Senior Employee Relations Advisor

Southern Water; Worthing; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Advisor in the Worthing area to provide expert ER advice across the organisation. You will manage complex ER cases from inception to conclusion, ensuring fairness, policy compliance and timely resolution.

You will coach managers, support organisational change initiatives and contribute to continuous improvement of ER practices and processes within the business.

Qualifications

• Significant Employee Relations experience.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law.
• Experience managing complex and high‑risk ER cases.
• Excellent investigation and report‑writing skills.
• Experience influencing and coaching senior managers.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex ER cases including disciplinary, grievance, capability and performance management, absence management, bullying and harassment, whistleblowing, flexible working requests, appeals.
• Conduct investigations and prepare comprehensive investigation reports.
• Assess ER risks and provide pragmatic recommendations within timelines and service standards.
• Coach managers and act as a trusted advisor on employment policy and best practice.
• Support restructuring, TUPE, redundancy and consultation processes.
• Analyse ER trends and deliver training/workshops to improve manager capability.

Skills

Employee relations

UK employment law

Complex ER cases

Investigation/report writing

Coaching senior managers

Independent working

Stakeholder management

Education

CIPD Level 5 or 7

Job description

Closing Date

2026-09-04

Job Title

Senior Employee Relations Advisor

Location

Durrington, Worthing

Contract Type

12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Hours

37

Salary

From £36,000 based on skills and experience

About the role

The Senior ER Advisor will provide expert Employee Relations advice and support across the organisation, managing complex ER cases from inception to conclusion. The role will ensure that employee issues are resolved fairly, consistently and in line with company policy, employment legislation, and organisational values.

The Senior ER Advisor will also coach managers, support organisational change activity and contribute to the continuous improvement of ER practices and processes.

What you will be responsible for

Employee Relations Case Management

• Lead and manage complex ER cases including:
• Disciplinary
• Grievance
• Capability and performance management
• Absence management
• Bullying and harassment
• Whistleblowing concerns
• Flexible working requests
• Appeals
• Conduct investigations and prepare comprehensive investigation reports.
• Assess employee relations risks and provide pragmatic recommendations.
• Ensure cases are managed within agreed timelines and service standards.
• Support managers through formal hearings and meetings.

Expert Advice and Coaching

• Act as a trusted advisor to leaders and managers.
• Provide guidance on employment law, policies and best practice.
• Coach managers to build confidence and capability in handling people issues.
• Challenge decisions where appropriate to ensure fairness and consistency.

Organisational Change

• Support restructuring, TUPE, redundancy and consultation processes.
• Ensure legal compliance and minimise organisational risk.
• Prepare communications and consultation materials.

Risk Management and Governance

• Identify and mitigate employment risks.
• Escalate significant ER issues appropriately.
• Ensure accurate and compliant case documentation.
• Support employment tribunal preparation where required.

Continuous Improvement

• Analyse ER trends and provide insight to HR and business leaders.
• Recommend improvements to policies, procedures and manager capability.
• Deliver training and workshops on ER topics.

Key Relationships

Internal

• HR Business Partners
• Executive Team
• Line Managers
• Trade Union Representatives
• Employees
• Group Audit

External

• Employment solicitors
• ACAS

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Significant Employee Relations experience.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law.
• Experience managing complex and high-risk ER cases.
• Excellent investigation and report-writing skills.
• Experience influencing and coaching senior managers.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills.

Desirable

• CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 qualification.
• Experience in unionised environments.
• Experience supporting organisational change and restructuring programmes.

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation

“At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.”

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years.

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre‑employment checks, including security vetting.

Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment.

Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.