Senior HR Officer

Hertfordshire; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking a Senior HR Officer within the Resources directorate to shape workforce strategy and support organisational change across the council. You will partner with managers and unions to deliver effective employee relations, workforce planning and continuous improvement, while working across multiple sites.

The role requires strong stakeholder management, CIPD-aligned expertise, data-driven decision making and the capacity to travel to council sites as needed.

Qualifications

• Significant experience providing professional HR advice across a broad range of complex employee relations matters.
• Experience leading organisational change programmes including restructures and TUPE where applicable.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and challenge decisions constructively.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, HR policy, and best practice.
• Experience with workforce planning and using MI to improve outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with managers and leaders as a trusted HR Partner.
• Lead and advise on complex employee relations issues with risk assessment.
• Support strategic transformation, restructures, TUPE and workforce redesign initiatives.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to design workforce strategies and development initiatives.
• Analyse workforce data to identify trends and drive evidence-based interventions.
• Contribute to HR policy development and continuous service improvement.
• Provide leadership coaching and support to the HR team and stakeholders.
• Deputise for the HR Manager as required.

Skills

Employee relations

Organisational change

Stakeholder engagement

Data analytics

Coaching & mentoring

Communication skills

Project management

Strategic thinking

Travel readiness

Education

CIPD Level 5 or above

Job description

**Job Title: Senior HR Officer** **Starting Salary: £49,817 opportunity to progress to £55,224** per annum **Hours: 37** **Location: Stevenage/Hybrid** **Contract Type: Permanent** **Directorate: Resources****About the team**Our HR Business Partner team plays a key role in supporting council services that deliver vital outcomes for residents, businesses and communities across Hertfordshire. We work in partnership with managers and leaders to ensure our workforce is equipped, supported and developed to deliver high-quality services now and in the future.As a Senior Human Resources Officer, you will be part of a collaborative team of HR professionals providing expert advice and support across a diverse range of services. Working closely with managers, trade unions and colleagues across the organisation, you will help deliver positive workforce outcomes through employee relations support, organisational change, workforce planning and continuous improvement initiatives.This is an established role with the opportunity to influence how we develop our workforce and support service transformation. We are looking for a proactive and solution-focused HR professional who can build strong relationships, manage complex workforce issues and deliver practical, people-focused solutions that contribute to organisational success.The successful candidate will be organised, adaptable and able to manage competing priorities while working independently and as part of a supportive team. A commitment to professionalism, excellent customer service, continuous improvement and maintaining confidentiality is essential.Due to the nature of the role, regular travel to Council sites and partner locations across Hertfordshire is required. Applicants must therefore be able to meet the travel requirements of the role.**About the role**We are seeking an experienced and proactive HR professional to join our team as a Senior Human Resources Officer.This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional looking to broaden their impact within a progressive local authority. Working closely with senior managers across the organisation, you will play a key role in shaping workforce strategy, supporting organisational change and delivering innovative people solutions that make a real difference to our communities.In this varied and rewarding role, you will:* Develop and maintain effective relationships with managers and leaders across designated service areas, acting as a trusted HR Business Partner and providing expert, solution-focused advice in accordance with employment legislation, HR policy, best practice and organisational objectives. This includes constructively challenging decision-making where appropriate to ensure fair, consistent and customer-focused outcomes.* Act as the lead HR adviser on complex and high-risk employee relations matters, providing risk-assessed advice, coaching managers and supporting colleagues with escalated casework.* Leading and supporting strategic transformation and organisational change programmes, including restructures, TUPE transfers, organisational redesign and workforce planning initiatives, ensuring employment risks are effectively managed and change is successfully implemented.* Partnering with senior leaders to develop workforce strategies, organisational development initiatives and practical people solutions that support service delivery, organisational performance and future workforce requirements.* Using workforce data, management information and service metrics to identify trends, provide strategic insight and develop evidence-based interventions that improve workforce outcomes and organisational performance.* Contributing to the development, review and implementation of HR policies, procedures and best practice guidance, ensuring compliance with employment legislation and supporting continuous improvement across the organisation.* Acting as a driver for innovation, service improvement and modern HR practices, identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency, customer experience and value for money.* Providing professional leadership, coaching and support to colleagues across the HR team, sharing expertise and contributing to the development of capability and resilience within the service.* Building effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, trade unions and external partners to support the successful delivery of workforce initiatives and organisational objectives.* Deputising for the HR Manager as required, acting as a key point of contact for stakeholders, supporting the delivery of service priorities and contributing to the ongoing development and improvement of the HR service.* This role offers the opportunity to contribute to significant organisational change,service transformation and workforce planning initiatives, helping to shape the future workforce of the Council.**About you**We are looking for an enthusiastic and knowledgeable HR professional who can demonstrate:**Essential*** Significant experience of providing professional HR advice and guidance across a broad range of complex employee relations matters.* Experience of leading and supporting organisational change programmes, including restructures, workforce redesign, service transformation and/orTUPE processes.* Experience of building effective relationships with senior stakeholders, providing strategic advice, support and constructive challenge to influence decision-making and achieve organisational objectives.* Strong knowledge of employment law, HR policy, case law principles and HR best practice.* Experience of analysing workforce data, identifying trends and developing evidence-based solutions to workforce challenges.* Experience of contributing to workforce planning, organisational development, change programmes or strategic HR initiatives.* Experience of coaching, mentoring or supporting the development of managers and/or colleagues.* Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.* Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes within agreed timescales.* CIPD qualified (level 5 or above), or able to demonstrate substantial equivalent HR experience.* Ability to travel regularly to Council sites and partner locations across Hertfordshire in order to meet the requirements of the role.**Desirable*** Experience of working within local government or the wider public sector.* Understanding of the political context of local government and the ability to provide pragmatic HR advice within a politically sensitive environment.* Experience of workforce planning, organisational development and changeWe are committed to supporting professional development and welcome applications from CIPD-qualified professionals and those with equivalent experience who are looking to further develop their strategic HR expertise within a progressive local authority.Whether you are already working in local government or looking to bring your expertise from another complex organisation, this role offers the opportunity to influence key organisational decisions, support transformation and workforce planning initiatives, and make a meaningful contribution to the delivery of high-quality services for our communities.Working as part of a supportive and forward-thinking HR team, you will have the opportunity to broaden your experience, develop your professional expertise and help shape the future workforce of the Council.If you are a proactive, adaptable and solution-focused HR professional looking for your next challenge, we would love to hear from you.We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. **We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.**This job role is Level 12. Please locate the job profile here:Job profiles - Corporate servicesTo hear more about this opportunity please contact [e-mail] for an informal discussion about the role.Interview Date: w/c 2nd November 2026Benefits of working for us**How to apply**As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.**Additional information****We are changing**Hertfordshire County Councilis undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit *https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/***Disability Confident**We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.**Driving required**You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport to travel to other locations.**English Fluency**The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.