Associate People Partner

RCI Group; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Professional development and CIPD支持

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Wellbeing initiatives and benefits

Job summary

RCI Group in the UK is seeking an Associate People Partner to join our growing People team. You will own a varied employee relations caseload, coach managers, and help create fair, compliant people practices across the organisation.

You’ll partner with managers, support TUPE and organisational change projects, and contribute to workplace culture that reflects our values of Respect, Courage and Impact. CIPD qualifications and strong ER experience are essential.

Qualifications

• Strong generalist HR and ER experience.
• Proven ability to independently manage complex ER casework.
• Experience preparing documentation for tribunal claims.
• Solid understanding of UK employment law and ACAS guidance.
• Ability to coach, influence, and challenge managers.
• Experience supporting consultations and organisational change programmes.
• Knowledge of TUPE processes and shared-service HR environments.
• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or in progress toward Level 7).

Responsibilities

• Manage a varied ER caseload with up to 30 cases.
• Provide expert guidance to managers on ER processes.
• Design and deliver manager training on disciplinaries and absence management.
• Support tribunal preparation in collaboration with HR partners.
• Lead employee consultations and support large change programmes.
• Contribute to TUPE and restructuring activities.
• Identify trends and provide insights to prevent recurrence.
• Promote compliant, fair people practices across the business.

Skills

ER case management

Employee relations

Coaching managers

UK employment law

ACAS guidance

TUPE knowledge

Stakeholder management

Education

CIPD Level 5

CIPD Level 7 (in progress)

Job description

Shape how managers handle people matters across a growing organisation with real purpose

Are you an experienced Employee Relations professional looking for a role where you can make a genuine impact? Do you enjoy partnering with managers, solving complex people challenges, and helping create positive workplace cultures?

At RCI Group, we're looking for an Associate People Partner to join our growing People team. This is an opportunity to take ownership of a varied ER caseload while coaching and developing managers to handle people matters confidently, fairly, and effectively.

About RCI Group

Since 2018, RCI Group has brought together specialist health, justice, and social care providers across the UK. Collectively, our businesses have supported more than 36,000 NHS professionals to improve services, provided secure transport for over 30,000 people with mental health needs, and helped more than 20,000 individuals with communication difficulties access justice.

Everything we do is guided by our values of Respect, Courage, and Impact. As we continue to grow, we're investing in a People function that helps our colleagues and leaders thrive.

As an Associate People Partner, you'll be a trusted advisor to managers across the Group, managing a diverse employee relations caseload and supporting a wide range of people initiatives.

You’ll play a key role in resolving cases fairly and consistently while helping managers build the confidence and capability to address people issues before they escalat...

Alongside day-to-day ER activity, you'll contribute to organisational change projects, consultations, TUPE activity, and wider People initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of up to 30 employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, flexible working, redundancy, and contract change matters.
• Provide expert guidance and coaching to managers on ER processes and employment best practice.
• Design and deliver engaging manager training on topics including disciplinaries, grievances, performance management, and absence management.
• Support employment tribunal preparation, working closely with People Partners and Divisional People Leads, including liaison with ACAS.
• Lead smaller-scale employee consultations and support larger organisational change programmes.
• Contribute to TUPE projects and restructuring activities across the Group.
• Identify trends and root causes behind employee relations issues, providing insights and recommendations to prevent recurrence.
• Promote consistent, fair, and legally compliant people practices across the business.

About You

We're looking for a confident and pragmatic HR professional who enjoys building relationships and balancing commercial needs with employee wellbeing.

You'll have:

• Strong generalist HR and employee relations experience.
• Proven experience independently managing complex ER casework.
• Experience supporting or preparing documentation for employment tribunal claims.
• A sound understanding of UK employment law and ACAS guidance.
• The confidence to coach, influence, and challenge managers constructively.
• Experience supporting consultation exercises and organisational change programmes.
• Knowledge and experience of TUPE processes.
• Previous experience working within a shared-service HR environment.
• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or currently working toward Level 7).

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Hybrid working arrangement
• Pension scheme
• Professional development and CIPD support
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Wellbeing initiatives and additional colleague benefits
• The opportunity to work for a values-led organisation making a difference across health, justice, and social care sectors

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process to ensure every candidate has the opportunity to perform at their best.