HR Advisor: Probation Management Specialist

Milton-Keynes-Council; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Great holiday benefits

Excellent pension

Family friendly policies

Award-winning benefits programme

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Blue Light Card

Job summary

Milton Keynes City Council is seeking an experienced HR Advisor for a 2-year fixed term contract to provide high-quality, pragmatic HR advice across employee relations. You will work with managers to resolve complex issues, support performance during probation, and ensure compliant HR practices across services.

You will be the lead adviser on probation management, monitoring compliance and enabling timely, evidence-based decisions while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships.

Qualifications

• 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.
• Strong understanding of employment legislation, HR best practice and organisational risks.
• Experience coaching and influencing managers to make sound people management decisions.
• The confidence to professionally challenge managers where practice, decision-making or compliance standards fall short.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to explain complex HR matters to non-HR audiences.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional, accurate and business-focused HR advice across the full range of employee relations matters.
• Act as the council's lead advisor on probation management, overseeing the policy and procedure across all service areas.
• Support, coach and challenge managers to ensure probation reviews are completed on time and decisions are evidence-based.
• Provide risk-assessed recommendations to managers balancing operational needs and policy requirements.
• Monitor probation activity and identify areas of non-compliance; work with managers to improve standards.
• Develop relationships with managers to build confidence and capability in probation management and employee performance.
• Deliver guidance, coaching sessions, briefings and training to managers on probation management and wider people practices.
• Contribute to development and improvement of HR policies, procedures and guidance.
• Support HR projects and organizational change programmes as required.

Skills

HR advisory experience

Employee relations

Probation policy knowledge

Managing complex cases

Education

HR qualification (CIPD or equivalent)

Job description

Milton Keynes City Council is seeking an experienced HR Advisor for a 2-year fixed term contract to provide high-quality, pragmatic HR advice across employee relations. You will work with managers to resolve complex issues, support performance during probation, and ensure compliant HR practices across services.

You will be the lead adviser on probation management, monitoring compliance and enabling timely, evidence-based decisions while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships.