Employee Relations Advisor

Ashley Kate HR & Finance; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashley Kate HR & Finance are supporting a nationwide client to recruit an experienced HR Advisor (Employee Relations) for a SITE based role with occasional travel to other sites in the region.

The role focuses on employee relations, coaching management, and development of management capability in a fast-paced industrial environment, ensuring fair procedures and effective outcomes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in an HR Advisor or similar HR generalist position with a strong emphasis on ER.
• Strong experience managing employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, absence, performance and capability matters.
• Experience working within an industrial or operational type environment.
• Demonstrable experience coaching and developing line managers in the effective management of employee relations.
• The confidence to challenge, influence and support managers at all levels, balancing employee needs with operational and commercial requirements.
• Strong communication, facilitation and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases and competing priorities.
• A resilient, pragmatic and solutions‑focused approach.
• CIPD Level 5

Responsibilities

• Employee Relations: Manage a broad range of employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, absence management, performance, capability and conduct issues.
• Management Coaching: Coach and advise line managers on complex employee relations matters, building their confidence and capability.
• Training Development and Delivery: Design, develop and deliver practical training sessions, workshops and guidance materials covering key ER processes.
• Empowering Managers: Support managers to take ownership of employee relations issues, helping them intervene and document concerns.
• Case Management: Guide managers through the full ER process from investigation to hearings and outcomes.
• Absence Management: Work with managers to reduce absence levels and manage return-to-work processes.

Skills

Employee relations

Coaching managers

Training delivery

Disciplinary & grievances

Absence management

Management coaching

Education

CIPD Level 5

Job description

HR Advisor (Employee Relations)

Ashley Kate are supporting our nationwide client to recruit an experienced and proactive HR Advisor to join their HR team. Supporting a workforce of approximately 500 employees within a fast-paced industrial environment, this is a hands‑on HR role with a strong emphasis on employee relations, management coaching and the development of management capability. This is a SITE Based role, with occasional travel required to other sites in the region.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record of managing complex employee relations matters, alongside the ability to coach, guide and develop line managers to handle people-related issues confidently and consistently. This is an excellent opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys working closely with operational teams, building management confidence and driving a proactive, consistent approach to employee relations.

Key Responsibilities

• Employee Relations: Manage a broad range of employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, absence management, performance, capability and conduct issues, ensuring cases are handled fairly, consistently and in line with employment legislation and company procedures.
• Management Coaching: Coach and advise line managers on complex and day-to-day employee relations matters, building their confidence and capability to manage people issues effectively and independently.
• Training Development and Delivery: Design, develop and deliver practical training sessions, workshops and guidance materials covering key employee relations processes, including disciplinary and grievance procedures, absence management, performance conversations, investigations and managing difficult conversations.
• Empowering Managers: Support managers to take ownership of employee relations issues, helping them recognise when and how to intervene, conduct effective conversations, document concerns appropriately and elevate matters when necessary.
• Case Management: Support and guide managers through the full employee relations process, from initial investigation and evidence gathering through to formal hearings and outcomes, ensuring procedural fairness and appropriate documentation.
• Absence Management: Work with managers to proactively manage attendance, reduce absence levels and address both short‑term and long‑term absence through effective reviews, return‑to‑work processes and appropriate interventions.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Proven experience in an HR Advisor or similar HR generalist position with a strong emphasis on ER.
• Strong experience managing employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, absence, performance and capability matters.
• Experience working within an industrial or operational type environment.
• Demonstrable experience coaching and developing line managers in the effective management of employee relations.
• The confidence to challenge, influence and support managers at all levels, balancing employee needs with operational and commercial requirements.
• Strong communication, facilitation and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases and competing priorities.
• A resilient, pragmatic and solutions‑focused approach.
• CIPD Level 5

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who can combine sound HR knowledge with practical coaching skills to strengthen management capability and improve employee relations across a large operational workforce.

About Us

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. In line with our Diversity and Inclusion policy, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. As a Disability Confident Employer, and part of the Nicholas Associates Group, we are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities, and we're happy to discuss flexible working options.

We are committed to protecting the privacy of all our candidates and clients. If you choose to apply, your information will be processed in accordance with the Nicholas Associates Group of companies Privacy Notice.