Employee Relations Advisor

Ashley Kate HR & Finance; Ilkeston; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashley Kate HR & Finance is recruiting an HR Advisor (Employee Relations) to support a nationwide client. The role is site-based with some travel, focusing on complex ER matters, coaching line managers and building management capability within an industrial workforce.

You will handle disciplinary, grievance, absence management and performance issues, ensuring fairness, compliance and timely resolutions while collaborating with operational teams to strengthen management capability across sites.

Qualifications

• Proven HR Advisor/ER experience in a fast-paced industrial environment.
• Strong experience handling employee relations cases including disciplinary and grievance.
• Experience coaching line managers to build capability in ER handling.

Responsibilities

• Employee Relations: manage a broad range of ER matters ensuring fairness and compliance.
• Management Coaching: coach line managers on ER issues to build confidence and capability.
• Training Development and Delivery: design and deliver practical ER training and guidance materials.
• Empowering Managers: enable managers to intervene and document concerns appropriately.
• Case Management: guide managers through investigations, hearings and outcomes with proper documentation.
• Absence Management: collaborate with managers to manage attendance and return-to-work processes.

Skills

Employee relations

Coaching managers

Industrial environment

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Stakeholder management

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 ...
• 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 5This 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