Senior HR Advisor

TN United Kingdom; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the life sciences sector is seeking a Senior HR Advisor to enhance their HR practices and support their growth. This role involves providing HR advice, managing employee relations, and ensuring a positive onboarding experience. The ideal candidate will have strong generalist HR experience, excellent analytical skills, and a passion for people. Join a collaborative team dedicated to making a difference in human health.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Generous pension plan

Annual discretionary bonus

Qualifications

• Experience in employee relations and policy guidance.
• Ability to produce and interpret HR reports and metrics.
• Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs).

Responsibilities

• Provide HR advice and coach managers and employees.
• Manage employee records and prepare offer paperwork.
• Drive HR improvement projects and support recruitment activities.

Skills

People-focused

Empathetic

Data-driven

Attention to detail

Confident in coaching

Education

Demonstrable generalist HR experience

Strong knowledge of UK employment law

Tools

Excel

HRIS

Applicant tracking systems

Job description

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We're looking for an experienced Senior HR Advisor with energy, drive, and a genuine passion for people. This role is a fantastic opportunity to shape the way we work and put in place the strong foundations that will enable our business and our people to grow. You'll have the freedom to take initiative, the autonomy to make things happen, and the support of a collaborative team around you.

Do you have previous experience working within a fast paced, agile generalist HR role?

You will provide HR advice to coach managers and employees, as well as owning and contributing to a range of projects. You will also be helping us to hire efficiently and ensuring the onboarding experience for new employees reflects our values and culture. A strong bias towards data is essential — you should be comfortable using people insights to inform decisions, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement. The position reports to the Head of HR.

About us:

Based in Melbourn UK, SPT Labtech makes products that transform the way scientists work. For more than two decades, our expert scientists, engineers and business innovators have provided scientists with world-leading, innovative solutions for liquid handling, sample preparation, and sample management that help accelerate research and make a real difference to human health. We work collaboratively with our customers, building trusted relationships that enable us to deliver exceptional, personalised experiences designed for real-world challenges in the lab.

Want to be part of a team that’s making a difference to human health?

Your key responsibilities will include:

Generalist HR support:

• Be the first point of contact for all HR-related queries, bringing clarity and confidence to employee interactions.
• Manage accurate and up-to-date employee records, prepare offer paperwork and contract changes with care and precision.
• Coach and advise managers to bring swift, fair resolutions to employee relations matters, including taking notes in meetings and owning.
• Drive HR improvement projects, keep org charts updated, support benefit administration, and own key employee lifecycle processes.
• Take ownership of HR reporting and data analysis, using insights to inform decisions and track key people metrics.

Leadership Support:

• Support the Head of HR when required — including reviewing payroll, preparing presentations and supporting strategic HR decisions.
• Provide a senior HR presence in meetings or discussions requiring escalation or higher-level input.

Recruitment coordination:

• Providing ad hoc support for hiring activities working alongside our Talent Acquisition Partner.

Onboarding:

• Help create an outstanding onboarding experience – one that sets the tone for an employee’s journey.
• Coordinate new starter communications, HR system updates, reference and right to work checks.
• Own company inductions, new hire announcements, and HR check-ins to ensure every new joiner feels welcomed and supported.

Training:

• Manage our Learning Management System (LMS), track progress, resolve queries, and support development planning within budget.
• Champion a learning culture by helping teams access relevant opportunities for growth.

Skills & Attributes

You will be:

• People-focused and empathetic – someone who builds trust and communicates with clarity.
• Confident in coaching, challenging constructively, and influencing across levels.
• A strong administrator with exceptional attention to detail.
• Resilient and adaptable, able to juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Data-driven – you interpret HR metrics to support continuous improvement and are comfortable reporting this to the senior leadership team.
• Curious, proactive, and solutions-oriented – always seeking to add value.
• Comfortable operating independently but equally collaborative in team settings.
• A confident user of Excel and HR systems, with solid analytical skills.

What you will need to be successful in this role:

• Demonstrable generalist HR experience, including employee relations and policy guidance.
• Highly capable producing and interpreting HR reports and metrics to inform decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law, GDPR, and HR best practices.
• Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, basic formulas) and Microsoft Office.
• Experience working with HRIS and applicant tracking systems.
• Payroll knowledge and confidence reviewing monthly payroll data would be desirable.

Our commitment to you

• You will be collaborating with talented professionals in a motivated and driven team.
• We offer a competitive salary package and comprehensive, valued benefits, including private medical insurance, a generous pension plan, and an annual discretionary bonus.
• We embrace diversity and inclusivity, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, or family status. We prioritise supporting our employees' diverse needs as we strive for excellence together.

If the above resonates with you, apply with an up-to-date CV and be a part of our journey to reshape the future of science.