HR Adviser

HISTORIC ENGLAND; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A public body preserving historical sites is seeking a part-time HR Adviser based in Swindon, with flexible working options and responsibilities including coaching managers and managing complex HR cases. The role offers a competitive benefits package, emphasizing diversity and inclusion, and supporting work-life balance.

Benefits

Defined benefit pension scheme with 28.97% employer contributions

28 days holiday

Corporate discounts

Free entry into English Heritage sites

Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience of having responsibility for a personal caseload of complex issues including sickness, performance, and grievances.
• Ability to coach managers to reach pragmatic risk-based solutions through appropriate challenge and effective influencing skills.
• Build effective relationships, promoting simplicity, fairness, innovation and learning.

Responsibilities

• Identify, develop and deliver coaching and training to managers on people management.
• Manage a caseload, supporting managers to resolve complex people issues.

Skills

Experience managing complex cases including sickness and grievances

Coaching managers

Building effective relationships

Analytical and investigative skills

Open communication

Competent using Microsoft and HR systems

Tools

Oracle HR

Midland iTrent

Job description

Summary

We are the public body that looks after England’s historic environment. We champion historic places, helping people understand, value and care for them.

Historic England have a fantastic opportunity for you to join us as our HR Adviser.

This is a part time, permanent post based out of Swindon, inclusive with hybrid working. Working pattern can be flexible but must include a Friday.

We offer a wide benefits package including a competitive defined benefit pension scheme to which we make 28.97% employer contributions, a generous 28 days holiday, corporate discounts, free entry into English Heritage sites across the country and development opportunities to ensure you achieve your goals.

To view our full range of benefits please follow the link here.

What you will be doing

The HR department forms part of the Corporate Services Group, providing HR services to Historic England and is based on a centralised shared service model.

Based in the central HR team you will be responsible for identifying, developing and delivering coaching and training to managers on people management. You will manage a case load, supporting managers to successfully resolve complex people issues, including, but not limited to, sickness, performance management and grievances.

Who we are looking for:

• Experience of having responsibility for a personal caseload of complex issues including sickness, performance and grievances
• Ability to coach managers to reach pragmatic risk based solutions through appropriate challenge and effective influencing skills
• Build effective relationships, learning from others and promoting simplicity, fairness, innovation and learning
• Ability to accurately assess situations using excellent analytical/investigative skills
• Communicates openly with clients and colleagues, demonstrating trust, collaboration and empowerment to team members, to make the right decisions at pace
• Competent using IT including Microsoft and HR systems (i.e. Oracle HR/Midland iTrent)

Please note your application will be scored and assessed against the above criteria.

We are an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusion. If you have a disability or neurodiversity, we would be happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the job with you. Having won the Gold Award from MIND for workplace wellbeing in seven consecutive years, we also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance.

We are an inclusive employer and believe that flexible working options are for everyone. We want to make sure our working arrangements don’t prevent anyone from joining us because of their personal circumstances. We also want to provide you with the best balance in your home and work life that we can.

We are open to considering options including job sharing, part-time working, compressed hours working and different working locations, including hybrid working. Please visit our jobs pages or contact us to find out more.

Why work for Historic England

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for everyone. Diversity helps us to perform better and attract more people to support our work. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and candidates with disabilities as they are underrepresented within Historic England at this level.

Historic England want all of our candidates to shine in the recruitment process. Please tell us what we can do to make sure you can show us your very best self. You can contact us by email at [e-mail] if you have any recruitment queries.

At Historic England we use a hiring system called Applied

Applied is a behavioural science-backed recruitment platform that reduces bias, improves quality of hire and increases diversity. We do not use CV application for the majority of our hiring processes. You will answer a selection of questions that allow our hiring teams to test your skills and suitability for the role.

At Historic England, we value the expertise and individuality each candidate brings and want to hear about this in your own words. If you require the use or AI tools or other resources to support your application, we ask that all information is factually accurate, original, and reflects your own experience. To best represent yourself, we encourage you to write in your own words and use AI-generated content only as inspiration—not as direct input.

Provisional interview dates: week commencing 08th December 2025, in person at our Swindon office.