HR Advisor - Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks, Kent | Permanent | Full-Time, Year-Round

Salary: £40,000 per annum

Working Hours & Flexibility:

• Full-time, year-round position. Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm.
• Hybrid work available, with one day per week working from home following successful onboarding and subject to operational requirements.

Join a Leading Independent School:

We are seeking an experienced and proactive HR Advisor to join the HR team of a prestigious independent school in Sevenoaks. This is an excellent opportunity for a strong HR generalist who enjoys building relationships, providing practical people advice, and managing a varied employee relations caseload within a supportive and professional environment.

Working as part of a well-established HR function, you will report to the Senior HR Manager and collaborate closely with the wider HR team, which includes the HR Director, Senior HR Manager, HR Manager, HR Advisor/Generalist and HR administration support.

The role offers a blend of operational and advisory responsibilities, with opportunities to contribute to wider HR projects, policy development and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide professional HR advice and guidance across the full employee life cycle.
• Manage a broad range of employee relations cases, including:
• Disciplinary
• Grievance
• Capability and performance management
• Probation
• Flexible working
• Attendance and sickness absence management
• Support managers in driving employee performance and implementing best practice people management.
• Advise on employment legislation, HR policies and procedures.
• Support the review, development and implementation of HR policies and processes.
• Assist with pay and reward administration, contractual changes and payroll-related activities.
• Produce HR reports and management information to support decision-making.
• Contribute to HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support safeguarding requirements and maintain accurate Single Central Register (SCR) records.
• Work collaboratively with managers and stakeholders across the school to deliver a responsive and high-quality HR service.

About You:

We are looking for a confident and credible HR professional with strong employee relations experience and a passion for delivering excellent HR support.

Essential Requirements:

• CIPD Level 5 qualified (or equivalent HR experience).
• Proven experience in a generalist HR Advisor position.
• Significant experience managing employee relations casework independently.
• Strong experience of sickness absence management and attendance processes.
• Excellent knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience advising on and interpreting HR policies and procedures.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage a varied workload and work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• High levels of discretion and understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements.

Desirable:

• Experience within the education sector is welcome but not essential.
• Experience using HR systems and reporting tools.

Benefits:

• Salary of £40,000 per annum.
• 27 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service.
• An additional Christmas closure period of approximately 1.5 weeks, is provided in addition to annual leave entitlement.
• Generous 10% employer pension contribution.
• Free staff lunch during term time.
• Complimentary use of on-site gym and swimming facilities.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Life assurance scheme.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Free on-site parking (subject to availability).
• A supportive and collaborative working environment within a highly regarded independent school.

Safeguarding:

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to enhanced pre-employment screening, including an Enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List check, reference checks, right-to-work verification and other safeguarding checks in line with statutory guidance. Pre-employment vetting is administered through an external specialist screening provider.

This is an excellent opportunity for a capable HR Advisor seeking a varied generalist role with a strong employee relations focus, excellent benefits and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution within a respected independent school environment in Sevenoaks.

What you need to do now:

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.