Senior HR Advisor (Schools) – AR

Location: Harrow
Pay Grade: G10
Directorate: Resources
Division: Human Resources
Reports to: Head of Human Resources

Role Overview

Harrow Council is seeking an experienced Senior HR Advisor (Schools) to provide a high-quality, responsive and proactive HR service across the organisation, with a particular focus on schools.

The successful candidate will provide expert advice and guidance on complex Employee Relations (ER) matters, working closely with senior managers, school leaders and Trade Unions. The role will involve managing complex cases from investigation through to hearings and appeals, while ensuring advice is consistent, legally compliant and aligned with Council policies and procedures.

The postholder will also support organisational change, TUPE, consultation, sickness absence, HR projects and service improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert HR and Employee Relations advice to senior managers, school leaders and other stakeholders.
• Manage complex and high-risk ER cases from initial investigation through to hearings, appeals and resolution.
• Advise managers on disciplinary, grievance, capability, conduct, performance and sickness absence matters.
• Attend and support formal hearings and appeals, including preparing relevant documentation, notes and correspondence.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with Trade Union representatives and support consultation and industrial relations matters.
• Support organisational restructures, organisational design, redundancy, redeployment and consultation processes.
• Provide advice and support throughout TUPE processes, ensuring appropriate consultation and documentation.
• Attend Directorate Management Team meetings and facilitate/attend relevant joint committee meetings.
• Produce HR reports, dashboards and KPIs covering areas such as casework, sickness absence, headcount and turnover.
• Identify trends and recommend improvement actions based on HR data and performance indicators.
• Contribute to the development, review and implementation of HR policies, procedures and practices.
• Ensure all HR casework is managed within agreed SLAs, deadlines and KPIs.
• Support the design and delivery of HR training and development programmes for managers.
• Maintain accurate, confidential and up-to-date HR records in accordance with data protection requirements.
• Contribute to equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Support continuous improvement across the HR service and identify opportunities to improve customer experience.
• Participate in and support Job Evaluation processes.
• Provide guidance and support to junior HR colleagues where required.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience working in a Senior HR Advisor, Employee Relations or HR Business Partner capacity.
• Strong experience managing complex Employee Relations casework.
• Experience handling disciplinary, grievance, capability and sickness absence cases.
• Strong experience working with Trade Unions and supporting consultation processes.
• Experience of TUPE and organisational change.
• Experience advising senior managers and stakeholders on complex and contentious HR matters.
• Strong knowledge of employment legislation, HR policies and best practice.
• Experience working within a public-sector/local authority environment is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex cases and competing priorities.
• Strong report-writing, analytical and organisational skills.
• Ability to identify solutions to complex HR problems and provide pragmatic advice.
• Experience supporting HR projects and service improvement.

Qualifications

• CIPD qualification or equivalent professional HR experience.
• Degree or relevant professional experience.
• Evidence of continued professional development.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a confident and experienced Senior HR/Employee Relations professional who can independently manage complex and sensitive cases while providing credible advice to senior managers and school leaders.

They will have strong Trade Union, TUPE and organisational change experience, excellent knowledge of employment legislation and the ability to influence stakeholders and provide practical solutions in a fast-paced public-sector environment.