This role would suit someone who has a real passion for employee relations and already brings strong ER experience. Experience within care, education or another regulated safeguarding environment would be ideal; however, we are open minded to candidates from other sectors where they can demonstrate significant employee relations experience and a genuine interest in developing their understanding of our sector.

What You Will Be Doing

• Managing a busy employee relations caseload, including repetitive short-term absence, long-term absence, performance, disciplinary, grievance, investigations, hearings and appeals.
• Supporting managers with absence management and probation processes, including cases involving occupational fitness, reasonable adjustments, return to work planning and, where appropriate, cases that may progress through to termination of employment.
• Working closely with the HR Manager and the second Senior HR Advisor to maintain a responsive and high-quality HR service.
• Coaching managers through sensitive people processes so they feel confident handling difficult conversations, making balanced decisions and keeping a compassionate, trauma-informed approach.
• Preparing clear documentation and supporting appropriate referrals, including occupational health and DBS referrals where required, ensuring concerns are factual, timely and handled with appropriate care.
• Supporting organisational change activity, including workforce planning, restructures and changes to ways of working, making sure people processes are fair, consultative and well communicated.
• Working with managers to support Team Member health and wellbeing, recognising when further advice, occupational health input or risk assessment is needed.
• Supporting the HR Manager with general compliance activity, including right to work checks, immigration control matters, occupational health referrals and DBS referrals.
• Contributing to policy, guidance and process improvements that support fair, consistent and trauma-informed people practice.

What We Are Looking For

• CIPD qualified, ideally Level 3 or above, or able to demonstrate equivalent HR experience. For this role, practical employee relations knowledge, sound judgement and relevant experience are more important than qualification level alone.
• Strong generalist HR experience, with significant confidence in complex and high-volume employee relations casework, including absence management and sensitive safeguarding-related matters.
• A sound working knowledge of employment law, fair process and HR policy application.
• The confidence to advise, support and appropriately challenge managers and leaders, including the ability to make and guide difficult decisions where they are needed.
• Experience of working in a multi-site environment, ideally within care, education or another regulated setting; candidates from other sectors will also be considered where they already have substantial employee relations experience.
• An understanding of how recruitment, onboarding and retention link to effective employee relations and workforce stability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with good judgement, resilience and attention to detail.
• A strong commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, health and wellbeing, and Phoenix’s values of Nurture, Flourish and Grow.
• A full driving licence and the ability to travel regularly across South Wales, Bristol, Newbury and to other regions such as Birmingham and Manchester.