HR Advisor - Eagle & Child

Ellison Institute of Technology; Oxford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced annual leave 25 days + bank

Pension with employer contribution

Private medical insurance

Employee discounts

Cycle to work scheme

Life assurance

Job summary

Ellison Institute of Technology is seeking an experienced HR Advisor to support The Eagle & Child pub in Oxford. You will handle employee relations, recruitment, onboarding, and performance coaching in a fast-paced hospitality setting.

You’ll drive people analytics, policy compliance, and staff development while partnering with senior managers to maintain a positive employee experience and culture. A UK right-to-work and relocation flexibility are expected.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of HR principles, policies and employment law.
• Experience handling employee relations with discretion.
• Data-driven HR analytics and KPI reporting.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Ability to manage multiple HR projects simultaneously.
• Analytical thinker with proactive problem-solving.
• Flexible, resilient, and able to adapt in fast-paced hospitality.
• Bachelor’s degree or demonstrated experience in HR; CIPD desirable.

Responsibilities

• Act as first contact for employee relations matters for The Eagle & Child.
• Investigate, discipline, and manage grievances and attendance.
• Provide pragmatic guidance to managers and escalate when needed.
• Partner with Hiring team to attract hospitality professionals.
• Coordinate onboarding and induction for new staff.
• Support workforce planning and career development pathways.
• Support learning initiatives and identify skills gaps.
• Coach managers on performance management and objectives.
• Maintain accurate HR records and generate people metrics.
• Ensure compliance with UK employment law and policies.

Skills

HR Knowledge

Employee Relations

Data Analytics

Communication

Project Management

Problem Solving

Adaptability

Education/Experience

Certifications

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

CIPD Level 3 or 5 desirable

Job description

Description

Join us at EIT:

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we're on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity's greatest challenges in four transformative areas:

• Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
• Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
• Climate Change & Managing CO₂
• Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you'll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more at www.eit.org .

Your Role:

EIT, in partnership with Foster + Partners, is restoring and reimagining the historic Eagle & Child pub in Oxford - a landmark venue renowned for its rich literary and cultural heritage. As the pub enters an exciting new chapter, we are seeking an experienced HR Advisor to provide dedicated people support for The Eagle & Child, ensuring an exceptional employee experience in a fast-paced hospitality environment.

Your Responsibilities:

Employee Relations

• Act as the first point of contact for employee relations matters within The Eagle & Child.
• Manage investigations, disciplinaries, grievances, absence management and performance concerns, ensuring compliance with UK employment legislation and internal policies.
• Provide timely, pragmatic advice to managers, escalating complex matters to the HR Business Partner where appropriate.
• Foster positive employee relations and support an inclusive and respectful workplace culture.

Recruitment, Onboarding and Talent Management

• Partner with hiring managers and the Talent team to attract and recruit high-calibre hospitality professionals.
• Support workforce planning activities, ensuring staffing levels meet operational requirements.
• Coordinate onboarding and induction programmes to ensure new employees are effectively integrated into the business.
• Work with managers to identify talent, succession opportunities and career development pathways.

Learning and Development

• Support the implementation of learning and development initiatives that enhance employee capability and service excellence.
• Identify skills gaps and training needs across front-of-house, kitchen and operational teams.
• Promote continuous professional development and support leadership development for managers and supervisors.

Performance Management

• Provide guidance and coaching to managers on performance management processes.
• Support managers in setting objectives, delivering feedback and managing performance improvement plans.
• Encourage a culture of high performance, accountability and recognition.

Employee Engagement and Culture

• Support employee engagement activities and initiatives that reinforce EIT and The Eagle & Child values.
• Gather and analyse employee feedback, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Work closely with operational leaders to maintain a positive and engaging employee experience.

HR Operations, Analytics and Reporting

• Maintain accurate employee records and HR documentation.
• Produce HR reports and analyse people metrics including turnover, absence, recruitment and engagement data.
• Use data-driven insights to identify trends and recommend improvements to people practices.

Policy and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with UK employment legislation and company policies.
• Support audits and compliance activities relating to people processes.
• Assist in reviewing and implementing HR policies and procedures relevant to the hospitality operation.
• Promote best practice in employee wellbeing, health and safety, and workforce management.

Requirements

Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• Human Resources Knowledge: Working knowledge of HR principles, policies, procedures, and employment law.
• Employee Relations: Strong experience handling multiple employee relations issues with sensitivity and discretion.
• Data Analytics: Proficient in HR data analysis, using metrics to drive decision‑making and provide actionable insights.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Project Management: Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Problem Solving: Analytical thinking and decision‑making ability to address HR related challenges proactively.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment with a flexible, solution‑focused approach.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred or clear evidence from career history of qualification by experience.
  Experience: Proven experience delivering HR support across the employee lifecycle within hospitality or similarly fast‑paced operational environments.
• Certifications: CIPD Level 3 or Level 5 is highly desirable.

Benefits

• Enhanced holiday. Our annual leave allowance is 25 days plus 8 bank holidays and an additional 3 days between Christmas and New Year. You will also have the opportunity to purchase an additional 5 days annual leave in January and July
• Pension - Employer contribution 7.5%, minimum employee contribution 5%
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance as standard for you, your partner and any dependents. Including hospital Cash Plan
• Employee discounts
• Electric car scheme
• Nursery Salary Sacrifice scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Family Planning
• Neurodiversity support including advise and assessments
• Coaching & Therapy services

Working Together - What It Involves:

• You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. In certain cases, we can consider sponsorship, and this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
• You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford (or be willing to relocate).