HR Advisory Partner

OCS; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Award-Winning Employer

Digital Learning

Retail Perks

Professional Growth

Flexible Pay

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is seeking an experienced HR professional to lead a small ER team within the HR Advisory Function. You will manage high-risk, complex employee relations cases, provide strategic guidance, and escalate as needed to the Strategic Partner.

The role combines coaching, performance management and process improvement, with a mix of remote and office-based work. You'll own a caseload, drive risk mitigation, support policy adherence, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives

Qualifications

• Minimum L5 CIPD requirement.
• Demonstrable experience in Employee Relations in a fast paced, low margin business.
• Experience leading a small team with remote and office based workers.
• Experience in a shared service HR delivery.
• Experience of service improvement.

Responsibilities

• Act as escalation point for high-risk ER cases and provide guidance.
• Coach the team on ER matters to grow knowledge.
• Manage team performance, attendance, conduct and workload.
• Lead actions to improve service in partnership with ER Manager.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation and records in Teams/SharePoint.

Skills

Employee Relations

Team Leadership

HR Advisory

Power BI

Education

CIPD Level 5

CIPD Level 7 (Desirable)

Tools

Power BI

Job description

About The Role

To manage a small team within the HR Advisory Function, ensuring that the business is provided legal, commercial employee relations advice, guidance and risks are managed and mitigated where necessary.

To own a caseload of high risk, complex ER cases to conclusion, mitigating and highlighting risks where possible

To act as the Strategic Partner’s point of contact for escalation for ER matters and resolutions

Key Responsibilities

Functional

• Act as escalation point for high-risk employee relations cases in the business areas in the area of responsibility, including discrimination, collective grievances, collective redundancy, ill health and medical capability, ensuring the team are clear on the next steps and why.
• To coach the team on ER matters to ensure team knowledge growth and development.
• To manage team performance, attendance, conduct and delegate workload
• To act on feedback of the service and generate action plans for improvement in partnership with the Continuous Improvement Manager and ER Manager
• To attend weekly/bi-weekly quarterly meetings on ER Cases and ER risk where necessary in support of own caseload and the teams
• To have ownership of the Safe call reports in the business areas supporting- ensuring the team drive these to conclusion efficiently.
• To keep the letter documentation up to date on Teams, SharePoint etc, to ensure the correct documents are available and used at all times.
• To have good knowledge of the business areas in remit

General

• Avoid conflict of interests between personal interests and the interests of the UK & Ireland group.
• Exercise independent judgment, reasonable care, skill and diligence when carrying out their duties.
• Act in good faith and promote the long-term success of each company within the UK & Ireland group for the benefit of all members and wider stakeholders.
• Adhere to and promote the UK & Ireland group’s policies on equality & diversity, information security, health and safety and data protection in the performance of their duties and the management of the MyER Function in the People Team reporting into them.
• Support and promote the UK & Ireland group’s sustainability plans and policies, including the Carbon Management Plan, and carry out duties in a resource effective way, recognizing the shared responsibility of minimizing negative environmental impacts wherever possible.

About You

• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK

Necessary

• Minimum L5 CIPD
• Demonstrable experience working within Employee Relations in a fast paced, low margin business
• Proven experience managing or team leading a small team, with a blend of remote and office based workers
• Experience of working within a shared service HR delivery
• Experience of service improvement

Desirable

• L7 CIPD or Associate CIPD or working towards
• Power BI knowledge and experience- how to operate, analyse, and drill down on PowerBI MI
• Experience of writing and delivering training within HR

Core Expectations

• Show flexibility in working arrangements to ensure that a high level of service is delivered.
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Have a positive and focused attitude when dealing with all colleagues.
• Be able to take personal responsibility.
• Have a flexible and positive attitude towards work.
• Be keen to continuously improve own learning and development.
• Support and embed the UK & Ireland group’s corporate values.

About The Company

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS

• Award-Winning Employer : Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
• Digital Learning : The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
• Retail Perks : With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
• Professional Growth : 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
• Flexible Pay : Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.