People Advisor

Athena Care Homes; Ovingdean; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A residential care home provider in England is seeking a People Advisor to support their teams by guiding and empowering leaders across homes and office. Your role involves managing employee relations, improving HR initiatives, and ensuring a values-driven workplace culture. Strong HR experience and a CIPD Level 5 qualification are essential. The position offers a competitive salary up to £40,000 and the flexibility of home working one day per week.

Benefits

25 days of holiday

Fully comprehensive induction

Free Blue Light Card

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on HR experience in a similar role within a regulated environment.
• Ability to balance professionalism, sensitivity, and empathy.
• Understanding of employee relations cases including disciplinaries and grievances.

Responsibilities

• Manage a diverse Employee Relations caseload.
• Collaborate with the Head of People on people programmes.
• Monitor trends and risks in turnover and employee relations.

Skills

Strong HR experience

Excellent communication skills

Up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law

Values-driven approach

Education

CIPD Level 5 qualification

Job description

Overview

At Athena, people are at the heart of everything we do. As our People Advisor, you’ll play a key role in supporting our teams to thrive by guiding, advising, and empowering leaders across our homes, central office and regional teams. You’ll be a trusted partner in navigating employee relations, helping to nurture a workplace culture that reflects our values.

About Athena Care Homes: Athena Care Homes is an award winning, family-owned business operating seven residential care homes in East Anglia where care and compassion runs through to our very core.

At Athena we celebrate everyone as an individual. Whether that’s delivering authentic care, supporting our team to make moments for our residents and their loved ones, or learning and growing together.

About the role

As our People Advisor, you’ll be our subject matter expert and trusted voice across all things People and HR related. From employee relations to organisational development and people-focused projects, you’ll be helping to shape the experience of everyone at Athena Care Homes.

You’ll bring clarity, fairness, and empathy into every conversation, ensuring that our values are lived in practice.

Salary: Up to £40,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.

Shift Pattern: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, working around the core hours of 9am to 5pm.

Location: Central Office, Russel House, Basildon, Essex, SS15 6TF – with home working (1 day a week) and occasional travel to our care home locations around East Anglia.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage a diverse Employee Relations caseload, including disciplinaries, grievances, sickness absence, and capability.
• Work with the Head of People to shape and continuously improve people programmes and initiatives that support a positive, values-led culture.
• Be involved in People-related reporting activity, monitoring trends and risks in areas such as turnover, absence, and employee relations.
• Collaborate with the wider team to implement and deliver key People-related projects, systems improvements, and process enhancements that make a meaningful difference.

Training, Skills & Experience Required

• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or equivalent experience). If you’re working to your Level 7 we’ll support you with this and ensure that your work directly benefits your studies…and vice versa!
• Strong, hands-on HR experience in a similar role within a highly regulated environment.
• Up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law and ACAS guidance.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to balance professionalism, sensitivity, and empathy.
• A values-driven approach – someone who leads with care, supports with confidence, and believes in our people’s potential.

What we can offer

• Fully comprehensive induction.
• Competitive salary.
• 25 days of holiday per year plus bank holidays.
• Free Blue Light Card & access to the Blue Light discount platform.
• Refer a friend scheme.