Senior Employee Relations Casework Adviser

UK Research and Innovation 

Salary: £45,272 per annum.  
Hours: Full time 
Contract Type: Open Ended. 
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire/Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot/Daresbury, Cheshire (Hybrid Working).

Closing Date: 22nd June 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Employee Relations Casework Advisers to join the ER Team within the HR Operations function.   
ER roles are not Council aligned and operate in a ‘virtual-first’ environment to optimise efficiency and use of resource; however, occasional attendance on site may be necessary on a case-by-case basis. 
The successful candidates will have demonstrable experience of managing complex casework across a range of employee relations processes and have an enthusiasm for continuous improvement and learning to support a high-quality ER offering across UKRI.  
 
Job Description

The purpose of the Employee Relations (ER) Team is to provide managers and staff with timely, legally compliant high-quality advice to support managers with ER matters and formal / complex casework, as well as providing specialist ER advice to broader HR teams. The UKRI Redeployment Pool and associated processes are also managed by the Employee Relations team. 
The Senior ER Casework Advisers will work collaboratively to provide effective operational management to the ER team to ensure maintenance of a high-quality service and effective delivery of casework activity and support for HR projects across all areas of UKRI, providing professional guidance and support for managers and staff. 
As well as potentially having line management responsibility, the Senior ER Advisers will also deputise for the HR Employee Relations Casework Lead to ensure appropriate levels of support and management are always available, in conjunction with the Head of Employee Relations.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Ensuring compliance with policy, manage and/or supply support as appropriate for:
  • Bullying & harassment cases
  • Complex grievance cases
  • Disciplinary cases, including gross misconduct disciplinary cases.
  • Complex cases relating to capability, sickness absence and probation cases.
  • Appeals
  • Managed exits (including ill-health retirement, efficiency exits and single case redundancies).
  • Support the ER Casework Lead with litigation activity.
  • Provide timely, accurate and robust advice and guidance to managers and members of staff on a full range of ER casework issues.
  • Lead with a continuous improvement mindset, supporting the Employee Relations Casework Lead and Head of Employee Relations in evolving a best practice case management approach.
  • Maintain a cohort of suitably trained managers across grades, councils and corporate functions who are able to undertake investigations and to chair formal hearings (including appeals). Identify gaps and assist in identifying and training new investigators.
  • Work closely with the HR Operations Team, HR Business Partner Teams and the Centres of Expertise to deliver a joined-up HR Service across the organisation, providing specialist ER Policy advice / support on broader HR initiatives as required (e.g., TUPE / Change programmes)
  • Lead on developing a suite of ER Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and template letters / documentation to support ER activity to share with the HR teams across UKRI, and ensure they are kept up to date regularly.
  • Work with HR colleagues across UKRI to support the development, maintenance and improvement of best practice ER policies and procedures.
  • Participate as appropriate in the delivery of ER related upskilling (e.g. MDP Employment Law module)
  • Lead, or support, on corporate or localised ER-related projects and initiatives, as necessary.
  • Ensure cases on the ER casework tracker are updated and engage HR colleagues across UKRI to effectively, and consistently, utilise the central casework tracker, keeping the system, guidance and upskilling up to date.
  • Use MI data to analyse trends and make appropriate recommendations feeding into wider HR initiatives, including shaping training material to enhance ER elements of Line Manager capability across UKRI.
  • Provide effective first line management to ER Casework team members. Support their development through coaching and mentoring, to help develop their skills, knowledge, expertise and to achieve their potential.
  • Provide ‘ad hoc’ cover for the Employee Relations Casework Lead and deputise when necessary, making decisions and resolving problems.
  • Provide ‘ad-hoc’ cover for the Redeployment Manager and relevant processes, when necessary.

Essential Skills/Qualifications/Experience

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting (I) – Assessed at interview (S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview
 

• Minimum CIPD level 5 qualified or equivalent experience working in similar roles (S)
• Ability to evidence a sound knowledge, understanding and application of employment law, data protection, best practice, and people management processes, with a commitment to staying up to date with changes (S&I)
• Strong experience of dealing with a range of complex formal casework relating to the whole employee cycle (S&I)
• Highly flexible, tenacious, and resilient; able to work flexibly in a time-pressured environment (I)
• A strategic and commercial focus mindset, ensuring a high level of consistency and teamworking within your team (S&I)
• Persuasive interpersonal skills and ability to maintain constructive relationships. Evidenced through ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with senior leaders and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders (I)
• Ability to manage and inspire teams to deliver a quality service in a fast-paced environment (I)
• Experience of presenting information to a range of stakeholders, including to senior managers (S&I)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to assimilate complex information, communicate in different formats and present to various audiences (S&I)
• Negotiation skills and the ability to present constructive challenge in a manner which overcomes differences in opinion and delivers outcomes (I)
• Ability to delegate effectively (I)