HR Advice and Support Lead (Employee Relations)

Derbyshire County Council; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

Flexible working

Local government pension

Incremental pay increases

Rewards package

Job summary

Derbyshire County Council is seeking an HR Advice and Support Lead (employee relations) to provide professional advice, end-to-end case management and guidance to managers on sickness absence and employee relations policy. You will play a key role in delivering proactive HR advisory services and supporting policy development.

The role requires a degree in HR or CIPD Level 5, strong communication skills, and the ability to influence at all levels within a matrix-structured organisation.

Qualifications

• A degree or equivalent in a HR discipline or CIPD level 5 or equivalent, supported by relevant HR experience.
• Advising and influencing on HR and employee relations matters in a customer focussed environment
• Being a local expert, able to prove your credibility, providing advice on employment legislation and associated policy and practice
• Excellent communications being able to influence at all levels as well as develop and maintain collaborative and inclusive working relationships with stakeholders and colleagues
• Being motivated and resilient, able to use your own initiative, presenting a ‘can do’ approach focussing on results and outputs
• Contributing to the review of employment policy as well as the development and delivery of employee relations policy coaching and training

Responsibilities

• Providing consistent proactive HR advisory services to customers on employment legislative practices and employment relations policy and procedure working in a matrix management structure and supporting collaborative working
• Being data driven, taking a result orientated and ‘can do’ approach, contributing to the continuous improvement of the HR Advice and Support (employee relations) service
• Working closely with the HR Business Partner network, the Health Safety and Wellbeing team and Legal Services Division to ensure the progression of employee relations and sickness absence cases
• Contributing to the internal Appeals and Employment Tribunal processes in conjunction with Legal Services, providing independent case management support as appropriate

Skills

HR advisory

Influencing

Policy knowledge

Communication skills

Team player

Initiative

Training & coaching

Education

Degree in HR / CIPD Level 5

Job description

Closing date: 25 October 2026

As one of our team of HR Advice and Support Leads (employee relations) in our HR Operations team, you will provide professional advice, guidance and end to end case management support to managers on the application of sickness absence and employee relations policy and procedure.

We’re looking for someone who is an excellent team player who is eager to learn, support others, share their knowledge and support the continuous development of the council’s HR Advice & Support (employee relations) service.

What skills/experience will you need?

• A degree or equivalent in a HR discipline or CIPD level 5 or equivalent, supported by relevant HR experience.
• Advising and influencing on HR and employee relations matters in a customer focussed environment
• Being a local expert, able to prove your credibility, providing advice on employment legislation and associated policy and practice
• Excellent communications being able to influence at all levels as well as develop and maintain collaborative and inclusive working relationships with stakeholders and colleagues
• Being motivated and resilient, able to use your own initiative, presenting a ‘can do’ approach focussing on results and outputs
• Contributing to the review of employment policy as well as the development and delivery of employee relations policy coaching and training

You will play a key role in:

• Providing consistent proactive HR advisory services to customers on employment legislative practices and employment relations policy and procedure working in a matrix management structure and supporting collaborative working
• Being data driven, taking a result orientated and ‘can do’ approach, contributing to the continuous improvement of the HR Advice and Support (employee relations) service
• Working closely with the HR Business Partner network, the Health Safety and Wellbeing team and Legal Services Division to ensure the progression of employee relations and sickness absence cases
• Contributing to the internal Appeals and Employment Tribunal processes in conjunction with Legal Services, providing independent case management support as appropriate

These lists are not exhaustive, take a look at our comprehensive job profile on our Jobs Derbyshire website for more detail about this role.

And What’s In It For You

• 27 days of annual leave (with an additional 5 days with 5 years continuous service)
• Flexible working scheme
• Generous local government pension scheme
• Guaranteed incremental annual pay increases
• A range of Rewards through the "Our Derbyshire Rewards" package
• And much more.

Our HR team is contractually based in Matlock, Derbyshire, but as part of our Ways of Working Policy we work on a hybrid basis. There'll be an opportunity to discuss working arrangements at interview.

To arrange an informal discussion about this role please contact Jayne Mason, HR Advice and Support Manager at [e-mail]

Provisional Interview Date: Tuesday and Wednesday 10 and 11 November 2026