Senior HR Advisor

About The Role

Senior HR Advisor

Based in Herefordshire – schools, office and home working

£37,932 - £45,002 based on 37 hours per week, we would also consider applications for 30 hours per week.

Some HR roles stay behind a desk.
This one is where decisions get made, conversations matter, and schools need you in the room. We are keen to hear from candidates who can demonstrate the capability to apply their HR expertise in this setting.

We are looking for an experienced Senior HR professional to deliver high-impact, solution-focused HR support to schools, academies and education settings across Herefordshire. This is a hands-on, visible role for an HR professional who is confident handling complex employee relations casework and building trusted relationships with headteachers, governors and senior leaders.

What makes this role different

This is not a purely remote advisory role and it is not predictable week to week. You will be out in schools regularly, sometimes at short notice, responding to live issues where your judgement, credibility and calm approach really count.

There is an expectation you will be based in the office or on school sites around 2–3 days per week on average. Some weeks will require daily presence in schools or the office to meet customer demand. Other weeks will allow for some home working, the wider HR and payroll teams are always in the office on a Wednesday which enables collaborative working.

If you enjoy being visible, trusted and relied upon, this is a role for you.

The role

You will provide a high-quality HR advisory service across the full employee lifecycle, with a particular emphasis on complex and sensitive casework. This includes acting as the lead HR advisor in formal processes and supporting leaders to make sound, lawful and pragmatic decisions.

Your work will include:

• Managing complex HR casework including disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence, redundancy and TUPE
• Advising and supporting headteachers, governors and senior leaders in high-pressure situations, often on site
• Acting as investigating officer where required, including report writing and recommendations
• Advising on education-specific terms and conditions, policies and statutory frameworks
• Supporting organisational change and consultation processes, including trade union engagement
• Leading the development and review of school HR policies and procedures
• Designing and delivering HR training to schools and other clients
• Building strong, credible relationships that support both excellent service delivery and future business opportunities

You will work largely autonomously, using your professional judgement while being supported by an experienced HR management team.

About you

You are an experienced HR professional who is comfortable operating at pace, under pressure, and in complex environments.

You will bring:

• Significant experience of managing complex HR casework end to end
• Strong working knowledge of employment law and its practical application
• Confidence advising senior stakeholders and influencing decisions
• Experience working in unionised environments and handling consultations
• The ability to remain calm, professional and decisive in challenging situations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A flexible, solutions-focused approach to work

Experience working with schools or education settings and knowledge of education-specific frameworks (such as Burgundy Book, Green Book, STPCD, School Staffing Regulations) is highly desirable, but we are also keen to hear from candidates who can demonstrate the capability to apply their HR expertise in this setting.

You will be fully CIPD qualified or able to demonstrate equivalent experience and ongoing professional development.

Travel and flexibility

This role requires regular travel to school sites across Herefordshire, sometimes at short notice. You must be able to travel independently for business purposes. Occasional evening work may be required to support customers.

What we offer

In return, we offer:

• A varied, role with real impact on schools and communities
• A supportive HR team environment
• Flexible working arrangements that balance business need and home working
• A competitive benefits package including 26 days annual leave rising to 31 after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays (including the option to buy or sell holidays) Aviva pension scheme, cycle to work scheme and access to a rewards platform offering various discounts with retailers and restaurants

Closing date: 5 October at noon