People Team Advisor

VetPartners Limited; York and North Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 29,250 - 35,750; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

Health Shield Cash Plan

Cycle-to-Work scheme

Discounted veterinary fees

Job summary

A leading veterinary services company in York is searching for a People Team Advisor to support over 8,000 colleagues. This role involves providing HR advice, managing employee relations, and ensuring compliance with legal standards. Candidates should have a solid background in HR, strong knowledge of UK Employment Law, and exceptional interpersonal skills. The position is hybrid with a focus on employee wellbeing, offering a salary up to £32,500, flexible scheduling, and comprehensive benefits including health plans and holiday options.

Qualifications

• Experience managing employee relations cases.
• Track record of supporting organisational change.
• Ability to build effective relationships.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice on employee relations matters.
• Support investigations and ensure compliance with employment law.
• Draft outcome documentation for processes.

Skills

Strong coaching skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Proficient in Microsoft Office

Calm and resilient under pressure

Collaborative team player

Education

Solid HR and resourcing administration experience

Strong working knowledge of UK Employment Law

Tools

HR systems

Job description

Join to apply for the People Team Advisor role at VetPartners Limited.

VetPartners Limited, York (Hybrid - 60% In‑Office)

We have an exciting new opportunity for an experienced HR Advisor to join our People team, which serves more than 8,000 colleagues working at Veterinary practices throughout the UK & Ireland. You'll provide professional, pragmatic HR advice and support to managers and colleagues across the business, ensuring people policies and processes are applied fairly, legally, and in line with organisational goals. Acting as a trusted partner, you'll balance the needs of the business with the wellbeing of colleagues. Full‑time hours are commissioned, but we would be open to part‑time candidates or job shares (e.g., 9:30‑2:30 to fit with school hours).

Responsibilities

• Partner with managers and senior stakeholders to provide expert advice on employee relations matters including grievances, disciplinaries, performance, absence, capability, redundancy, flexible working, and probation, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and values.
• Support investigations and hearings, ensuring fair, transparent, and well‑documented processes that uphold legal and ethical standards.
• Draft and deliver outcome documentation and communications that are clear, consistent, and compliant with employment law.
• Collaborate with Business Development Directors, Practice Management, and Business Support Managers to influence people‑related decisions and contribute to broader business projects.
• Promote colleague wellbeing through proactive guidance and support, embedding a culture of care and resilience.
• Facilitate mediation processes to resolution, and escalates appropriately where business‑level input is required.
• Conduct retention interviews and analyse themes to inform initiatives that improve employee engagement and reduce turnover.
• Manage complex cases including long‑term sickness and ill‑health capability, integrating Occupational Health advice and implementing reasonable adjustments.
• Guide practices in applying absence policies consistently, providing coaching that strengthens manager confidence.
• Deliver consultation processes for restructures and redundancies, ensuring correct implementation and providing clear advice to support organisational change.
• Partner with HR Business Partners on case management, organisational integrations, and strategic workforce planning.
• Review and update job specifications, ensuring alignment with evolving organisational structures and role expectations.
• Coach and develop managers in handling people issues, building sustainable leadership capability.
• Design and deliver training programmes that enhance leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, and organisational performance.
• Provide guidance to the Shared Services Team, leading initiatives to build capability and manage escalated queries effectively.
• Analyse employee relations data and trends, using insights to shape training, policies, and proactive interventions.
• Contribute to policy development, engagement programmes, and wider People Team initiatives that support business culture and performance.
• Ensure accurate and compliant HR record‑keeping in line with GDPR and governance requirements.
• Work collaboratively across the People Team and wider business, supporting continuous improvement and knowledge‑sharing.

Qualifications & Experience

We are looking for someone with strong coaching skills who has experience within all areas of employee relations and a track record of supporting diverse and challenging caseloads. You should have excellent interpersonal skills, be adaptable to different situations and styles, and be able to build credible relationships at all levels while remaining customer focused and commercially aware.

• Solid HR and resourcing administration experience.
• Strong working knowledge of UK Employment Law and HR best practice.
• Experience managing employee relations cases and supporting organisational change.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships and influence at all levels.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with confidence in stakeholder management.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and comfortable using HR systems.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain absolute discretion and confidentiality.
• Calm and resilient under pressure, able to balance multiple priorities without compromising standards.
• Proactive, solutions‑focused approach with sound judgement.
• Collaborative team player, able to work effectively across HR and with wider business stakeholders.
• Determined and committed to delivering high‑quality outcomes.

Benefits

• Salary up to £32,500 per annum, pro rata.
• Base at our York Central Support Office with 60% in‑office time and flexible scheduling.
• 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays, with the option to sell 5 or buy 10 additional days.
• Health Shield Cash Plan & PERKS (discounts on gym memberships, retail, etc.).
• Cycle‑to‑Work scheme.
• Enhanced paternity, maternity, adoption, shared parental leave, and surrogacy pay.
• Company sick pay.
• Discounted veterinary fees.
• Focus on employee wellbeing.

If this sounds like the role for you, please apply today!

Do apply directly (No agency submissions).