HR Advisor in Basingstoke

We are looking for a compassionate and knowledgeable HR Advisor who can provide a professional, customer-focused HR service across the Hospice. You will have experience in employee relations, with the confidence to support managers through a wide range of people matters including disciplinary, grievance, absence management, and performance casework. You will bring excellent interpersonal skills, a sound understanding of UK employment law, and the ability to build positive relationships at all levels. With strong organisational skills and attention to detail, you will be comfortable managing multiple priorities while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism. We are particularly keen to hear from individuals who demonstrate empathy, resilience, and a collaborative approach, and who are passionate about promoting employee wellbeing, engagement, and a positive workplace.

St. Michaels Hospice is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, children, and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment. Successful candidates will be required to undergo relevant background checks, including a DBS check and provide satisfactory references before starting the role. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Main duties of the job

• You will provide day-to-day HR advice and guidance to managers, employees, and bank staff, ensuring a consistent and supportive approach to people management across the Hospice.
• You will play a key role in supporting employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinaries, grievances, and absence management, offering practical and compassionate guidance throughout.
• You will support managers with performance concerns, helping to implement improvement plans.
• The role includes maintaining accurate HR records and employee files, ensuring compliance with data protection requirements, and managing ER case tracking and reporting.
• You will be responsible for preparing HR documentation, issuing letters, and supporting contractual changes.
• You will contribute to the development and review of HR policies, ensuring they remain compliant with current legislation and best practice, and support their consistent implementation across the organisation.
• In addition, you will support learning and development activities by delivering training and guidance to managers, helping to strengthen people management capability.
• You will also be involved in HR projects, staff engagement initiatives, and wellbeing programmes, promoting a positive and inclusive working environment.
• You will produce HR management information and analyse data to identify trends and support informed decision-making.
• Ensuring compliance with employment law and governance requirements will be a key part of the role.

About us

St. Michaels Hospice is a registered charity providing specialist palliative and end of life care services since 1992, for the people of North Hampshire. We are dedicated to providing care to people throughout North Hampshire who are affected by life limiting illness to attain the highest possible quality of life by providing a choice of specialist care and support. As a charity, we depend on the kindness and support of our local community to continue offering our services free of charge. This care is made possible by supporters donating, taking part in fundraising events and activities, playing our lottery, shopping in our retail outlets, leaving gifts in their Wills or giving freely of their time to volunteer.

Job responsibilities

• Provide advice and guidance to managers and staff on effective ways of working, implementation of employment policies, and promoting compassionate, people-centred management across the Hospice.
• The postholder will support employee relations casework, ensuring issues are handled fairly, sensitively, and in line with policy.
• They will also manage contractual variations impacting terms, conditions, and pay, ensuring all changes are accurately documented, communicated to staff, and stored securely for audit purposes.

Employee Relations (ER)

• Provide a supportive, customer-focused HR advisory service to all managers, employees, and bank staff across the Hospice.
• Support managers with employee relations matters, including investigations, grievances, disciplinaries, absence management, and mediation where appropriate.
• Advise and guide managers on absence and health-related issues, including occupational health referrals, follow-ups, and facilitating the absence management process with sensitivity.
• Assist managers in managing performance concerns through coaching, mentoring, and facilitating performance improvement plans in a compassionate and constructive manner.
• Maintain the Employee Relations (ER) case tracker and provide timely reports to management as required.
• Ensure all confidential materials, both electronic and hardcopy, are securely stored.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date employee files in line with Data Protection and data retention requirements.

HR Advisory & Policy Support

• Provide day-to-day HR advice and guidance to managers and staff on policies, procedures, and best practice.
• Support the implementation of HR policies across the Hospice, ensuring consistency and compliance.
• Regularly review and maintain HR documents, templates, and forms to ensure they reflect current legislation, best practice, and sector standards.
• Ensure timely processing of all contractual variations affecting pay, benefits, and working arrangements, clearly communicating changes in writing.
• Prepare and issue employment letters reflecting internal changes such as promotions, flexible working agreements, pay adjustments, or temporary duties.

Learning, Development & Training (L&D)

• Deliver HR-related learning, development, and training support to managers, enhancing people management skills and supporting compassionate leadership.

Projects / Employee Engagement & Wellbeing

• Support the HR Manager in staff engagement activities, recognition initiatives, and wellbeing programs for employees, volunteers, and bank staff.
• Participate in HR projects, including reward initiatives, engagement surveys, and wellbeing programs.
• Promote positive employee engagement and wellbeing by developing collaborative relationships across the Hospice.

Data, Reporting & Analytics

• Prepare HR-related documentation and maintain accurate, confidential employee records in compliance with data protection regulations.
• Respond promptly to general HR and employee enquiries.
• Prepare monthly management information (MI) reporting for the HR KPI dashboard.
• Analyse HR data to identify trends in employee relations, absence, performance, and engagement (if applicable).

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with employment law, safeguarding, health and safety, and sector regulations.
• Support adherence to confidentiality, data protection principles, and mandatory HR governance requirements.

Person Specification

Experience

• Proven experience providing HR advice and support in employee relations, including managing grievances, disciplinaries, performance issues, and absence management.
• Experience in handling sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and empathy.
• Experience in producing accurate HR documentation, maintaining employee records, and ensuring compliance with legislation.
• Experience in producing HR KPI and MI reporting.
• Previous HR experience working in a charity, healthcare, or care sector.
• Experience supporting HR projects.

Qualifications

• CIPD qualified, currently studying towards CIPD, or demonstrable equivalent employee relations (ER) experience.
• Degree qualified or equivalent professional experience.
• Membership of a professional HR body (e.g., CIPD).

Other requirements

• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Ability to occasionally travel between hospice sites or attend external meetings as required.
• Full UK driving licence.

Skills, Knowledge, Abilities

• Strong knowledge of UK employment law, ER casework, and HR best practice.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships across all levels.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently, and deliver work to deadlines.
• High level of accuracy, attention to detail, and strong administrative skills.
• Confident in delivering training and guidance to managers and staff.
• Proficient in HR systems and Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, MS Teams).
• Strong problem analysis and solving skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information discreetly and professionally.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with multiple stakeholders, demonstrating sensitivity, diplomacy, and tact when required.
• Knowledge of HRIS systems, specifically Ciphr.

Attitude, Aptitudes & Personal Characteristics

• Demonstrates compassion, integrity, and professionalism in all interactions.
• A collaborative team player with a flexible and positive approach to work.
• Resilient, adaptable, and able to remain calm under pressure.
• Reliable, responsible, and conscientious in all aspects of work.
• Aligns with the values of the hospice.
• Strong commitment to confidentiality, data protection, and safeguarding principles.
• Adaptable and empathetic, with strong influencing skills to support managers and staff.
• Enthusiastic about promoting employee engagement, wellbeing, and a positive organisational culture.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.