HR Advisor in St Albans

HR Advisor

St Albans, Hertfordshire | Hybrid working (2–3 days on site each week)
£38,000 per annum | Permanent | Full time (37.5 hours per week)

Be part of something that makes a difference.

Are you an experienced HR professional looking for a role where you can make a real impact, take ownership and help shape the future of a growing organisation?

At Higher Ed Partners (HEP), we work in the higher education sector, partnering with universities to support the development and delivery of online education. It’s an exciting and evolving environment, where our work contributes to expanding access to higher education and creating new opportunities for learners.

We’re looking for a proactive, commercially aware and people-focused HR Advisor to join our Human Resources team. Reporting to the HR Director, you’ll play an important role in supporting managers and colleagues across the business, providing practical HR advice and helping us build strong, consistent people practices as we continue to grow.

This is an opportunity to do more than maintain existing processes. You’ll have the chance to improve how HR operates, strengthen our foundations and help shape the employee experience across HEP.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll take ownership of a varied generalist HR remit, balancing day-to-day operational support with opportunities to improve and develop the function.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Employee relations: Advising and supporting managers on a range of people matters, including performance, conduct, capability, absence, grievances and disciplinary processes.

• Manager support: Building trusted relationships with managers, providing clear, practical guidance and helping them manage their teams confidently and consistently.

• HR processes and policies: Reviewing and improving our policies, procedures, contracts and Employee Handbook, ensuring they are clear, effective and legally compliant.

• People data and systems: Maintaining accurate employee records, supporting HR reporting and helping us make better use of our HR systems and people data.

• Employment law: Keeping up to date with legislative changes and supporting the implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025.

• Employee lifecycle: Taking ownership of key processes from onboarding and induction through to contractual changes, family leave and offboarding.

• Continuous improvement: Identifying opportunities to make HR processes more effective and contributing to wider people initiatives as the organisation develops.

What makes this opportunity exciting?

You’ll be joining a small HR team at a point where there is real scope to make your mark.

During your first year, you’ll play a key part in strengthening our HR foundations, improving the employee experience and helping managers feel better supported. You’ll have the opportunity to take ownership, bring fresh ideas and see the impact of the improvements you make.

Working in the higher education sector also brings a different perspective. You’ll be supporting an organisation whose work is connected to universities, education and the opportunities that higher education can create.

If you enjoy variety, thrive on making things better and want a role where your contribution will be visible, this could be an excellent next step.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for an HR professional who is confident in their generalist knowledge, comfortable managing their own workload and able to build credibility with managers at all levels.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Proven experience in a generalist HR Advisor role.

• CIPD Level 3 and/or Level 5 qualification, or equivalent demonstrable experience; or be working towards a relevant qualification.

• Experience managing employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability and absence cases.

• Confidence advising and coaching managers on a range of people matters.

• A sound understanding of UK employment law and an interest in keeping up with legislative developments.

• Experience drafting HR policies, procedures and employment correspondence.

• Strong written communication skills and excellent attention to detail.

• Confidence using HR systems and spreadsheets, with the ability to work with and interpret people data.

• A proactive, organised approach and the confidence to work independently.

• The discretion and judgement needed to handle sensitive and confidential information.

Experience of workplace investigations, HR system improvements, policy development or working in a growing, multi-site or education-related organisation would also be valuable.

How you’ll work

You’ll be practical, approachable and solutions-focused. You’ll enjoy taking ownership, bringing structure to processes and finding ways to make things work better. You’ll be comfortable having honest conversations, supporting managers through challenging situations and knowing when to seek advice or escalate an issue.

The details

• Salary: £38,000 per annum

• Location: St Albans, Hertfordshire

• Working pattern: Hybrid, with two to three days on site

• Hours: 37.5 hours per week

• Contract: Permanent, full time

• Reporting to: HR Director

Ready to make your mark?

If you’re looking for a varied HR role where you can take ownership, develop your experience and help shape the people function of a growing higher education business, we’d love to hear from you.