an organisation whose purpose is about helping people create better futures through education, skills and employment.

If you're an experienced HR professional who enjoys solving problems, isn't intimidated by complex people matters and wants the opportunity to make meaningful improvements, we'd love to hear from you.

If this sounds like you please send a CV and cover letter explaining why you are suitable for this role.

Applicants must currently reside and be eligible to work in New Zealand.

The successful applicant will be required to complete appropriate criminal record/police vetting checks. Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory results.