People Advisor

Purpose of the role

To provide professional, pragmatic and commercially focused HR support across multiple manufacturing sites. Working closely with managers and employees, the People Advisor will deliver proactive people solutions, support employee relations matters, drive compliance with employment legislation and company policies, and contribute to the delivery of organisational people objectives.

The role requires a hands-on HR professional who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, building strong relationships with operational leaders and supporting the delivery of a positive employee experience across all sites.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations

• Provide first-line advice and guidance to managers on disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence management and performance issues.
• Support and lead investigations, hearings and consultations as required.
• Ensure all employee relations matters are managed fairly, consistently and in line with company policy and employment legislation.
• Prepare HR documentation, correspondence and outcome letters.

HR Business Support

• Act as a trusted HR contact for managers and employees across multiple sites.
• Coach and support line managers in people management best practice.
• Provide advice on policies, procedures and employment legislation.
• Support organisational change initiatives, restructures and consultation processes.

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Support the Recruitment & Talent Partner when needed.
• Support the co-ordination of onboarding activities and support the successful integration of new employees when needed.

Absence & Wellbeing Management

• Monitor absence trends and work proactively with managers to reduce absence levels.
• Support occupational health referrals and workplace adjustments where required.
• Contribute to employee wellbeing initiatives and engagement activities.

Compliance & HR Administration

• Maintain accurate employee records and HR systems.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, right to work requirements and internal policies.
• Support audits and reporting requirements.
• Produce management information and HR metrics to support business decision-making.

Learning & Development

• Identify training needs through regular engagement with managers.
• Support the coordination and delivery of learning and development initiatives.
• Promote continuous improvement and employee development opportunities.

HR Projects

• Participate in Group HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support the implementation of new policies, systems and processes.
• Contribute to employee engagement and culture initiatives aligned with company values.

Key Relationships

Internal

• Head of HR
• People Team
• Directors and Senior Leaders
• Line Managers and Supervisors
• Employees across all sites

External

• Occupational Health Providers
• Training Providers
• Employment Law Advisors

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or working towards completion).
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly between sites.

Essential Experience

• Minimum 3 years' generalist HR experience.
• Experience operating in a manufacturing, production, logistics or operational environment.
• Experience managing employee relations cases from start to finish.
• Experience advising managers on employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience working across multiple sites or business locations.

Essential Knowledge

• UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Absence management and wellbeing processes.
• Recruitment and selection practices.
• HR systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Essential Skills

• Strong communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to build credibility and relationships at all levels.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage confidential information.
• Ability to prioritise workload in a fast-paced environment.
• Commercial awareness and practical problem-solving skills.

Desirable

• Experience with Employment Hero or similar HRIS platform.
• Experience supporting change management initiatives.
• Knowledge of apprenticeship or early careers programmes.
• Experience interpreting and analysing HR data.

Core Behaviours

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• One Team – Builds positive relationships and collaborates effectively across all locations.
• Customer at the Heart – Delivers a professional and responsive service to managers and employees.
• Pace Over Perfection – Acts decisively while maintaining accuracy and compliance.
• Accountability – We Own It – Takes ownership of issues and follows through to resolution.
• Innovation – Seeks opportunities to improve processes and ways of working.

Success Measures

• ER cases managed effectively and within agreed timescales.
• Compliance with HR policies, procedures and employment legislation.
• Positive feedback from managers and employees.
• Reduction in absence, ER risk and people-related issues.
• Accurate and timely HR reporting and administration.
• Contribution to employee engagement and retention initiatives.

Working hours: Monday - Friday 08:30am - 17:00pm