HR Advisor (Internally known as Consultant) - 7750

Cambridge University Press Ltd.; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Group personal pension

Life assurance

Green travel schemes

28 days annual leave + bank holidays

Job summary

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is seeking an HR Advisor (internally known as consultant) in Cambridge to provide day-to-day HR advice and support managers to handle people matters with confidence across the employee lifecycle.

This hybrid role requires 40-60% on-site collaboration, 35 hours per week, and a fixed-term contract until 31 July 2027. The role offers a competitive salary of £30,800 - £40,100 and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Experience providing practical HR advice and applying employment law.
• Knowledge of HR processes across the employee lifecycle.
• Ability to use people data to identify issues and inform decisions.
• Strong stakeholder relationships and negotiation skills.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
• Discretion with confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Advise managers and employees on people policies, employment practices, identifying risks and proposing or escalating solutions.
• Support workforce planning, performance management and offboarding with colleagues across the People team.
• Use people data and management information to inform decisions and improvements.
• Help managers identify development and performance needs and put plans in place to improve outcomes.
• Contribute to people projects and change activities, sharing insights on inclusion, engagement and wellbeing.

Skills

Practical HR advice

Employment law

People policies

Employee relations

People data analysis

Stakeholder management

Equality, diversity & inclusion

Confidentiality

Job description

Job Title: HR Advisor (Internally known as consultant)

Salary: £30,800 - £40,100

Location: Cambridge

Contract: Initial Fixed term contract until 31 July 2027

Hours: Full-Time, 35 hours per week

Help managers and employees navigate people matters with clear, practical advice. You'll support effective people practices and help shape change across the organisation.

We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.

About the role

As an HR Consultant based in Cambridge, you'll work with managers and employees to put people policies and practices into action. As part of the People Partnering Team you will be working alongside colleagues in the People and Culture team, you'll provide day-to-day HR advice, support managers to handle people matters with confidence, and help deliver people services across the employee lifecycle.

You'll use information from Workday, as well as our other people system to identify trends and inform decisions, while working with colleagues on initiatives and organisational change. Your work will help managers address issues, support employees through change and improve how people services are delivered.

Responsibilities and accountabilities include:

• Advise managers and employees on people policies, employment practices, identifying risks and proposing or escalating solutions.
• Support workforce planning, performance management and offboarding with colleagues across the People team.
• Use people data and management information to inform decisions and improvements.
• Help managers identify development and performance needs and put plans in place to improve outcomes.
• Contribute to people projects and change activities, sharing insights on inclusion, engagement and wellbeing.

We are looking for an experienced HR Consultant to join our team, providing broad HR support across designated areas of the business. Strong employee relations experience is essential, as you will play a key role in supporting and leading on a range of complex ER matters.

This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.

About You

You have experience in HR and can turn people policies and employment practice into practical advice. You work with colleagues and stakeholders to resolve people issues and help improve how people services are delivered.

Essential requirements

• Experience providing practical HR advice, applying employment law and people policies, and keeping professional knowledge up to date.
• Knowledge of HR systems and processes across the employee lifecycle, including how to navigate multiple procedures and regulations.
• Ability to use people data to identify issues, inform decisions and develop practical solutions.
• Ability to build effective working relationships and communicate with stakeholders at different levels, with evidence of developing influencing or negotiation skills.
• Examples of incorporating equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging into HR work.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential employee information and sensitive people matters with discretion.

For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.

We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.

Please note that Cambridge University Press & Assessment will not ordinarily be able to provide sponsorship for vacancies of less than 12-months in duration. Applicants must therefore have an existing right to work in the UK to be eligible for this position.

Rewards and benefits

We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Group personal pension scheme
• Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
• Green travel schemes

We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be Tuesday 24 November. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and may close the vacancy early if we find a suitable candidate.

If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:

• In person interview at our office in Cambridge

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.

Why join us

Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.

We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.