Employee Relations Advisor

Somerset County Council; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days leave

LGPS pension

Hybrid working

Wellbeing support

Volunteering opportunities

Job summary

Somerset County Council is seeking a proactive Employee Relations Adviser (Permanent) and Employee Relations Advisor (Maternity Cover) to support managers with day-to-day ER issues and complex casework. The roles offer exposure to a fast-paced, diverse HR function within County Hall, Taunton, with hybrid working options and a clear progression path.

You will provide risk-based, compliant guidance on disciplinary, grievances, restructures and attendance matters while developing working

Qualifications

• Experience providing HR or employee relations advice, ideally within a complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and employee relations best practice.
• Experience handling complex employee relations cases and hearings (disciplinary, grievance, etc.).
• Ability to influence, challenge and think creatively when identifying options to resolve staffing issues.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills; confident to influence and challenge constructively.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive and reactive advice and support to managers on all HR and employee relations issues, including sickness, performance management, disciplinary and grievance cases, restructures and TUPE.
• Coach and upskill managers to build confidence and capability in managing processes and leading teams.
• Engage with Trade Unions and support consultation processes when required.
• Deliver training and share best practice to support effective people management.
• Apply HR expertise to contribute to Council priorities and organisational objectives.
• Provide practical employee relations advice to enable fair, legally compliant decisions.
• Support resolution of complex workplace matters to help teams perform and deliver services.

Skills

Strong people skills

Influence & creative thinking

Employment law knowledge

Independent working

Workload management

Presentation skills

Written and verbal communication

HR/employee relations advisory

Analytical thinking

Risk assessment

MS 365 (Outlook/Excel/Teams/Word)

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Employee Relations Adviser (Permanent) AND Employee Relations Advisor (Maternity Cover)

Salary: Grade 10 - £37,280 to £41,771 per annum

Contract: 2 Positions available: First role is Permanent. Second role is for Maternity Cover - Fixed-term contract until end of September/early October 2027.

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week all year round

Closing Date: 17 September 2026

About the Role

Our Employee Relations team provides trusted support to managers across Somerset Council, helping create workplaces where people can succeed and services can thrive. By working closely with leaders and stakeholders, the team plays an important role in supporting effective people management and the consistent application of employment practices to ensure legal compliance.

We're looking for Employee Relations Advisor to join us to fill a permanent vacancy and a fixed-term contract covering maternity leave. Whilst ideally, we are looking for someone with experience of working in Employee Relations, this is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience within a large and diverse organisation, supporting a variety of employee relations matters and working alongside a knowledgeable and supportive HR team. The team works in a very fast-paced and varied environment.

You will support managers to find practical, risk-assessed solutions to employee relations issues and workplace challenges that reflect Somerset Council's policies while contributing to a culture of fairness, inclusion and continuous improvement.

How You'll Make a Difference

Here's what you can expect to be doing:

• Providing proactive and reactive advice and support to managers on all HR and employee relations issues, including sickness performance management, disciplinary and grievance cases, restructures and TUPE.
• Coaching and upskilling managers to build their confidence and capability, empowering them to take ownership of management processes and lead their teams effectively.
• Engaging with Trade Unions, building positive working relationships and supporting consultation processes where required.
• Delivering training and sharing best practice to support effective people management.
• Applying your HR expertise to contribute to the Council's priorities and wider organisational objectives.
• Providing practical employee relations advice that enables managers to make fair, informed and legally compliant people decisions.
• Supporting the resolution of complex workplace matters, helping teams perform effectively and deliver quality services to residents.
• Contributing to HR projects, policy development and service improvements that strengthen people management across the Council.

What You'll Bring

A few things about you:

• Strong people skills and the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a range of stakeholders, including managers, colleagues across HR and Trade Union representatives.
• The ability to influence, challenge and think creatively when identifying options to resolve staffing and employee relations issues.
• An understanding of employment law, with experience of conflict management, restructures and ideally consultation with Trade Unions.
• Confidence working independently, as well as being part of a team.
• The ability to manage, prioritise, organise and co-ordinate a varied workload with competing priorities.
• Effective presentation skills and a positive attitude towards change.
• The ability to adapt your communication style to a variety of audiences in both written and verbal formats.
• Experience providing HR or employee relations advice, ideally within a complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and employee relations best practice.
• Experience handling complex employee relations cases and hearings including, but not limited to: disciplinary, grievance, performance or attendance matters.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to influence and challenge constructively.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risks and provide balanced recommendations.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Excel, Teams, and Word.

Why Join Us?

At Somerset Council, we're a progressive organisation committed to improving lives and shaping better services for our communities. Based in one of England's most beautiful counties, it's a great place to build your career and enjoy an excellent quality of life.

• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase additional leave.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), one of the UK's most enhanced and secure pension schemes.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements to support work-life balance, where service needs allow.
• Health and wellbeing support, including access to confidential employee assistance services.
• Paid volunteering opportunities, helping you make a difference both inside and outside of work.

Find out more about working at Somerset Council:

https://www.somerset.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/working-at-somerset-council/

Further Information

The role is based at County Hall, Taunton, and you will be expected to work from the office a minimum of two days per week and be available to attend face-to-face hearings and meetings. During your induction period, you will be required to attend County Hall more frequently to support your onboarding and training.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. We are only able to proceed with candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without the need for visa sponsorship.

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Rachael Butt, Employee Relations Manager, at [e-mail] or Jo Milton Employee Relations Manager at [e-mail].

Interviews are likely to take place week commencing 28 September 2026.

We believe diversity makes us stronger and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences, whose unique perspectives help us better serve the people of Somerset.

You can find a copy of the job description here: AG0075 Employee Relations Advisor.pdf

Ref: NG/1330