People Adviser - (Fixed Term Contract 12 months) in London

Put simply, we set the standards by which everything is measured. In doing so, the National Physical Laboratory is helping to combat issues on a global scale such as climate change, curing diseases and the development of cutting‑edge communications technology. Yet none of this would be possible without the dedication of everyone here.

Role focus

As a People Adviser, you'll be part of the team that's advising, guiding and coaching managers across the business to help us deliver our vision and mission. As we continue to grow, you'll:

• Be at the forefront in providing expert advice and support to our management population to navigate the full remit of employee relations (ER) cases from start to resolution, including confidently supporting managers to make risk‑informed decisions.
• Coach managers in best practice in all aspects of the people management cycle from providing advice on contractual matters, effective communication to address team issues, to motivation and development of high performing teams and supporting wellbeing and welfare.
• Support with development and continuous improvement of our people procedures, using your expertise and knowledge of legislation and proven effective people practice ensuring they are fit for purpose and right for our population.
• Take on a portfolio of projects and initiatives of varying complexity to provide the right tools, data and guidance and improve the employee experience.

In everything you do, we'll expect you to ensure all interactions with our employees are fair, in line with agreed processes and legally compliant across all interactions. No two days will be the same from supporting managers to resolve employee relations situations to delivering annual people programmes. Ultimately, you'll support the kind of positive experience that retains the best.

About You

First and foremost, you should have a deep knowledge of, and interest in, all aspects of employment relations, including proven experience in supporting wellbeing and Occupational Health matters end to end. You will use sound judgment to assess risk and case plan accordingly to ensure the right path for the issue at hand. In addition, you will be:

• A great communicator with the ability to listen, break down complexity.
• Comfortable working independently in managing and prioritising a diverse portfolio and delivering results and solutions, knowing how to find a path forward.
• Tech savvy and have confidence with systems and data; experience creating and editing content with MS SharePoint and Power BI or equivalents are a bonus.
• Aligned with our values in your approach to customers, stakeholders, your team and colleagues and the quality of what you'll deliver in your role.

Beyond that, we're looking for someone who'll thrive in an environment like ours. At NPL we learn from and respect each other and work together to do better. And while we're always looking to stretch beyond what we know, we don't make things more complicated when there's no need.

If you have experience in a similar role and an objective, customer‑focused approach, we want to hear from you. We are working in a hybrid way, with a mix of remote and office working (minimum two days onsite in Teddington). We strive to offer a great work life balance - if you are looking for full time, part time or flexible options, we will try to make this work where business possible.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.