HR & ER Advisor - 9 month FTC in Birmingham

We have an exciting opportunity for a HR & ER Advisor to join our HR Advisory team on a 9-month fixed term contract based in Birmingham. As a key member of our HR and Employee Relations team, you will provide proactive, practical support across the full employee lifecycle, with a strong emphasis on employee relations. Working closely with managers, partners, and the wider HR function, you will offer guidance on HR policies, performance management, employee wellbeing, and ER matters such as investigations, disciplinary processes, and conflict resolution. You will ensure all advice is legally compliant, aligned with the firm’s values, and contributes to a fair, inclusive, and high-performing workplace culture.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive, practical HR and employee relations support across the full employee lifecycle with a focus on ER matters.
• Advise managers on HR policies, performance management, employee wellbeing, investigations, disciplinary processes, and conflict resolution.
• Ensure advice is legally compliant and aligned with the firm’s values to promote a fair, inclusive, and high-performing workplace culture.
• Lead a broad range of disciplinary, grievance, and performance-related matters; manage more contentious issues; liaise with ACAS and external solicitors when required.
• Deliver results-focused HR support and provide pragmatic, creative solutions to navigate complex situations.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation and apply it in practice; work autonomously and collaboratively within a wider team.
• Develop strong communication, build trusted relationships across the business, and provide clear, confident advice.
• Plan, prioritise, and manage a varied workload; demonstrate strong organisational and IT capabilities (Excel and PowerPoint) to support decision-making and day-to-day delivery.
• Maintain a proactive and adaptable approach to work with a commercial mindset that adds value and supports positive outcomes.

Qualifications

• Part- or fully-CIPD qualified would be an advantage.
• Solid HR experience at Advisor level within a regulated environment.

Benefits

• A hybrid approach to office and remote working.
• 25 days annual leave, with the option to buy up to a week’s extra annual leave.
• Private medical insurance, with the option to add family members.
• A generous pension allowance.
• Life assurance covering four times your annual salary.
• The chance of a three-month sabbatical every five years.
• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave schemes.
• A range of health and wellbeing programmes.
• State-of-the-art offices with an onsite restaurant.
• Opportunities to flourish in your role through training and personal development.

Equal Opportunities

Gowling WLG is committed to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to Equal Opportunities in employment. The firm believes in equality of opportunity regardless of race or racial group (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, national origins), religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment and gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy, maternity and paternity. This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment. Gowling WLG seeks to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, to create an exciting and rewarding place to work. Our aim is to fulfil everyone's potential and together to achieve personal and business goals.