Senior HR / ER Advisor – 12+ months FTC

Henlee Resourcing & Consulting Limited; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Excellent benefits

Supportive team culture

Job summary

Henlee Resourcing is seeking an experienced Senior HR/ER Advisor for a 12-month FTC in a Southampton-based role. You will act as a subject-matter expert on UK employment law, delivering high-quality advice and influencing senior stakeholders within a professional services environment.

You will lead ER cases, draft policies, and support onboarding, probation, and employee wellbeing initiatives as part of a high-performing HR team.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience.
• Senior HR Advisory/ER specialist experience in professional services.
• Proven management of complex ER cases end-to-end.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law.
• Ability to draft policies and guidance documents.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Discretion, professionalism and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to manage competing demands and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience delivering training.
• Collaborative with HR and operations teams.

Responsibilities

• Act as internal specialist on UK employment law and advise on changes and case law developments.
• Review, update and draft HR policies reflecting best practice and legal compliance.
• Lead and manage ER cases including disciplinary, grievances, performance management and sickness absence.
• Oversee onboarding, probation, and induction processes.
• Provide risk-based, legally compliant guidance aligned with policies.
• Prepare case documentation and outcome letters.
• Support early resolution of issues with proactive interventions.
• Maintain case records and progression of ER matters.
• Signpost wellbeing and employee relations resources to staff.
• Lead leaver process including exit interviews and thematic analysis.

Skills

CIPD Level 5

Senior HR Advisory

ER Specialist

UK Employment Law

Policy drafting

Stakeholder influence

Discretion & professionalism

Time management

Training design

Team collaboration

Education

CIPD Level 5 or equivalent

Job description

Henlee Resourcing is working in partnership with this niche professional services company with a base in Southampton to recruit an experienced Senior HR /ER Advisor for an initial 12 months FTC to cover for maternity starting ASAP. Hybrid working (3 office days per week), flexibility plus great benefits and working environment are offered.

The purpose of the role is to provide a first‑class HR service to the organisation by delivering professional, commercial and value adding support and advice. You will act as a subject‑matter expert for employee relations, providing high‑quality, timely and commercially astute advice across a broad range of ER matters. The role requires exceptional judgement, up‑to‑date knowledge of UK employment law and the ability to influence and support senior stakeholders. You will be joining a fabulous high performing, collegiate HR team of six.

About the role:

• Act as an internal specialist on UK employment law, keeping the business informed of legislative changes and case law developments
• Review, update, and draft HR policies, ensuring they reflect best practice, legal compliance and the requirements of the business
• Lead and manage ER cases including disciplinary, grievance, performance management, sickness absence, flexible working and capability matters supporting managers throughout the process
• Lead and manage the onboarding and probation process, providing support and guidance in alignment with the policies and expectations
• Provide expert, risk‑based advice, ensuring decisions are legally compliant and aligned with policies
• Prepare and review case documentation, investigation reports and outcome letters
• Support early resolution of issues using proactive interventions
• Maintain accurate case records and ensure timely progression of all ER matters
• Provide guidance and signposting to employees on a range of wellbeing and employee relations matters, signposting to appropriate support and resources
• Lead and manage the leaver process, conducting exit interviews, analysing feedback, and escalating key themes with recommendations for improvements
• Lead the onboarding experience for new employees, ensuring a professional and effective delivery of the induction programme
• Lead and manage the life cycle of the trainee’s qualification journey, working closely with the business to align trainee capability with appropriate exam timings
• Responsible for ensuring that all training including mandatory, compliance and professional qualification training is delivered in a timely and cost‑effective manner
• Working with the HR Manager and EDI partner to arrange events and initiatives such as awareness raising webinars and training
• Support the HR Manager in running the Mental Health First Aider service including keeping up to date with best practice, booking training, preparing for and co‑hosting the network meetings and ensuring promotional material is kept up to date and well publicised across the business

About you:

• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience
• Proven experience in a Senior HR Advisory or ER Specialist role preferably within a professional services, legal, or similarly regulated environment
• Demonstrable experience managing complex ER cases from end‑to‑end
• Strong, current knowledge of UK employment law and best practice HR
• Ability to interpret legislation, draft policies, presentations and guidance documents
• Excellent communication, influencing, and relationship‑building skills
• High levels of discretion, professionalism and emotional intelligence
• Experience of managing competing demands and working to tight deadlines
• Able to demonstrate high levels of initiative and motivation to drive projects forward
• Work collaboratively with the HR team and other operations departments to identify and drive forward value add initiatives and projects
• Experience in design and delivery of training

If you are looking for an interesting and varied role in an organisation that is growing, you possess the above skills / competencies, can start ASAP / can commit to an initial 12 month contract, we are keen to hear from you ASAP.