Employee Relations Advisor

Trident Group; Gravelly Hill; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Trident Group is seeking an Employee Relations Advisor to manage a varied caseload and advise on workplace relationship matters within a social housing context. You will work with managers, People & Culture colleagues and trade union representatives to resolve issues, reduce risk and promote positive employee experiences, while upholding policies and legal compliance.

Experience in HR casework, investigations, disciplinary and absence management is preferred, with strong analytical skills and

Qualifications

• Proven experience in an employee-relations, HR advisory or HR casework role.
• Significant experience managing varied employee-relations caseloads including disciplinary, grievance and absence cases.
• Experience supporting workplace investigations, hearings, meetings and appeals.
• Experience advising managers on complex and sensitive people matters.
• Experience working with trade unions or employee representatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide clear, practical and timely advice to managers on employee-relations matters.
• Manage an allocated caseload from referral to resolution with proper records.
• Advise on appropriate processes, timescales, evidence requirements and risks.
• Support consistent policy application while considering individual circumstances.
• Escalate cases to ER Manager or external legal advisers when needed.
• Monitor progress and ensure timely, proportionate action aligned with service standards.
• Provide informal resolution guidance, including early intervention and mediation.

Skills

Clear advice

Investigation skills

Policy interpretation

Written communication

Education

CIPD Level 5 Diploma in People Management

Tools

HRIS/Case management systems

Microsoft 365

Job description

The Employee Relations Advisor will manage and advise on a varied and complex caseload and workplace relationship matters. The postholder will help ensure that employee-relations practice is fair, consistent, legally compliant and aligned with the organisation's values, policies and social housing responsibilities. The role will work closely with managers, People & Culture colleagues, trade union representatives and other stakeholders to resolve issues effectively, reduce organisational risk and promote positive employee experiences.

What you’ll be doing

• Provide clear, practical and timely advice to managers on employee-relations matters, including conduct, capability, performance, attendance, grievance, disciplinary and workplace conflict issues.
• Manage an allocated caseload from initial referral through to resolution, ensuring appropriate records, documentation and follow-up actions are maintained.
• Advise managers on appropriate processes, timescales, evidence requirements and potential risks.
• Support managers to apply policies consistently while taking account of individual circumstances and reasonable adjustments.
• Identify cases requiring escalation to the Employee Relations Manager, Head of People & Culture, senior leaders or external legal advisers.
• Monitor case progress and ensure matters are progressed promptly, proportionately and in line with agreed service standards.
• Provide advice on informal resolution wherever appropriate, including early intervention, facilitated conversations, mediation and agreed action plans., Our purpose is putting people and communities at the heart of our services and the safe homes we provide.

To deliver against our purpose we will be:

• Trustworthy
• Collaborative
• Accountable
• People Focused
• Caring in all we do

The benefits

• 34 days annual leave, plus the option to purchase up to 5 additional days
• A day off for your birthday
• 4 days off when you move home
• Life assurance (3 x salary), All applicants must provide their right to work documentation at interview stage, such as a valid passport which will be verified to check your eligibility to work and live in the UK.

As an organisation we do not offer visa sponsorships. Only applicants with existing right to work in the UK will be consdidered.

Relevant roles will be subject to a successful disclosure at an appropriate level from Disclosure and barring service (DBS).

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

At Trident Group, we only consider agency introductions where a signed agreement is in place, and where the agency has been specifically contacted by a member of our People & Culture Team. We do not accept responsibility for any fees related to unsolicited or speculative CV submissions made directly to our employees or outside of the above.

Requirements

• Proven experience in an employee-relations, HR advisory or HR casework role.
• Significant experience managing a varied employee-relations caseload, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance and absence cases.
• Experience supporting workplace investigations, hearings, meetings and appeals.
• Experience advising managers on complex and sensitive people matters.
• Experience working with trade unions or employee representatives.
• Experience preparing high-quality case documentation, correspondence and reports.
• Experience working in a regulated, public-sector, social housing or similarly complex organisation is desirable
• Experience using HR information systems, case-management systems and Microsoft 365 applications.

Knowledge

• Detailed working knowledge of UK employment law and its practical application in the workplace.
• CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management, or equivalent experience.
• Good knowledge of the ACAS Code of Practice and principles of procedural and substantive fairness.
• Knowledge of disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance and absence management processes
• Understanding of the Equality Act 2010, including discrimination, victimisation, harassment, disability and reasonable adjustments.
• Knowledge of data protection and confidentiality requirements as they relate to employee-relations casework.
• Understanding of occupational health, workplace wellbeing and the management of health-related absence.
• Awareness of mediation, conflict resolution and early-intervention approaches.
• Understanding of trade union recognition, representation and consultation arrangements
• .Awareness of safeguarding, whistleblowing, professional conduct and other areas that may create employee-relations or organisational risk
• Understanding of the social housing operating environment and the importance of effective workforce governance, competence and conduct.
• Awareness of the Regulator of Social Housing's expectations relating to organisational culture, accountability, workforce capability and professional standards.
• Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion principles and their application to employee-relations practice.

Skills and capabilities

• Able to provide clear, confident and balanced advice on complex employee relations matters.
• Strong investigation, analytical and evidence-assessment skills.
• Able to interpret policy and legislation and translate it into practical management advice.
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to produce accurate, proportionate and well-structured reports and correspondence.

Trident Group has over 60 years' experience of delivering homes, services and innovation for up to 8,000 people in over 3,600 homes in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the Midlands. The Group employs more than 650 staff, works with volunteers and provides training places and apprenticeships for many more.

The Group consists of:

• Trident Housing, which provides landlord services for the Group in respect of housing management and maintenance
• Trident Reach, which is a registered care and support charity delivering trauma informed care and support services.

We celebrate Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and as a trauma informed organisation we are continually striving to build a community where everyone feels valued, respected and equally guided by our beacon of hope.