Job Description

Job Title HR Advisor

Department Human Resources

Location Derby

Reports To HR Business Partner / HR Manager

Salary £35-40,000 PA

You will be working with one of the regions major employers and part of a truly multi national business

Role Purpose

The HR Advisor provides professional, proactive, and commercially focused HR support to managers and employees across rail operations, engineering, maintenance, infrastructure, and corporate functions. The role ensures compliance with employment legislation, company policies, collective agreements, and rail industry standards while supporting employee engagement, workforce planning, performance management, and organisational change initiatives.

The HR Advisor acts as a trusted advisor to line managers, helping to develop a positive employee relations culture that supports operational excellence, safety, and customer service objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations

Advise managers on disciplinary, grievance, absence management, performance management, and capability matters.

Support investigations and attend formal hearings, ensuring procedural fairness and legal compliance.

Provide guidance on employment law, company policies, and best practice.

Manage complex employee relations cases through to resolution.

Monitor trends in employee relations and recommend preventative actions.

Industrial Relations

Support relationships with recognised trade unions and employee representatives.

Assist with consultation processes relating to organisational change, restructures, and operational initiatives.

Prepare documentation and briefing materials for union meetings.

Help ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and industry frameworks.

HR Advisory Support

Provide first-line HR advice to managers and employees.

Support managers in workforce planning and resource management.

Coach line managers on people management best practices.

Ensure consistent application of HR policies and procedures across the business.

Recruitment and Resourcing

Support recruitment campaigns for operational and corporate roles.

Assist hiring managers with workforce planning requirements.

Participate in interviews and assessment activities where required.

Support onboarding and probation management processes.

Performance and Talent Management

Assist managers with performance review processes.

Support talent development and succession planning initiatives.

Identify development needs and coordinate training solutions.

Promote continuous improvement and employee engagement activities.

Change Management

Support organisational change projects, including restructures and TUPE transfers where applicable.

Assist with consultation exercises and communication plans.

Ensure legal compliance during change programmes.

HR Data and Reporting

Maintain accurate employee records and HR systems.

Produce HR metrics and management reports.

Analyse trends relating to absence, turnover, employee relations, and recruitment.

Support HR audits and compliance reviews.

Compliance and Governance

Ensure compliance with:

Employment legislation

Equality, diversity and inclusion requirements

GDPR and data protection regulations

Company policies and procedures

Rail industry standards and safety requirements

Support internal and external audits as required.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Promote a strong safety culture aligned with rail industry requirements.

Support employee wellbeing initiatives.

Ensure people management practices support safe operational performance.

Comply with all health and safety responsibilities relevant to the role.

Person Specification

Desired Qualifications

CIPD Level 5 qualification (or equivalent) or working towards qualification.

Degree or equivalent experience in Human Resources, Business Management, or related discipline.

Essential Experience

Experience in a generalist HR Advisory role.

Strong employee relations case management experience.

Experience advising managers on employment law and HR best practice.

Experience supporting organisational change and consultation processes.

Experience working in a unionised environment.

Desirable Experience

Experience within the rail, transport, infrastructure, engineering, or regulated sectors.

Experience supporting operational workforces operating 24/7 shifts.

Experience of TUPE transfers and organisational restructuring.

Experience working with multiple stakeholder groups across geographically dispersed locations.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Strong knowledge of UK employment law.

Excellent employee relations and conflict resolution skills.

Ability to influence and challenge managers constructively.

Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Good analytical and reporting capability.

Strong organisational and case management skills.

Proficiency in HR systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Desirable

Knowledge of collective bargaining and industrial relations frameworks.

Experience using HRIS and workforce planning systems.

Key Competencies

Customer Focus

Integrity and Confidentiality

Relationship Building

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Resilience

Influencing and Negotiation

Continuous Improvement

Teamwork and Collaboration

Attention to Detail

Performance Measures

Employee relations case resolution times.

Absence management outcomes.

Recruitment and retention metrics.

Employee engagement scores.

HR compliance and audit results.

Manager satisfaction with HR support.

Delivery of HR project objectives.

Reduction in employee relations risks and escalation.

Working Conditions

Hybrid working may be available subject to business requirements.

*** Please note that if successful you will be required to undertake a pre employment Drugs and Alcohol test and medical questionnaire - full policy available on request.

To discuss the role further please feel free to call me on (phone number removed)