Strategic Human Resources Advisor (HRA) in Birmingham

At Rexel, our experienced People Team is growing further! We’re looking for a confident, purposeful and impactful Strategic HR Advisor to join the Rexel people team. In this role, we are looking for a confident, commercially minded strategic HR Advisor who has been working in a generalist HR role for a minimum of 5 years supporting with complex case management. Knowledge of supply chain is desirable along with a strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide solutions and influence stakeholders.

You will be partnered with stakeholders both in supply chain, sales network and senior leaders. Providing trusted advice, new hire/retention insights, measure data and trends whilst upskilling and building relationships in our supply chain providing ideas and solutions to boost commercial sales and leadership capability. This role would suit an experienced, influential HR advisor who is looking to progress into a Business Partner role in the future.

In this pivotal hybrid working role, you’ll work closely with leaders to enhance their capability in all aspects of people management. You will be confident at challenging decisions and thought processes. Experienced in providing expert guidance and fostering an environment of unbiased, inclusive, and capability-based decision‑making, you’ll help drive optimal people solutions that benefit both individuals and the organisation with a focus on supply chain engagement.

We are very proud of our engaged, positive and dynamic people team which includes dedicated people services assistants, HR advisors and HR business partners. Our people team also benefits from having dedicated recruitment business partners, a communication team, rewards team and payroll team to support our growing branch network and wonderful supply chain.

We understand the need for flexibility and are delighted to offer hybrid working for this role (60% at our branches/state‑of‑the‑art distribution centre in Aylesbury and some days at our Eagle Court offices in Sheldon, Birmingham with 40% of your time remote working from home). There is a requirement to be flexible as there will be some travel with the role approximately 60% on site and 40% from home.

Your mission will also include proactively reducing formal cases by equipping leaders with the tools and confidence to address challenges effectively and constructively. Together, we’ll create a culture where people feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed. If you’re ready to make a difference and contribute to a workplace where fairness and inclusivity are at the heart of every decision, we’d love to hear from you. Join us and be part of a team that’s shaping the future of people management!

The Benefits Of a Career With Rexel

• Contributory pension scheme and life assurance
• Bonuses: Performance Related Bonus scheme
• Time Off: 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays, increasing throughout the years too!) You can also buy and sell holiday and enjoy enhanced parental leave
• Car Scheme
• Support & Development: Extensive learning opportunities from day one
• Health & Wellbeing: Free virtual GP service, Healthy Mind Champions, and more!
• Perks: Staff discounts, exclusive holiday offers and free financial support and education

Key Responsibilities

• Expertise in Employment Law: Maintain a sound knowledge of UK employment law, including employment legislation, ACAS, and CIPD codes of practice, contract law, and discrimination rights, ensuring compliance and best practices.
• Employee Relations Support: Provide advice and support on disciplinary and grievance cases, absence management, and coach line managers to foster a positive culture and work environment.
• Case Management: Manage a personal caseload of complex employee relations issues, keeping Senior Leadership teams informed of risks as they arise.
• Policy Development: Assist in the development and implementation of HR policies and practices that align with organisational goals and strategies.
• Strategic Focus: Respond to and manage diverse situations while remaining focused on long‑term plans, staying updated on industry trends and developments within the HR profession.
• Team Support and Mentorship: Guide People Service Assistants on first‑line cases and mentor high‑potential team members to support their professional growth.
• Negotiation Skills: Apply strong negotiation skills to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes during disputes or complex discussions with managers at all levels.
• Confidentiality and Integrity: Uphold confidentiality and integrity at all times.

Qualifications

At Rexel, we prioritise hiring individuals based on behaviours and potential, rather than requiring specific formal qualifications for roles. The behaviours that will set you up for success as a communications and engagement executive include:

• MANAGES AMBIGUITY – Operating effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear
• MANAGES COMPLEXITY – Handling conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise
• BALANCES STAKEHOLDERS – Anticipating and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders
• COLLABORATION – Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives
• TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY – Takes action, addresses obstacles to get work done and meets commitments

Additional Information

At Rexel UK, we’re all about welcoming people from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives because we know that diversity drives fresh ideas and great results. By coming together as one team, we’re building a high‑performance culture that not only drives success but also creates real value for our customers and communities. Creating an environment where individuality is celebrated and creativity flourishes, we're making sure everyone feels supported and confident to be their best.