HR Advisor

The Francis Crick Institute; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biomedical research institute seeks an HR Advisor for maternity cover. The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor, lead on employee relations, and support managers in resolving people issues. Strong HR advisory experience and excellent interpersonal skills are essential. This role offers a competitive salary starting from £40,600 and an opportunity to work in a dynamic environment that fosters continuous improvement and collaboration.

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus extra days

Pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution

24/7 GP consultation services

Childcare support allowance

Discounted gym memberships

Subsidised on-site restaurant

Qualifications

• Experience working independently on employee relations issues.
• Confidence to challenge constructively and build trust at all levels.
• Proven ability to balance risk and pragmatism in HR decisions.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted advisor to managers on people issues.
• Lead on employee relations cases including investigations.
• Support managers with restructures and redundancies.

Skills

HR Advisory experience

Influencing and coaching skills

Analytical skills

Building positive workplace relationships

Job description

Salary for this Role:

From £40,600 subject to skills and experience, plus benefits.

Job Title:

HR Advisor (maternity cover)

Reports to:

Louise Kalaska

Closing Date:

15/Feb/2026 23.59 GMT

Job Description

HR Advisor (maternity cover)

Reports to: People Partner

This is a full-time, fixed-term maternity cover on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a People Advisor to join our fast‑paced, supportive HR team at the Crick. This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced People Advisor to join our friendly People Partnering team to provide maternity cover.

In this role, you will act as a trusted advisor to managers, leadallocatedERcasework, andwill work on aselectionof people projects. Working collaboratively with a team of Advisors, you will also have an opportunity tocontribute to the continuous improvement of People processes and policies.

This isa role thatdeliversfirst-line support to all employees and managers across the Crick. Avisible and influential position, requiring confidence, independent judgment, and a proactive approach to problem‑solving and relationship‑building.It will suit an individual able tonavigate a dynamic environment and comfortable working with a level of ambiguity.

If you are a HR professional looking for a fixed term opportunity, interested in gaining experience of working in a scientific institute, this will be an ideal opportunity for you.

What you will be doing

Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Trusted Advisor to Group Leaders and Operational Heads and managers, supporting with all people issues
• Provide expert HR advice on all aspects of the employee lifecycle, working with minimal supervision and high autonomy
• Lead on the full range of employee relations cases of varied complexity, including investigations, hearings and appeals, ensuring best practice and consistency
• Support managers with restructures and redundancy processes with the ability to deliver the end‑to‑end process
• Work in partnership with managers to proactively identifying people challenges and propose appropriate solutions in line with Crick values
• Design and deliver management training

See the full job description here.

About you

You will have:

• Good level of experience at HR Advisor level, with evidence of working independently on employee relations issues *
• Strong influencing and coaching skills, with the ability and confidence to challenge constructively and build trust at all levels *
• Excellent judgment and ability to balance risk and pragmatism in HR decisions *
• A track record of leading or significantly contributing to HR projects or organisational change initiatives
• Strong analytical skills with experience translating people data into actionable insights
• Proven ability to build positive workplace relationship across all stakeholder groups *

*Minimum requirement

About Working at the Crick

Our values

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture!

• We arebold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently.

• We areopen. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world.

• We arecollegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community.

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, and personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences.

We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and we’ll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: [e-mail]

Find out more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive?

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well‑being and development:

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.

• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.

• Health & Well-being:

• 24/7 GP consultation services.

• Occupational health services and mental health support programs.

• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.

• Work-Life Balance:

• Back‑up care for dependents.

• Childcare support allowance.

• Annual leave purchase options.
• Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.

• Perks:

• Discounted gym memberships, bike‑to‑work scheme, and shopping discounts.

• Subsidised on‑site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.