Employee Relations Advisor in Bury St Edmunds

Responsible to: Employee Relations Senior Advisor

Department: Employee Relations

Location: Bury with travel to Kingsway and other Head Office locations

Role Overview: Deliver a professional, proactive and flexible Employee Relations service by providing appropriate generalist advice and support to all colleagues. Driving best practice and ensuring compliance with all Company policies and procedures in line with employment legislation.

Key Duties/Responsibilities:

• Provide practical and effective first line employee relations advice across the Group to Line Managers and colleagues covering Retail, Gyms, Supply Chain and Head Office. This includes providing timely and accurate advice regarding disciplinary, grievance, absence management and family friendly policies.
• Manage queries empathetically and communicate outcomes clearly and articulately with the aim of minimising appeals.
• Act as a team player with the wider People team by sharing knowledge and expertise.
• Support and coach Line Managers to effectively manage and resolve employee relations matters through to appropriate conclusions.
• Provide support to Line Managers and the wider People team during meetings.
• Maintain an excellent working knowledge of up to date employment legislation, best practice and case law.
• Work autonomously and prioritise accordingly (with guidance and support from the People Leadership team where required).
• Use Occupational Health appropriately within employee relations casework and write referrals to OH Advisors.
• Communicate with and support the People Leadership team to ensure employee relations policies and procedures are fairly and proportionately applied, whilst identifying opportunities for improvement to current practices.
• Understand the Groups’ responsibilities to statutory regulations.
• Maintain clear audit trails for all People records in accordance with GDPR regulations.
• Support in ensuring that critical monthly and annual cycle People processes are executed within the relevant timescales.
• Assist with project work when required.

Skills/Knowledge Needed:

• CIPD qualified to a minimum of Level 5. Level 3 may be considered if the candidate is able to demonstrate substantial relevant HR generalist based work experience, with a desire to gain Level 5 qualification.
• Previous HR/People Advisor related experience is essential, preferably in a retail environment or another fast-paced, constantly changing People environment, with responsibility for managing high volume complex caseloads.
• Excellent knowledge of employment legislation and Employee Relations policies and procedures.
• Comfortable offering advice and minute taking in formal meetings to ensure all interactions are documented accurately and conducted appropriately.
• Good communication skills with the ability to guide and influence and the confidence to challenge current practices appropriately where required.
• Able to communicate clearly and articulately with all stakeholders throughout the business.
• Proficient knowledge of Office365 and HR Systems (Previous experience of Dayforce would be advantageous).
• Accurate typing skills recognising the need for attention to detail.
• Proven experience of working within a constantly changing environment.
• Flexible to work outside of standard office hours if required to support a 24/7 operation.