Role: Senior Employee Relations Advisor REF 103020
Contract Length: 140 working days / 7 months
Location: Hybrid/Salisbury - 3 days per week onsite
IR35: Inside
Pay Rate to Intermediary: Market Rate
Security Clearance: SC and Sole UK National requested
Responsibilities of the Senior Employee Relations Advisor
- Complex and Routine Case Management: Lead on the resolution of high-risk, sensitive, or complex ER cases including disciplinary, grievance, capability, and attendance matters. Ensure cases are managed in line with policy, employment law, and best practice.
- Formal Casework Oversight: Provide expert guidance and quality assurance on formal casework, ensuring consistency, fairness, and timely resolution. Support managers in preparing for hearings and appeals and represent HR in formal proceedings where required.
- Manager Accountability: Actively hold managers to account for their role in managing people effectively. Provide coaching and challenge where necessary to ensure ownership and compliance with ER processes.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with relevant stakeholders including trade unions, legal advisors, and internal stakeholders to support effective resolution of ER issues and promote a positive employee relations climate.
Skills / Experience of the Senior Employee Relations Advisor
- Strong ER experience – 5+ years
- Experience dealing with complex cases, industrial disputes, up to tribunal engagement.
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with trade unions, legal advisors, and internal stakeholders.
- CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma or equivalent experience – would expect to see some affiliate CIPD or equivalent at this level to align with rest of the team.
- Proven track record of managing high-risk, sensitive, or complex ER cases from start to resolution.
- Experience representing HR in formal hearings and appeals.
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with trade unions, legal advisors, and internal stakeholders.
- Navigating sensitive situations and conflict resolution.
- Provide expert advice and guidance to managers and employees on HR policies and best practices within the specialist discipline(s).
- In-depth understanding of UK employment legislation and its application in case management.
- Competence in preparing documentation and advising on disciplinary, grievance, and appeal hearings.
- Strong written communication skills for preparing case summaries, policy documents, and formal reports.
- Ability to deliver training or coaching sessions to managers on ER processes and responsibilities.
- Ability to interpret and utilise policies / legal frameworks.
We welcome all applications regardless of background, in line with our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.
Disability Confident
As a member of the disability confident scheme, the client guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.
Armed Forces Covenant
The client is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, we guarantee to interview all veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex‑military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.
