HR Consultant - Employee Relations Focus

Commercial Services Group; West Malling; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave + Birthday Day Off

Concessionary day during Christmas

Pension scheme with employer contribution

Life assurance cover

Flexible or hybrid working

Job summary

A leading HR advisory organization is seeking an experienced HR Advisor in West Malling to provide expert advice on employee relations matters. This role requires building relationships with school leaders, guiding them through sensitive situations. The ideal candidate will possess significant experience in HR advisory roles, with excellent communication and problem-solving skills. A salary of up to £40,000 per annum is offered along with a range of benefits, including 25 days annual leave and contributions to a pension scheme.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in an HR advisory or consultancy role focused on employee relations.
• Strong practical experience in managing ER casework end to end.
• Good understanding of employment legislation and ability to apply it confidently.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with school leaders and governors.
• Support leaders with practical advice during complex situations.
• Provide advice across various employee relations matters.

Skills

Employee Relations

Communication Skills

HR Advisory

Proactive Approach

Resilience

Education

CIPD qualification or equivalent experience

Job description

Salary: Up to £40,000 per annum (full-time equivalent, pro rata for part-time, term time only and dependent on experience)

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: We welcome full‑time, term time only and part‑time applications, and we’re very open to conversations about flexible working patterns.

Do you enjoy getting stuck into employee relations work? Building trusted relationships, and helping leaders navigate tricky situations with confidence?

In this role, you’ll be a trusted adviser to headteachers, senior leaders and governors guiding them through sensitive and sometimes complex situations with professionalism, empathy and clarity. This is a hands on, relationship based HR role, ideal for someone who enjoys ER casework, problem solving and working closely with leaders, rather than internal policy or process management.

Who we are

HR Connect is part of Commercial Services Group (CSG), one of the UK’s largest local authority-owned trading organisations, operating 33 businesses across education, energy, IT, procurement, HR and more.

Our mission is simple. We support the delivery of better public services to help people live, learn and thrive. This purpose underpins everything we do.

A significant proportion of our profits is reinvested into frontline public services, enabling us to combine commercial performance with meaningful social value.

Why this role matters

A true ER-focused role, where every day is different and you will be pivotal in supporting schools to manage employee relations matters confidently and fairly working to achieve positive outcomes for leaders, staff and pupils.

What you’ll be doing

• Building strong, trusted relationships with school leaders and governors
• Supporting leaders through complex or sensitive situations with balanced, confident advice
• Providing practical, clear advice across the full range of employee relations matters, including absence management, capability, conduct, restructures and grievances
• Helping schools interpret and apply employment policies fairly, consistently and pragmatically
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across HR Connect, sharing learning, expertise and best practice
• Getting involved in service development, projects and continuous improvement initiatives
• Opportunities to specialise, if you have a particular interest (for example absence management, investigations, capability or restructures), we’d love to help you develop this further and become a specialist or project lead
• Professional growth, this is a role that can grow and evolve around your strengths and interests over time

What we’re looking for

• Proven experience in an HR advisory or consultancy role with a strong focus on employee relations
• Strong practical experience managing ER casework end to end
• Good understanding and working knowledge of employment legislation, underpinned by the ability to confidently apply this to support risk based HR advice
• The ability to provide balanced, clear advice in challenging or sensitive situations
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• A proactive, resilient and solutions-focused approach
• Experience of working with schools, academies or the wider public sector is helpful, but not essential.
• A CIPD qualification or equivalent experience is welcome, but strong, practical ER experience is what really matters to us.
• You don’t need to tick every box, we’re much more interested in the right mindset and approach.

What you’ll get in return

• Salary of up to £40,000 per annum (full-time equivalent, pro rata for term time only or part-time)
• 25 days annual leave + an extra Birthday Day Off
• One concessionary day during the Christmas period
• Pension scheme with employer contribution
• Life assurance coverFlexible or hybrid working

Why CSG?

CSG is the UK’s largest local authority-owned trading company (LATCO), generating over £800 million in revenue per annum and supporting more than 16,000 education and public sector customers globally.

We are growing through a combination of organic development, acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Our businesses deliver services across education, IT, HR, legal, energy, procurement and more, all focused on delivering meaningful impact.

As a locally owned organisation, we take pride in reinvesting a significant proportion of our profits into frontline services, helping strengthen the communities we serve.

Inclusion & Accessibility

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We encourage applications from suitably qualified people of all backgrounds.

As a member of Inclusive Employers and a Working Families Employer, we are actively building an environment that supports inclusion, flexibility and belonging for all colleagues.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our application and interview process; please let us know if you require any.