Human Resources Advisor

Full job descriptionThis role is to provide confident, solutions-focused HR advisory support to managers and employees across a multi-site commercial cleaning business of around 300 employees. The HR Advisor leads on absence management and manages employee relations casework with a high degree of autonomy, applying sound judgement and interpreting policy. The role also supports the HR Manager on organisational change, including redundancy and TUPE, and is responsible for driving proactive HR practice by analysing data, spotting trends and recommending improvements.

Please note this role is 30 hours across 5 days, Monday to Friday. The salary is the part time salary for 30 hours. FTE is £32-35k based on a 40 hour working week.

Key responsibilities:

• Absence Management:
• Own the day-to-day management of sickness absence, monitoring absence triggers and advising and supporting managers on the correct stage, including absence reviews, return to work meetings and formal absence meetings, coaching them to apply the policy consistently and fairly.
• Carry out wellness calls every two weeks for employees absent for more than four weeks, keeping accurate records.
• Manage long-term absence proactively, exploring return to work options including phased returns, adjustments and alternative duties, and considering reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.
• Obtain employee consent for Occupational Health (OH) referrals, make referrals through the OH platform, and follow up on OH advice with managers and employees.
• Manage the AWOL process in line with company policy.
• Confer with the Operations Manager (H&S lead) where absence relates to a workplace incident or adjustments require a risk assessment.
• Employee Relations Case Management:
• Independently manage a caseload of employee relations matters from initial query through to resolution, taking ownership of progress and ensuring timely outcomes.
• Advise and support managers through disciplinary, grievance, performance and capability matters, including cases involving client or third-party concerns about an employee.
• Family Leave and Flexible Working:
• Manage all family leave cases (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and parental leave) and flexible working requests, advising managers, issuing correspondence and liaising with payroll
• Manager Coaching and Advisory:
• Provide confident, practical and commercially aware HR advice to managers on a wide range of people matters.
• Coach and support managers to improve their capability in handling employee issues, with a focus on consistency and fairness
• HR Data, Insight and Continuous Improvement:
• Analyse HR data, including absence, turnover and employee relations trends by site, manager and reason, to identify patterns, risks and underlying issues.
• Produce regular reports and dashboards (for example monthly absence and ER case reporting) using Excel and HRIS reporting, and translate data into clear, actionable recommendations for the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and managers.
• Operational HR and Systems:
• Manage the HR inbox and respond to routine employee and manager queries, resolving issues efficiently without unnecessary escalation.
• Process leavers, including acknowledging resignations, informing managers and payroll, and handling exit conversations and references.
• Liaise with payroll on starters, leavers, contract and hours changes, absence and sick pay, family leave and holiday pay queries.
• Prepare and issue contract variations, including changes and reductions or increases in hours, accurately and in a timely manner.
• Ensure all documentation relating to formal processes is accurate, compliant and issued in a timely manner, with HRIS records kept up to date.
• Escalate complex, high-risk queries to the HR Manager for support and advice.
• Organisational Change, Redundancy and TUPE
• Right to Work and DBS Compliance
• Compliance and Risk
• Decision-Making and Authority

This is a home-based role. The post holder will need a suitable, confidential and secure space to work from home.

Occasional site visits will be required as and when needed.

A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle insured for business use are required

What you will need:

• Proven experience of managing sickness absence, including long-term absence, return to work planning and OH referrals.
• Experience of managing employee relations cases, including investigations, through to outcome.
• Good working knowledge of UK employment law relating to absence, disability, family leave, flexible working,…