About the role
This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a charity for older people which is focused on preventing and alleviating the loneliness that can come with later life.
Abbeyfield is a housing charity which provides sheltered housing and care homes for older people across the UK. We are currently looking for an Employee Relations Advisor to join the HR team on a 12 month Fixed Term Contract.
As the Employee Relations Advisor, you will provide operational employment relations and employment law advice on routine and complex matters from staff and line managers.
Role: Employee Relations Advisor
Location: Remote, based in the United Kingdom
Contract & Hours: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract. 35 hours per week
Salary: £38,000 per annum

Role responsibilities

• Respond to complex queries and issues from staff and mainly line managers, during normal working hours, via either telephone or e mail.
• Ensure guidance provided is timely, clear and practical, and balances risk and resources required to mitigate that risk.
• Tailor the advice based on the capability and confidence of the service user.
• Escalate more complex or novel issues for guidance to predominantly the HRBP (Employee Relations), or regional HRBP if not available.
• Log and monitor progress of complex cases, categorising based on case type and risk profile.
• Provide ad hoc summary progress reports to senior management as required on specific cases.
• Escalate cases where line managers are not expediting matters, or are refusing to accept recommendations, that puts the business at a significant reputational and financial risk.
• Travel to locations where necessary to provide face to face ‘hands on’ tactical support.
• Manage the documentation, record keeping and process implementation of HR project.
• Provide line managers with readily accessible and practical guidance and policy support tools to enable them to proactively manage their staff effectively.
• Determine the key learning needs of line managers, and assist in the design of tailored learning interventions
• Plan and deliver face to face training and coaching to line managers in key aspects of employee relations casework management activity (e.g. conduct, performance, absence, dispute resolution).
• Use data collated via the HR Advice line, casework management system and other sources of intelligence to determine: o areas for policy and process re-design and improvement, o intranet re-design and e-learning tools, o training and wider line management development.
• Scan changes in employment law, employment tribunal charges and employee relations in general, to ensure that HR policies are up to date and reflect current thinking and best practice.
• Analyse information collected via the case management system, and provide regular verbal updates and reports to HRBPs and senior management on case management activity.
• Highlight trends in casework activity, and emerging reputational and financial risks.

About You

Essential Criteria

• Recognised Level 3 Foundation (Certificate or Diploma) HR professional qualification.
• Good knowledge of employment and case law, and how to apply it through HR policy and process.
• Demonstrable experience of providing tailored practical employment related advice to staff and remote line managers in line with established HR policy, process and procedure.
• Able to guide and coach line managers (from Team Leader to Director) in how to address staffing issues, by setting out options and recommendations, based on risk to the business.
• Knowledge of GDPR, with a high level of confidentiality and discretion surrounding the use and disclosure of personal data.
• Experienced in the use of HR databases, associated casework management systems and Microsoft Office packages.
• Strong problem solving skills; evaluates options and alternative approaches, weighing up pros and cons, to arrive at an optimum solution that balances risk and reward.
• A strong customer focus; develops a positive working relationship with key stakeholders that helps to secure better business results.
• Highly organised and accurate. Able to correctly update records and provide documentation and manage a process.

Desirable Criteria

• Recognised Intermediate Level 5 professional HR diploma qualification.
• Experience of design and delivery of practical employment related training to line managers.

Pay & Benefits

At Abbeyfield, we are committed to rewarding our staff for their hard work. Our many benefits include:

• 25 days paid leave pro rata increasing to 28 days pro rata following 5 years service, plus bank/public holidays
• Comprehensive induction
• Competitive pay, benchmarked annually.
• Pay progression within role based on skills and contribution
• Learning and career development opportunities
• Medicash – Get help with your medical expenses
• BenefitHub – Great savings on hundreds on brands
• Unlimited opportunities to earn £500 via our ‘refer a friend’ scheme
• Occupational sick pay
• Company pension
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee assistance programme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Blue light Card – Discount for workers in the social care sector

• Respond to complex queries and issues from staff and mainly line managers, during normal working hours, via either telephone or e mail.
• Ensure guidance provided is timely, clear and practical, and balances risk and resources required to mitigate that risk.
• Tailor the advice based on the capability and confidence of the service user.
• Escalate more complex or novel issues for guidance to predominantly the HRBP (Employee Relations), or regional HRBP if not available.
• Log and monitor progress of complex cases, categorising based on case type and risk profile.
• Provide ad hoc summary progress reports to senior management as required on specific cases.
• Escalate cases where line managers are not expediting matters, or are refusing to accept recommendations, that puts the business at a significant reputational and financial risk.
• Travel to locations where necessary to provide face to face ‘hands on’ tactical support.
• Manage the documentation, record keeping and process implementation of HR project.
• Provide line managers with readily accessible and practical guidance and policy support tools to enable them to proactively manage their staff effectively.
• Determine the key learning needs of line managers, and assist in the design of tailored learning interventions
• Plan and deliver face to face training and coaching to line managers in key aspects of employee relations casework management activity (e.g. conduct, performance, absence, dispute resolution).
• Use data collated via the HR Advice line, casework management system and other sources of intelligence to determine: o areas for policy and process re-design and improvement, o intranet re-design and e-learning tools, o training and wider line management development.
• Scan changes in employment law, employment tribunal charges and employee relations in general, to ensure that HR policies are up to date and reflect current thinking and best practice.
• Analyse information collected via the case management system, and provide regular verbal updates and reports to HRBPs and senior management on case management activity.
• Highlight trends in casework activity, and emerging reputational and financial risks