HR Advisor (Absence & Retention) in London

Salary: £33,280 - £37,440 (based on 40 hours) depending on experience

Hours: 32 hours over 4 days or 40 hrs over 5 days per week with one hour for lunch. (normal working hours 8.30 am to 5.30 pm with flexibility around the needs of the business)

Location: Head Office (West London) with regular travel across Nurseries (multi‑site)

Safer Recruitment: Enhanced DBS required; strong safeguarding culture

About the Role

We are looking for a practical, hands‑on HR Advisor to work alongside our existing HR Advisor and Head Office administration team to strengthen retention, embed meaningful wellbeing support, and reduce sickness absence and unpaid leave (UPL) across our nurseries. This role is Head Office based, but requires regular and consistent on‑site presence across our nursery settings. You will coach managers, embed best practice, and deliver measurable improvements through a mix of ER casework, data‑led insight, and proactive initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Retention (Core Focus)
  • Support the Founder & Director to implement a practical Retention Plan (quick wins and longer‑term improvements) including onboarding, recognition, rotas, mentoring and career pathways.
  • Track retention “hotspots” (by site/role/manager) and coordinate targeted actions such as stay interviews, career conversations, internal moves, and rescue plans for flight‑risk roles.
  • Partner with recruitment and nursery leaders to reduce time‑to‑start, improve onboarding quality, and strengthen probation outcomes.
• Wellbeing (Embedded, Not Posters‑and‑Platitudes) (Core Focus)
  • Deliver an annual Wellbeing Calendar aligned to early‑years realities (stress/workload, financial wellbeing, mental health, MSK, menopause).
  • Implement and maintain accessible pathways (EAP, Mental Health First Aiders, Occupational Health) and support managers to use them correctly and promptly.
  • Coach managers to identify early signs of stress/ill‑health and take timely, appropriate action.
  • Support workplace risk assessments and reasonable adjustment agreements, ensuring plans are implemented and reviewed.
• Absence & UPL Management (Core Focus)
  • Support consistent application of the Attendance Policy across sites, including triggers, welfare checks, documentation, case reviews and escalation routes.
  • Coach managers on supportive but firm practice: return‑to‑work meetings, welfare meetings, improvement plans, managing long‑term sickness and frequent short‑term absence, and escalation where required.
  • Quality‑assure documentation (fit notes, self‑certificates, OH reports, meeting notes, outcomes and letters).
  • Monitor UPL patterns and support consistent decision‑making using agreed criteria, with accurate PeopleHR recording.
• Employee Relations Casework
  • Provide practical advice and support across capability, conduct and grievances, ensuring consistency, fairness, and safeguarding considerations.
  • Support investigations, meeting preparation, documentation and outcomes—escalating complex/high‑risk matters appropriately.
• PeopleHR System Ownership & Reporting
  • Act as a PeopleHR super‑user, supporting managers with workflows, tasks, and accurate record‑keeping.
  • Maintain and report on agreed metrics: retention, absence (including an agreed trigger methodology such as Bradford Factor or equivalent), UPL, probation outcomes, training completion.
  • Produce monthly insights and recommended actions for SLT and nursery leaders.
• Policy, Compliance & Safeguarding Culture
  • Support policy upkeep and implementation (aligned to ACAS/HSE/EHRC and internal practice) and deliver short, practical manager refreshers.
  • Handle personal data lawfully (GDPR) and maintain confidential, auditable records.
  • Model safer recruitment expectations and EYFS/KCSIE standards; escalates concerns promptly and appropriately.
  • Support compliance documentation and best practice.

What We’re Looking For

Essential

• Proven experience in an HR advisory/generalist role (multi‑site experience strongly preferred).
• Strong capability managing sickness absence and UPL, including long‑term/complex cases, OH referrals and reasonable adjustments.
• Confident coaching frontline managers; able to balance empathy with clear boundaries.
• Data‑literate; comfortable producing insight and actions from people metrics.
• Working knowledge of UK employment law, ACAS guidance, HSE Management Standards for Work‑Related Stress, and equality/reasonable adjustments.
• Willing and able to travel across settings and occasionally work early/late to meet teams on shift.
• Driver with own car.

Desirable

• CIPD Level 3–5 (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in early‑years/education, care, hospitality or other rota‑based, high‑compliance environments.
• Mental Health First Aid training or experience supporting wellbeing programmes.

Success Measures (12–18 months)

• Measurable reduction in leavers within their first 12 months.
• Sickness absence reduces (days lost and frequency) and UPL usage decreases through fair, consistent controls.
• Return‑to‑work conversations completed and recorded for all absences, with support plans in place where required.
• Wellbeing programme embedded with strong uptake (EAP, MHFA, OH referrals).
• Improved staff survey outcomes, including belonging, workload, wellbeing and confidence in line management.
• Auditable compliance with UK employment law, ACAS guidance, HSE stress standards, equality duties and internal policies.
• Clearer progression support through consistent career conversations and internal development pathways.

Safeguarding Statement

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS check and all pre‑employment checks in line with safer recruitment guidance.