Human Resources Advisor in Edinburgh

We are currently recruiting for a HR Advisor to join our team in Edinburgh on a full-time, permanent basis. As an HR Advisor working within the People Team, you will be required to provide professional and proactive support to managers across the business in managing employee relations (ER) cases. This role is pivotal in developing people management capability by upskilling managers to confidently and effectively handle a range of employee casework. In addition to supporting and upskilling managers, you will also be expected to identify and analyse trends in employee relations, contributing to the continuous improvement of HR policies, procedures, and employee experience.

Reporting into the Performance Manager, who is based in Bristol, and working closely with the HR Business Partners, your responsibilities will include:

• Employee Relations Support: Providing timely, consistent and expert advice to managers on a variety of ER issues, including absence management, performance, disciplinary, grievance and other case work. Managing and guiding on end-to-end case handling, ensuring fair and legally compliant outcomes, with a focus on minimising any negative financial and reputational exposure to the business, and escalating complex or high-risk cases as necessary.
• Manager Upskilling and Coaching: Supporting the development and delivery of training sessions and toolkits that build line manager confidence and capability in enhancing the performance of their teams, as well as handling ER matters. You will also be required to work with managers to promote excellent people management practices, as well as share knowledge of HR policies, procedures and employment law to encourage proactive resolution of issues.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Trend Analysis: Developing strong working relationships with managers to understand business needs and challenges. Proactively meeting with managers to review case activity, offering insights and identifying recurring issues or potential risks. Analyse data to identify trends in ER cases and collaborate with the HR team on strategic responses or process improvements.

About You: This role would be perfect for an experienced HR Advisor, who is passionate about HR and providing the best possible service to our business. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in managing a range of employee relations cases with minimal supervision and will be confident in delivering training and coaching to managers. They will have excellent communication, customer service and organisational skills, as well as practical knowledge of Microsoft Office. They will understand the importance of getting the basics right and show an interest in ensuring the administrative aspect of the role is undertaken to the highest standards.

This role is most suited to someone who strives to provide excellent customer service, enjoys coaching managers, resolving queries and seeking ways to make improvements. In addition, it is suited to someone who can work independently on a day-to-day basis, is self-organised, and keen to build relationships across the organisation — working effectively with colleagues at all levels of seniority, with the confidence to challenge where necessary. Strong time management skills and the ability to juggle multiple cases and queries simultaneously are essential, alongside a commitment to gaining a deep understanding of our business objectives and the impact these have on our employees.

Experience of managing employee relations cases, experience of working in a HR Advisor role or can demonstrate aptitude to operate this way, an understanding of current UK employment legislation, excellent attention to detail, and experience of coaching managers are required.