HR Adviser

Ordnance Survey; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Ordnance Survey seeks an HR Adviser for a 12-month maternity cover. Join a forward-thinking People team to shape the employee experience and support meaningful change in a role that leverages your HR expertise and promotes inclusivity and employee engagement.

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Enhanced family leave

Access to online learning platforms

Performance related bonus

Pension scheme with company contribution

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Assistance Programme

Free onsite parking

Eyecare vouchers

Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience as an HR Adviser or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of HR policies, employment law, and best practice.
• Experience using data insights for decision making.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert HR advice and support to managers and employees.
• Manage complex employee relations cases.
• Contribute to the design of HR projects enhancing employee lifecycle.

Skills

Business Partnerships

Employee Experience

Human Resources (HR)

People Analytics

Learning and Development (L&D)

Education

CIPD qualified (level 5) or working towards

Job description

HR Adviser – 12 Month FTC (Maternity Cover)

Make a Real Impact from Day One

Are you a confident and capable HR professional ready to step into a role where your expertise will make an immediate difference? We’re looking for an experienced HR Adviser to join our collaborative and forward-thinking People team on a 12-month maternity cover. This is your opportunity to shape the employee experience, support meaningful change, and help make OS an even better place to work.

At Ordnance Survey, we’re on a mission to be world leaders in geospatial services—creating location insight that drives positive change. Join us and be part of something bigger.

What You’ll Be Doing

As a key member of our HR Services team, you’ll provide expert advice and hands-on support to managers and employees across the business.

• Work with HR Business Partners and the wider HR team to diagnose and understand business priorities and issues and contribute to designing appropriate plans to address them

• Develop and maintain a good understanding of assigned business areas, their strategies and ways of working, in order to provide proactive support and advice on policies, practices, and processes

• Deliver proactive, solutions-focused HR advice across a range of people matters

• Support and coach managers through employee relations cases, policy interpretation, and change initiatives

• Use people data and insights to identify trends, inform decisions, and drive continuous improvement

• Contribute to the design and delivery of HR projects that enhance the employee lifecycle and support our strategic goals

• Champion a shift from traditional HR practices to modern, outcome focused approaches

• Collaborate with the wider People team to enhance the employee experience and embed inclusive, future-ready policies

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for someone who’s not just experienced in HR—but excited to reimagine it. If you are someone with strong organisation and communication skills, an enquiring mind, with a can-do attitude then we would love to hear what difference you can bring to us.

You’ll thrive here if you

• Have proven experience in an HR Adviser or similar role, ideally in a fast-paced or complex environment

• Experience of using data insights and analysis to spot trends and inform decision making

• Are confident and have experience of managing complex employee relations cases and advising managers at all levels

• Possess strong knowledge of HR policies, employment law, and best practice

• Are a confident communicator and relationship-builder who can influence and coach effectively to achieve impactful outcomes

• Have a proactive, analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and spot trends

• Are curious, collaborative, and always looking for a better way

Nice to have

If you have worked with trade unions, have experience in conflict resolution practices but it’s your mindset and approach that matter most. CIPD qualified (level 5) or working towards

Rewards

We want you to love what you do. That is why our benefits package rewards a job well done. That is why our benefits package rewards a job well done. Check out how we support and invest in our employees by clicking here

• Salary – £33,404 - £38,972 (dependent on experience)

• Performance related bonus up to 10%

• A competitive pension scheme (OS contributes up to 12.07%)

• 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays on joining, (3 taken over Christmas) increasing by one day per year, to a maximum of 5 years

• Enhanced family leave, including up to 12 weeks paid partner (paternity) leave

• Free subscription to OS Maps

• Access to online learning platforms

• Coaching and Mentoring schemes

• Plus, a suite of excellent additional perks and benefits

At OS, we believe looking after your health and wellbeing means more than posters and events. We empower you to manage your work and life the way you need it by offering things like

• An extra days’ leave for each year you work, up to 33 days

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Hybrid working

• Free onsite parking at our modern HQ in Southampton

• We adopt flexible working and can consider different working hours dependent on the role and your personal circumstances

• Eyecare Vouchers

• OS Explorers Nursery discount

• Cycle to Work scheme

• We believe that as a company we should give back wherever we can, so we give you 1 day a year to volunteer for charities that are important to you, as well as offering a match funding scheme

Location

We have a fantastic HQ in Southampton, Hampshire where you will be based and required to spend two days a week in the office.

If you’re looking for a role where you can make a real impact, work with great people, and bring your HR expertise to life we would love to hear from you.

Security

OS conducts pre-employment checks for anyone made an offer of employment, including identity, right to work, employment history and criminal record checks (via Disclosure & Barring Services (DBS).

Some of our roles may require additional security vetting. We will advise candidates during the recruitment process if additional vetting may be required for that specific role.

Closing date: Sunday 03 August at 23:59

Interviews are scheduled to take place via MS Teams or in person at Ordnance Survey Head office. Dates are TBC

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer sponsorship for this role, therefore you must have the right to work in the UK, without the need for employer sponsorship.

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that people may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during the application process.

Research indicates that women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ community members, neurodiverse individuals, and people from ethnic minority backgrounds often hesitate to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Ordnance Survey, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and genuine workplace where everyone can thrive. If you’re enthusiastic about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly match every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the ideal candidate for this or other roles within Ordnance Survey.

Skills required for this role:

Business Partnerships, Employee Experience, Employee Relationships, Human Resources (HR), Learning and Development (L&D), People Analytics, Recruiting, Talent Acquisition, Workday Software