Senior Human Resources Advisor

Speedy Freight; Knutsford; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Speedy Freight is seeking an experienced Senior HR Advisor to join our People Team. This hands-on role covers ER matters across the UK operations and franchise network, delivering practical advice and ensuring compliant HR processes.

You’ll work with managers, support investigations, and help drive continuous improvement in HR data, policies and people services, while balancing commercial priorities with risk management.

Qualifications

• Solid HR advisory experience with ability to manage ER caseload to resolution.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Confident coaching, challenging and influencing managers at different levels.
• Excellent judgement and organisation with ability to prioritise a busy caseload.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with clear HR documentation.
• Pragmatic, solutions-focused approach and timely escalation when needed.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively within a small People Team.
• Comfortable using HR systems, Microsoft Office and HR data.

Responsibilities

• Manage employee relations cases from initial advice through to resolution.
• Coach and challenge managers to take ownership of people issues.
• Support formal meetings, investigations and appeals as required.
• Provide practical advice on employment legislation, HR policies and best practice.
• Review investigation plans and outcome documentation for accuracy and consistency.
• Build strong relationships with managers, operational teams and franchisees.
• Spot potential people risks early and know when to escalate.
• Analyse ER data and trends to identify recurring issues and opportunities.
• Support HR projects and the development of our People Services model.

Job description

People are at the heart of what we do at Speedy Freight, and as we continue to grow across our UK operations and franchise network, we’re looking for an experienced Senior HR Advisor to join our People Team. This role is an FTC until Dec 2027 with the opportunity to go permanent.

This is a hands-on role for someone who knows their ER, is comfortable dealing with complexity and enjoys being the person managers can come to for clear, practical advice.

You’ll work closely with managers and leaders across Speedy Freight, Speedy Parcels and our franchise network, helping them navigate people matters confidently, while making sure we’re doing things consistently, fairly and in line with UK employment legislation.

What you’ll be doing

No two days will be exactly the same. You’ll be managing your own caseload and supporting managers across a broad range of people matters, including:

• Managing employee relations cases from initial advice through to resolution – including absence, performance, disciplinary, grievance, capability, conduct and probation matters.
• Coaching and challenging managers to help them take ownership of people issues and handle them confidently.
• Supporting formal meetings, investigations and appeals where required.
• Providing practical advice on employment legislation, HR policies and best practice.
• Reviewing investigation plans, correspondence and outcome documentation to make sure things are accurate, consistent and appropriate.
• Building strong relationships with managers, operational teams and franchisees across our network.
• Spotting potential people risks early and knowing when something needs to be escalated.
• Looking at ER data and trends to identify recurring issues, risks and opportunities to improve.
• Supporting HR projects, process improvements and the continued development of our People Services model.

You’ll be part of a small People Team, so we’re looking for someone who is happy to get stuck in, work independently and make things happen, rather than waiting to be told what to do.

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone with solid HR advisory experience who can confidently manage a varied and sometimes complex ER caseload.

You'll ideally have:

• Proven experience as an HR Advisor, Senior HR Advisor or HR Generalist, with experience managing ER cases through to resolution.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• The confidence to coach, challenge and influence managers at different levels.
• Excellent judgement and organisation, with the ability to prioritise a busy caseload and keep on top of sensitive or high-risk matters.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear and accurate HR documentation.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach – you’ll know when to find a practical solution and when something needs escalating.
• The ability to work independently while also being a collaborative member of a small People Team.
• Confidence using HR systems, Microsoft Office and HR data.

Nice to have

Experience in franchise, logistics, transport, distribution, sales or another fast-paced operational environment would be a real advantage, particularly if you’ve supported a geographically dispersed or networked workforce.

We’d also be interested in people who have experience balancing commercial priorities, employee experience and employment risk, rather than simply applying policy by the book.

CIPD Level 5 or above and a full driving licence are also desirable/required for the role.

Why Speedy?

This isn’t a role where you’ll sit on the sidelines giving advice from a distance.

You’ll have real relationships with managers, operational teams and franchisees, and your advice will directly influence how people matters are handled across the business.

We’re growing, changing and continuing to develop how we support our people, so there’s plenty of opportunity to make your mark, improve how we do things and help managers become better at managing people.

If you’re an experienced HR Advisor who enjoys variety, likes solving problems and wants to be part of a People Team where your experience and judgement really matter, we’d love to hear from you.