HR adviser

Band 5 · Human resources officer · 345 job evaluation points

Gives professional HR advice to managers in a group of services and manages a caseload of employee relations cases, working to defined policies with a senior HR adviser available for complex cases.

Responsibilities

Advise managers on conduct, capability, attendance, grievance, and dignity at work cases, from first concern to outcome.
Support formal hearings, advising the panel on policy, process, and fair outcomes.
Advise on reasonable adjustments, flexible working, and occupational health referrals.
Advise managers on working time, on-call, and rota rules for services that run 24 hours a day.
Support small organisational changes, such as changes to working patterns, including consultation with staff.
Train managers in people policies and how to apply them.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Employee relations caseworkThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: manage a caseload of complex cases, advising hearing panels on fair outcomes carry out or lead investigations, including those linked to incidents or safeguarding use early resolution and mediation to settle disputes before they escalate spot trends in cases and act on their causes
Employment law and people policyThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: interpret employment law and policy for complex cases and advise on risk draft and review people policies, with equality impact assessments consult on policy changes with staff representatives
Organisational change and consultationThis reference	Working (2)	You can: support managers to prepare consultation documents and staff briefings track responses and actions during consultation support staff through redeployment and selection processes
HR administrationThis reference	Working (2)	You can: prepare contracts, variation letters, and employment checks accurately process changes in the HR and payroll system against deadlines answer routine questions from managers and staff about HR processes
Workforce information and HR systemsThis reference	Working (2)	You can: run standard workforce reports and check them for errors answer routine information requests about the workforce
Reward and job evaluationThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply pay rules, such as starting salary, protection, and allowances check job descriptions are complete before they go to evaluation take part in job evaluation panels as a trained member
Stakeholder relationship managementUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: identify important stakeholders and communicate with them clearly and regularly tailor communication to stakeholders' needs and work with them to build relationships while meeting user needs build and reach consensus with stakeholders work to improve stakeholder relationships using evidence to explain decisions
Equality, diversity, and inclusionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: recognise and challenge behaviour that excludes others consider different needs when you plan your work
Health, safety, and wellbeingThis reference	Working (2)	You can: carry out simple risk assessments, such as workstation assessments help colleagues work safely
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Awareness (1)	You can: describe the main parts of the health and care system and the services the organisation supports explain why patient safety and confidentiality matter in your work

Typical qualifications and experience

A recognised HR professional qualification at intermediate level, or equivalent experience.
Experience of advising managers on employee relations cases.

Band 5 outline

Knowledge: Professional or technical knowledge, typically from a degree or equivalent experience.
Autonomy: Works to broad objectives within professional standards; plans own work.
Scope: Own professional work within a team or product.
Leadership: May guide and check the work of support staff and apprentices.
Accountability: Quality of own professional work.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	4	Gives complex, sensitive, or contentious information needing persuasion, negotiation, or training skills, or highly complex information.	32
Knowledge, training, and experience	5	Expertise in a specialism, underpinned by theory or practical experience (degree level or equivalent).	120
Analytical and judgemental skills	3	Judgements on a range of facts or situations needing analysis or comparison of options.	27
Planning and organisational skills	2	Plans straightforward tasks or activities, some ongoing.	15
Physical skills	3	Developed skills needing speed or accuracy, such as advanced keyboard use.	27
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	2	Implements policies for own area and proposes changes to its practices.	12
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	1	Takes personal care of equipment and resources used in own work.	5
Responsibility for people	3	Manages a group of staff day to day, teaches core or specialist training, or gives core HR advice.	21
Responsibility for information resources	3	Takes formal minutes, regularly writes reports or queries, or maintains information systems as a significant duty.	16
Responsibility for research and development	1	Carries out surveys or audits for own work; occasionally takes part in research or testing.	5
Freedom to act	3	Follows defined policies and procedures; work is managed rather than supervised.	21
Physical effort	1	Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.	3
Mental effort	3	Frequent concentration on unpredictable work, or occasional prolonged concentration.	12
Emotional effort	3	Frequent exposure to distressing circumstances, or occasional exposure to highly distressing ones.	18
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 5: 326 to 395)			345

People is level 3 because the job gives core HR advice as its main duty; emotional effort is level 3 because the job frequently deals with distressing employee relations cases, such as allegations, ill health, and staff in crisis.