People Operations Advisor

KFC UK & Ireland; West of England; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Yearly bonus

Extra holiday

Free chicken and chips

Gym discounts

High street perks & cashback

Wellbeing support

Job summary

KFC UK & Ireland is seeking a People Operations Advisor to support regional leaders across the South West region in managing the full employee lifecycle within our restaurants. You’ll coach leaders on policy, employment law and fair practice, addressing absence, performance, conduct and complex employee relations matters on the ground.

This field-based role requires close collaboration with Area Coaches and the People Capability Coaches, travelling to restaurants to turn policy into practical

Qualifications

• Good working knowledge of UK employment law and HR/People policy.
• Experience supporting employee relations cases across the employee lifecycle, including absence, performance, disciplinary, grievance and probation.
• Confidence coaching managers through difficult people decisions.
• Ability to identify and assess people risk, knowing when to resolve independently and when to escalate.
• Confidence using people data to identify trends and prioritise intervention.

Responsibilities

• Partner with regional leaders to manage the full employee lifecycle across restaurants.
• Develop and apply employment law and policy to practical guidance for leaders.
• Identify risks early and escalate complex matters to the People & Culture BP when needed.
• Use data to spot trends in absence, turnover and performance and drive corrective actions.
• Support recruitment and workforce planning with leaders to build strong teams.

Skills

UK employment law

Employee relations

Policy interpretation

People data analysis

Stakeholder influence

Multi-site / hospitality experience

Job description

We sell the world’s best chicken. We’ve done it for a long old time — since 1939, when the idea of

finger lickin’ good chicken popped into our Colonel’s head. Now, we proudly serve 1000+ communities across the UK and Ireland, bringing the grit, pride and iconic reputation that started in Kentucky all those years ago.

People who are original. Individual. Fresh. We come to work to be ourselves, and to make something of ourselves. We bring the graft and the laughs every day — building our own community, as we serve our original recipe chicken to the ones, we’re in.

In our place, ambition grows. Careers build. Potential goes further. Our doors are open, and they can take you anywhere.

If you join our team, we only ask one thing. That you be you.

Because that makes us, us.

Sounds good? Great. Here’s more about the job.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a People Operations Advisor, you’ll be the go-to for operational leaders across your region, helping them confidently and consistently manage the full employee lifecycle.

You’ll partner closely with Area Coaches and People Capability Coaches bringing strong employment law, policy and employee relations expertise to ensure our people practices are fair, consistent and brilliantly executed in restaurants. From absence and probation through to performance, conduct and complex employee relations matters, you’ll coach leaders to make good people decisions, intervene early where there is risk and help build their confidence to manage people matters well.

This is a field-based role. You’ll spend most of your time in restaurants, close to our leaders and teams, understanding what is happening on the ground and turning policy and good people practice into practical action.

WHAT WILL YOU SPEND YOUR TIME DOING?

• Partner with Making the employee lifecycle work brilliantly – You’ll be the regional expert on our core People policies and processes, supporting leaders to manage the full employee lifecycle consistently and confidently. You’ll have a particular focus on probation, attendance and absence, performance management, conduct, grievance and other employee relations matters, ensuring issues are addressed early and managed fairly, consistently and in line with our policies and employment law.
• Keeping us on the right side of people practice – You’ll develop strong expertise in employment law and KFC People policies, translating them into practical guidance for restaurant leaders. You’ll help identify people risk early, ensure policies and processes are applied consistently and elevate complex or higher- risk matters to the People & Culture Business Partner when appropriate.
• Spotting issues before they become problems – You’ll use people data and insight to identify trends and areas requiring intervention, with particular focus on absence, probation, turnover, performance and employee relations. You’ll work with leaders and the PCBP to turn those insights into practical action and track whether it is making a difference.
• Finding and growing great talent – You’ll help leaders spot potential, build strong succession plans and create opportunities for people to develop their careers at KFC.
• Helping us hire brilliant people – You’ll partner with leaders on recruitment and workforce needs, helping us bring in people who will thrive at KFC.
• Building brilliant leaders – You’ll coach leaders to confidently manage day-to-day people matters themselves, building their capability in areas such as attendance, probation, performance, difficult conversations, conduct and application of People policy. Your role isn't to take ownership away from managers; it's to help them make great, consistent people decisions.
• Keeping great people – You’ll help leaders understand what’s driving engagement and retention in your restaurants and turn these insights into practical action.
• Getting stuck in – This definitely isn’t a desk‑based People role. You’ll be out and about across the South West, spending time with restaurant teams and seeing first‑hand…

You’ll work as part of a regional People team, reporting to the People & Culture Business Partner and partnering closely with the People Capability Coach. While the PCC leads on talent, capability and learning execution, you’ll bring deeper expertise across employee relations, employment practice, policy and the employee lifecycle. Together, you’ll give operational leaders joined‑up People support that builds both great teams and great people leadership.

WHAT WE LOVE FROM YOU:

EXPERIENCE

• Good working knowledge of UK employment law and HR/People policy, with the ability to apply it pragmatically.
• Experience supporting employee relations cases across the employee lifecycle, including absence, performance, disciplinary, grievance and probation.
• Confidence coaching managers through difficult people decisions rather than simply giving them the answer.
• Ability to identify and assess people risk, knowing when to resolve independently and when to escape.
• Confidence using people data to identify trends and prioritise intervention.
• Ideally experience in a multi‑site, operational, retail or hospitality environment.

ABOUT YOU

• Self‑starter with ability to multitask and manage own workload
• Good influencing and negotiation skills
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work across a variety of stakeholder groups
• Comfortable dealing with ambiguity and working with a high degree of autonomy and initiative to deliver results
• Strong interpersonal / teamwork skills
• Able to create strong relationships
• Collaborative nature: willing to work constructively with input from coaches and peers

Keeping it real

We don’t hire staff — we hire people. People with real lives and aspirations, building real careers. Each of us has something special to add to the mix we call work, and we’ll always encourage you to add your perspective.

See, at KFC, everyone’s welcome — whatever your background, and whatever future you’re creating. We’ll look out for you because you’re one of us, not because you work for us. We’ll invest in your potential, because it’s what we’ve always done. But most of all, we’ll give you the freedom to be you, wherever (and whoever) you happen to be.

What’s in it for you:

We offer benefits that make your life that little bit easier, because we know the juggle is real.

• Yearly BONUS that rewards the hustle
• Extra holiday – more time to recharge
• Free chicken & chips every shift
• Gym discounts to keep you moving
• 200+ high street perks & cashback
• Wellbeing support that actually helps

KFC for everyone:

Whoever you are and wherever you’re from, KFC is a place where you can bring the real you to work. We’re here to support you in being yourself, whether you work with us, or are

trying to.

Our promise is this: every person who applies to a role at KFC, regardless of age, background, ethnicity, gender, ability, religion or sexual orientation, will have an equal opportunity to work here. We don’t just welcome, we encourage applications from underrepresented groups in all industries.

If you’d like any additional support with

your application, have a disability or condition that may affect your performance during the recruitment process, or have any other requirements — just let us know. We’ll be

there to help you be the real you.

Worried you aren’t ticking all the boxes? Don’t - we’d still love to hear from you.

This role covers the South West and will require travel across the region. You may require occasional overnight stays away.