HR Advisor

Underbelly is seeking a practical, approachable and experienced HR Advisor to provide consistent support across our permanent, casual, seasonal and freelance workforce.

The role exists to provide visible and trusted HR support to staff and managers, particularly during Underbelly's peak operational periods, when the company employs several hundred temporary staff across multiple events and venues.

The HR Advisor will support the fair application of Underbelly's HR policies and procedures, advise managers on employee relations matters, assist with onboarding and recruitment processes, and act as a named point of contact for staff who have questions, concerns or issues they wish to raise.

This is a hands-on advisory role suited to someone who is comfortable working in a fast-moving, seasonal, event-led organisation with a mix of full-time PAYE staff, part-time staff, casual workers, zero-hours staff and freelance contractors.

Key Responsibilities

• Staff and Manager Support
• Act as a named HR contact for staff, workers, freelancers and managers.
• Provide practical HR advice to managers on the application of Underbelly policies and procedures.
• Support staff who wish to raise concerns, complaints or questions in confidence.
• Help ensure that workplace issues are handled fairly, consistently and sensitively.
• Provide guidance on appropriate escalation routes for more serious or complex matters.
• Employee Relations
• Advise on grievances, disciplinaries, informal complaints, workplace conflict, absence, performance issues and probationary matters.
• Support managers with sensitive conversations and appropriate record keeping.
• Attend meetings where required, particularly where matters are complex, sensitive or carry higher risk.
• Help ensure that staff concerns are dealt with promptly and in line with Underbelly's policies.
• Support fair processes where complaints involve managers, senior staff or directors.
• Recruitment and Seasonal Staffing
• Provide guidance to temporary and seasonal managers involved in large-scale recruitment.
• Support consistent recruitment processes across departments and sites.
• Advise on interview templates, selection processes and fair recruitment practice.
• Assist with seasonal recruitment planning where required.
• Provide additional support during key recruitment and mobilisation periods.
• Onboarding and HR Administration
• Support the onboarding of full-time salaried staff.
• Help ensure new starters have completed required documentation before starting work.
• Oversee or support right to work checks, contract completion and personnel file completeness.
• Liaise with relevant managers to ensure new starters are set up with required systems, email accounts and access.
• Support the issuing, acknowledgement and tracking of key policies and procedures.
• Assist with leaver processes, exit interviews and probation tracking where required.
• Payroll and Systems Liaison
• Act as a liaison point between staff, managers and payroll where HR input is required.
• Support the resolution of pay queries, particularly where arrangements fall outside standard hourly pay.
• Assist with issues relating to day rates, weekly rates, casual hours, holiday pay queries and other non-standard working arrangements.
• Work with Team Details and Deputy processes as required.
• Help ensure that contractual terms, scheduling arrangements and payroll processing are aligned wherever possible.
• Freelance and Contractor Welfare
• Provide a point of contact for freelancers and contractors who need to raise workplace concerns.
• Support Underbelly's duty of care towards individuals working alongside the company, even where they are not directly employed.
• Advise managers on appropriate handling of conduct, welfare or working relationship concerns involving freelancers or contractors.
• Policy and Process
• Help maintain and improve Underbelly's HR policies and procedures.
• Identify recurring HR issues and recommend practical process improvements.
• Support managers to understand and use existing policies effectively.
• Assist with HR-related training or manager guidance where required.
• Working Pattern

The role is expected to average approximately two days per week, although the exact working pattern may be agreed with the successful candidate.

A spread of shorter working periods across the week would be preferred, for example four mornings per week, to provide better coverage for staff and managers.

Due to the seasonal nature of Underbelly's work, the role will require flexibility across the year.

Additional hours may be required during peak recruitment, onboarding and operational periods, particularly in the lead-up to and during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Annual leave during August will not normally be approved except in exceptional circumstances and by prior agreement.

Person Specification

The successful candidate should have

• Previous HR advisory experience, ideally in a fast-paced, seasonal, hospitality, events, theatre, leisure or multi-site environment.
• Experience advising on grievances, disciplinaries, complaints, absence, performance and workplace conflict.
• A practical, proportionate and solutions-focused approach.
• Strong understanding of UK employment practices and HR processes.
• Confidence working with a mixed workforce, including salaried staff, casual workers, zero-hours staff and freelancers.
• Excellent judgement, discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to build trust with staff while supporting the needs of the business.
• Ability to advise managers who may have limited HR experience.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills.
• Experience using HR, recruitment, scheduling or payroll systems would be helpful.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent experience would be desirable but not essential.
• Key Qualities

You will be approachable, calm, pragmatic and fair.

You will understand that Underbelly is a small core company for much of the year but scales rapidly during major events.

You will be comfortable working in an organisation where HR needs range from routine admin to sensitive complaints involving senior staff.

You should be visible and accessible enough that staff know who you are, while also being confident enough to give clear, independent advice when difficult issues arise.

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