Senior HR Advisor (Fixed Term Contract)
Location: Hybrid (3 days onsite, 2 days remote)Contract: Fixed Term until end of July 2026 (with potential for extension)Salary: Up to £45,000
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior HR Advisor to join our team on a fixed-term basis. This role will play a key part in delivering a high-quality HR service, with a strong focus on employee relations (ER) and supporting wider change initiatives.
You will work closely with the HR team, providing hands-on support across complex casework while coaching and guiding two HR Advisors.
Key Responsibilities
Manage and resolve complex employee relations cases end-to-end, including:
- Grievances
- Disciplinaries
- Capability issues
- Absence management
Provide day-to-day guidance and coaching to two HR Advisors, supporting their casework and workload management
Support organisational change and restructuring activity, including consultation processes alongside the HR Consultant
Build strong relationships with stakeholders, offering clear, professional, and commercially focused HR advice
Assist with clearing a backlog of casework, particularly in complex absence cases
Ensure HR policies and procedures are consistently applied and compliant with best practice
Key Priorities (First Few Weeks)
- Support HR Advisors with ongoing casework
- Take ownership of complex absence and ER cases
- Help clear an existing backlog of employee relations matters
Skills & Experience Required
- Proven experience in a Senior HR Advisor or equivalent role
- Strong background in employee relations, with demonstrable experience managing complex cases independently
- Experience coaching or mentoring junior HR team members
- Exposure to change management and restructuring processes
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
Systems & Technical Capability
- Experience with HR systems is desirable (currently Select HR; transitioning to iTrent (MHR) in September 2026)
- Highly system-savvy, with the ability to quickly learn new platforms
Desirable
- Experience within the Further Education (FE) sector, with an understanding of its pace and structure
Additional Information
- This role is initially offered on a fixed-term basis until end of July 2026, with potential for extension depending on business needs
- Hybrid working model: 3 days onsite, 2 days remote
