Senior HR adviser

Band 6 · Human resources officer · 416 job evaluation points

Leads HR advice for a directorate, handles the most complex and sensitive cases, and supports HR advisers, working with broad freedom within the organisation's people policies.

Responsibilities

Manage complex and high-risk employee relations cases, including those linked to patient safety incidents or safeguarding.
Lead or commission investigations and coach managers who investigate.
Lead organisational change for a service, such as a restructure or a new on-call rota, including formal consultation.
Advise on banding for new and changed roles and take part in job evaluation panels.
Analyse case and workforce data for the directorate and recommend action on trends.
Draft and review people policies, working with staff representatives.
Supervise and develop HR advisers.

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	Practitioner (3)	You can: lead organisational change for a directorate, from business case to implementation consult with staff and their representatives and respond to their feedback manage the legal and equality risks of a change
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
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
Stakeholder relationship managementUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: work with the team to develop and maintain an understanding of stakeholders work with the team to develop and implement stakeholder communications strategies identify and resolve issues, influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders
People managementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: supervise day-to-day work and give feedback take part in recruitment and induction hold regular one-to-one conversations
Equality, diversity, and inclusionThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: carry out equality impact assessments build inclusive teams and practices
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Working (2)	You can: explain the clinical and care workflows your work supports use common health care terms correctly with clinical and care colleagues recognise when a change could affect patient care and raise it

Typical qualifications and experience

A recognised HR professional qualification at intermediate or advanced level, or equivalent experience.
Substantial experience of managing complex employee relations cases and organisational change.

Band 6 outline

Knowledge: Specialist knowledge across a range of procedures, built through further training or experience.
Autonomy: Works independently; interprets policy for own area; seeks advice on complex issues.
Scope: A product, service, or workstream.
Leadership: May lead a small team or mentor colleagues.
Accountability: Outcomes of own workstream and quality of advice given.

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	6	Specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (postgraduate diploma level or equivalent).	156
Analytical and judgemental skills	4	Judgements on complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	42
Planning and organisational skills	3	Plans several complex activities, adjusting plans as needed.	27
Physical skills	2	Skills gained through practice, such as standard keyboard use or driving.	15
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	3	Implements policies for own area and proposes changes that affect other areas.	21
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	4	Results are defined, but the job holder decides how to achieve them, within broad policy.	32
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 6: 396 to 465)			416

Emotional effort is level 3 for frequent exposure to distressing casework; people is level 3 for core HR advice and supervising HR advisers.