WMJobs
Senior People (HR) Advisor
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Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council,
Vacancy reference
ECR000615
Salary
Grade 10, £40,777 to £42,839 per annum (2026-27 pay award pending)
Hours
37 hours a week
Contract
Permanent
Location
Castle House, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Be part of shaping the future of local government
This is an exciting time to join Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council. As local government reorganisation (LGR) progresses across Staffordshire, we are preparing for significant organisational change and transformation.
We're looking for an experienced and motivated Senior People Advisor to play a key role in supporting our workforce, managers and leaders through this period of change whilst helping to shape the future of our organisation.
This is an excellent opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys working in a busy and varied environment, thrives on building positive relationships and wants to make a genuine difference to employees' experiences at work.
About The Role
Reporting to the People Business Manager, you will provide professional, business-focused people advice and support across the full employee lifecycle.
- You will manage a small team of People Advisors and a People Assistant, ensuring the delivery of a responsive, customer-focused and high-quality HR service across the council.
- You will act as a trusted advisor to managers on a wide range of employment matters, including employee relations, attendance management, performance, workforce planning, organisational development and policy implementation.
- The role will be particularly important as we navigate local government reorganisation. You will support organisational change activity, consultation processes, restructures and TUPE-related projects, helping managers and employees through periods of transition with confidence, professionalism and solid employment law advice.
- Alongside operational HR delivery, you will contribute to our People strategy, supporting initiatives focused on employee engagement, cultural development, compassionate leadership, wellbeing, inclusion and workforce planning.
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What we're looking for
We're seeking a proactive and experienced HR professional who:
- holds a CIPD Level 5 qualification as a minimum
- has substantial experience providing professional HR advice across a broad range of employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, attendance management and organisational change
- has experience supporting organisational restructures, workforce transformation programmes and TUPE transfers
- is confident building effective working relationships with Trade Unions and employee representatives
- has the credibility and influence to support and challenge managers at all levels of the organisation
- can lead, coach and develop others, supporting a culture of continuous improvement and high performance
- uses data and insight to drive decision-making, identify opportunities for improvement and deliver practical solutions
- is pragmatic, flexible and adaptable, able to respond positively to changing priorities and emerging challenges
- demonstrates resilience, sound judgement and a calm approach when dealing with complex or sensitive issues
- shares our commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive and high-performing workplace culture
Why join us?
This role offers a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience at the heart of one of the most significant changes facing local government. In return, you'll have the opportunity to:
- play a key role in supporting local government reorganisation and organisational transformation
- work on high-profile projects involving organisational change, TUPE and workforce planning
- develop your leadership and professional expertise within a supportive and forward-thinking People Team
- build strong partnerships with managers, trade unions and colleagues across the organisation
Why work for us?
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a borough with big ambitions. We’ve already started our transformation, however, we still need to find better ways of doing things because we are determined to do the very best we can for our communities.
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If our vision is to be the best, then we need the best people working for us. Our people are at the heart of what we do and have the freedom to innovate, grow and develop. We recruit people who share our vision and values; people who have the drive to deliver our ambitious council plan.
Our historic borough is a place of marked contrasts. We are the home of a world-class University at Keele, a leading light known internationally for its research and sustainability record, which stands side by side with former mining communities including some which register amongst the most deprived areas in the country. Our borough is also a mixture of urban centres, affected by some of the same social issues facing our neighbouring city, Stoke-on-Trent, but also outstanding rural landscapes in our less populated villages. Our plans and priorities aim to address the needs of all our communities.
Our People offer
We reward our people with a competitive range of benefits including:
- access to the local government pension scheme
- minimum 24 days annual leave plus 5 extra days after 5 years' service
- flexible working options and family-friendly policies
- local and national high street discounts
- free car parking
- wellbeing support including £12.50 per month Jubilee2 membership
- green travel scheme including cycle to work and electric car salary sacrifice
- free employee 24-hour employee assistance and counselling services, flu vaccination service and health checks
- development and training opportunities
Contact
Hiring Manager Helen Smith - Helen.Smith@newcastle-staffs.gov.uk. Office number 01782 742268.
Closing date
5pm on Sunday, 16 Aug 2026
Should we receive a large number of applications, then this post could close sooner than the date stated.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted within two weeks of the closing date.
Interview date
Wednesday 26 Aug 2026
While we value diverse backgrounds and experiences, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship. Applicants must be able to prove they have the Right to Work in the U.K.
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