HR Advisor

Milton Keynes City Council; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 28 days + 32 after 5 yrs

LGPS pension

Family friendly policies

Employee benefits programme

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Blue Light Card

Job summary

Milton Keynes City Council is seeking an experienced HR Advisor to join the Human Resources team on a 2-year fixed term contract. You will provide professional, practical HR advice across employee relations, focusing on probation policy and its effective application across services.

You will coach managers, monitor compliance, and support policy development while balancing operational needs with legal requirements.

Qualifications

• Significant experience providing HR advisory support across employee relations.
• Experience supporting probation processes including extensions and outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, policy, and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional, accurate and business-focused HR advice across the full range of employee relations matters, including absence, disciplinary, grievance, performance and terms and conditions issues.
• Act as the council's lead advisor on probation management, overseeing the effective application of the probation policy and procedure across all service areas.
• Support, coach and challenge managers to ensure probation reviews are completed on time, concerns are addressed promptly and decisions are robust, evidence-based and compliant with policy.
• Provide risk-assessed recommendations to managers, balancing operational needs, employment legislation, policy requirements and best practice.
• Monitor probation activity, identify areas of non-compliance and work proactively with managers to improve standards and consistency.
• Develop effective working relationships with managers and stakeholders to build confidence and capability in managing probation and employee performance.
• Deliver guidance, coaching sessions, briefings and training to managers on probation management and wider people management practices.
• Support the development, review and continuous improvement of HR policies, procedures and guidance.
• Contribute to wider HR projects, initiatives and organisational change programmes as required.

Skills

HR advisory

Probation management

Employment law

Coaching managers

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

CIPD member or HR qualification

Job description

Job Introduction

This is a 2-year fixed term contract. Are you an experienced HR professional with a strong employee relations background and a passion for supporting managers to achieve the right outcomes for their teams?

We are seeking an HR Advisor to join our Human Resources team, providing high quality, pragmatic and business-focused advice across a broad range of people management matters. Acting as a trusted advisor, you will work closely with managers across the council to resolve complex employee relations issues, build management capability and support the delivery of excellent people practices.

Your key area of responsibility will be leading and overseeing the council's probation policy and procedure. With significant employment law changes increasing the importance of effective probation management, you will play a critical role in ensuring managers comply with policy requirements, make timely and well-informed decisions, and effectively manage employee performance during the probationary period. Your expertise will help mitigate organisational risk and support fair, consistent and legally compliant employment practices across the council. You will monitor and report compliance in this area ensuring that there is accurate reporting and record keeping, swift progress and a tight grip on probation at all times.

This is an excellent opportunity for a confident HR professional who enjoys partnering with managers, influencing decision-making and driving high standards of people management.

Previous experience working within Local Government, including an understanding of the public sector employment environment, is advantageous. Candidates who are available to commence employment immediately or at short notice are particularly encouraged to apply.

Working Hours

This is a full-time position working 37 hours per week. The standard working pattern is:

• Monday to Thursday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
• Friday: 9:00am - 4:30pm
• 30-minute unpaid lunch break each day

An alternative working pattern is:

• Monday to Thursday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
• Friday: 8:30am - 4:00pm
• 30-minute unpaid lunch break each day

Due to the operational requirements of the role and current team working arrangements, applicants must be able to work within the required working hours. Flexibility may be available around start and finish times; however, the earliest start time available is 8:30am and the latest finish time is 5:30pm.

There is flexibility to work from home up to 2 days per week subject to business needs. We are unable to guarantee the same days each week. Employees working from home must ensure they have an appropriate working environment and are able to fulfil their contractual duties and working hours.

Main Responsibility

• Provide professional, accurate and business-focused HR advice across the full range of employee relations matters, including, absence, disciplinary, grievance, performance and terms and conditions issues.
• Act as the council's lead advisor on probation management, overseeing the effective application of the probation policy and procedure across all service areas.
• Support, coach and challenge managers to ensure probation reviews are completed on time, concerns are addressed promptly and decisions are robust, evidence-based and compliant with policy.
• Provide risk-assessed recommendations to managers, balancing operational needs, employment legislation, policy requirements and best practice.
• Monitor probation activity, identify areas of non-compliance and work proactively with managers to improve standards and consistency.
• Develop effective working relationships with managers and stakeholders to build confidence and capability in managing probation and employee performance.
• Deliver guidance, coaching sessions, briefings and training to managers on probation management and wider people management practices.
• Support the development, review and continuous improvement of HR policies, procedures and guidance.
• Contribute to wider HR projects, initiatives and organisational change programmes as required.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for an experienced HR professional who combines strong technical knowledge with a practical and solutions-focused approach.

You will have:

• Significant experience providing HR advisory support across a broad range of employee relations matters.
• Essential experience supporting managers through probation processes, including advising on performance concerns, probation extensions and probation outcomes.
• A strong understanding of employment legislation, HR best practice and the organisational risks associated with ineffective probation management.
• Experience coaching and influencing managers to make sound people management decisions.
• The confidence and credibility to professionally challenge managers where practice, decision-making or compliance standards fall short.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risk and provide clear, balanced recommendations.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to explain complex HR matters to non-HR audiences.
• The ability to manage a varied caseload and prioritise competing demands effectively.
• A recognised HR qualification, CIPD membership (or working towards it), or equivalent experience.
• Ideally, experience working within a large, complex or unionised organisation.

Most importantly, you will be someone who can build trusted relationships whilst maintaining the confidence to hold managers accountable, ensuring the council takes a consistent, compliant and proactive approach to probation management and employee relations.

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension - everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme - eligible employees can lease an electric or low-emission vehicle at a reduced cost through salary sacrifice, subject to National Minimum Wage and other eligibility requirements.
• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Roles are either 'site based' or 'home based'

Site based roles are mainly based at the workplace, with the option to work from home for up to two days a week, depending on service needs.

Home based roles are mainly based at home, with the expectation of attending the workplace up to one day a week.

The working arrangement for each role is set by the manager, based on service requirements.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We're very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it's time for a new role.

If you'd like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.

Why join us?

Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes