What you'll need

You'll thrive in this role if you have:

• Significant experience in a People Adviser, HR Adviser or Employee Relations-focused role, with responsibility for independently managing formal ER cases.
• Demonstrable experience leading investigation processes, interviewing employees and witnesses, supporting hiring managers to evaluate evidence and producing high-quality investigation reports.
• Experience confidently handling formal grievance, sickness absence, capability, disciplinary and probation processes from start to finish including supporting reviews and handling failed probation cases, conducting witness interviews, preparing investigation reports, managing formal capability and attendance processes, and guiding managers through challenging employee situations.
• Experience chairing or supporting formal ER meetings and advising managers on appropriate outcomes.
• A proven track record of coaching managers through difficult conversations, challenging employee situations and sensitive workplace issues.
• Sound knowledge of UK employment law and confidence applying legislation, policy and best practice to real-life ER scenarios.
• The ability to balance empathy with objectivity whilst making practical, risk-based recommendations.
• Strong written communication skills with experience drafting formal documentation, outcome letters and reports.
• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or equivalent experience).
• The confidence to quickly establish credibility and take ownership of a caseload early in the role.
• Experience of Employment Tribunals is not essential.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

What's Next?

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter as part of the application process and answer screening questions.

Application deadline: Please apply with your CV and Cover letter by 19th October.
Interview process: Teams interviews to start on W/C 26th Oct with face-to-face interviews the following week.

Summary

To provide the highest quality HR service through coaching, guiding, supporting and advising managers and colleagues on all aspects of the employee lifecycle, ensuring compliance with policies, employment law and regulations with consideration to risk and commercial management and ensuring a positive colleague experience. Having a hands-on approach and taking ownership of specific business area delivering proactive interventions in response to identified business and colleague needs.

Activities

• Proactively participate, facilitate, support and advise managers about employee lifecycle matters for example from the point of recruitment to the leaver process, policies, variations to contract, secondments, leavers, organisational development, and respond to colleague queries as appropriate.
• Proactively participate, facilitate, support and advise managers about employee relations matters such as absence management, performance management, grievance, disciplinary, capability, probationary, change management and TUPE, ensuring compliance with employment law and company policy, with consideration to risk and commercial management, and respond to colleague queries as appropriate.
• Lead on the development and implementation of projects including restructures, policy implementation and people plans in conjunction with the Senior People Partner/People Partner, ensuring deadlines are met in line with business plans and employment legislation.
• Conduct benchmarking and evaluations of job roles utilising external data and systems. Proactively participate in regular job evaluation meetings.
• Coaching and developing managers in order to improve their capability and empower them to make decisions, challenging and escalating where necessary.
• Manage collaborative relationships across People Group teams, other key teams and managers.
• Interpret data into relevant reports, identifying themes and trends, ensure agreed follow up action is taken to enable implementation of decisions.
• Ensure the People Service Desk ticketing system and other systems/records are maintained and that high standards of service and performance and continuous improvement are demonstrated at all times.
• Results driven approach to managing complex employee relations cases that escalate to higher stages in the process in conjunction with Employee Relations Team, Senior People Partner/People Partner, business managers and Trade Unions/Employee Forum.
• Responsible for maintaining the relationship with recognised Trade Unions/Employee Forum in support of employee relations cases, as and when required.
• To comply with all AQA’s policies and other legislative requirements, including but not limited to Health, Safety and the Environment, Diversity and Inclusion and Information Security Management System.
• Take responsibility for your own continuous professional development to meet existing and future business needs.
• Travel to other AQA sites, sometimes necessitating overnight stays, as the need arises.

Requirements

• CIPD qualified or equivalent – Level 5, or equivalent levels of experience.
• Proven experience of advising, guiding and supporting managers on a range of employee relations and employee lifecycle matters, at various stages and complexities and managing the application of policies, procedures and processes.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, strong proven interpersonal skills, adaptable to a range of circumstances with an approach to achieving consistently high standards of work.
• Experience of challenging stakeholders at different levels where appropriate.
• Strong organisational skills, ability to prioritise and plan ahead.
• Proficient use of HR systems and Microsoft Office applications.