The posting
Contract to start ASAP
Duration: 52 weeks with a possible extension.
Full job description
Employee Relations Advisor – Somerset Council
Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week)
Contract: 52-week temporary contract from 16 November 2026 to 14 November 2027
Provide Expert Employee Relations Advice and Support Across Somerset Council
We're recruiting an experienced Employee Relations Advisor to join Somerset Council, based at The Crescent, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4DY.
This is a specialist HR advisory role providing professional employee relations support across the Council. You'll advise managers on complex people matters, support formal HR processes and help ensure cases are handled fairly, consistently and in line with employment law, Council policies and best practice.
The role requires strong employee relations experience, sound judgement and the confidence to support managers through sensitive and sometimes challenging workplace issues.
About the Role
As an Employee Relations Advisor, you'll manage and advise on a varied caseload of employee relations matters.
You'll work closely with managers, HR colleagues and other stakeholders to provide practical, risk-aware advice on disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence, performance and organisational change matters.
What you'll be doing:
- Providing professional employee relations advice to managers across the Council
- Managing a varied caseload of complex HR and employee relations matters
- Advising on disciplinary, grievance, capability and performance cases
- Supporting managers with sickness absence and attendance management
- Providing advice on organisational change, restructures and consultation processes
- Supporting formal investigations, hearings and appeals
- Reviewing case documentation and advising on appropriate next steps
- Helping ensure HR processes are fair, consistent and legally compliant
- Providing guidance on Council HR policies and procedures
- Supporting managers to resolve workplace issues at the earliest appropriate stage
- Advising on employment law risks and potential employee relations implications
- Preparing correspondence, reports and case documentation
- Maintaining accurate and confidential case records
- Working closely with HR Business Partners and other HR colleagues
- Supporting consultation and engagement with employees and representatives
- Providing coaching and guidance to managers to improve people-management capability
- Identifying trends and recurring issues and contributing to service improvement
- Supporting policy development and updates where required
Requirements
We're looking for an experienced HR professional with strong employee relations knowledge and the ability to manage complex cases independently.
You'll ideally have:
- Significant experience in an Employee Relations, HR Advisor or similar role
- Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice
- Experience managing disciplinary, grievance, capability and absence cases
- Experience advising managers on complex employee relations matters
- Experience supporting formal investigations and hearings
- Good understanding of organisational change and consultation processes
- Strong case-management and organisational skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to provide clear, practical and balanced HR advice
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
- Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information appropriately
- Confidence working with managers at different levels of seniority
- Previous local authority or public-sector HR experience would be highly desirable
- Experience working in a unionised environment would be advantageous
- A CIPD qualification or equivalent HR experience would be desirable
- Eligibility to work in the UK
- Ability to provide relevant references/work history
- Ability to complete required pre-employment checks
Why Apply
- Opportunity to work with Somerset Council
- Competitive Umbrella rate of £27.20 per hour
- Full-time 37-hour working week
- Long-term 52-week temporary assignment
- Varied employee relations caseload across a large Council
- Opportunity to work closely with managers and senior HR professionals
- Chance to develop further public-sector HR and employee relations experience
- Professional role with meaningful involvement in complex people matters
Benefits
- Weekly Pay
- Company Pension
- Ongoing Agency Support
Additional Information
Client: Somerset Council
Job Title: Employee Relations Advisor
Location: The Crescent, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4DY
Positions Available: 1
Hours: 37 hours per week
Start Date: 16 November 2026
End Date: 14 November 2027
Contract Duration: 52 weeks
Contract Type: Temporary
Pay Rate: Umbrella: £27.20 per hour
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract
Pay: £27.20 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
Application question(s):
- Do you have significant experience working as an Employee Relations Advisor, HR Advisor or in a similar role?
- Do you have experience managing disciplinary, grievance, capability and sickness absence cases?
- Are you confident advising managers on complex employee relations and employment law matters?
- Have you worked within a local authority, public-sector or unionised environment?
- Are you able to reliably travel to The Crescent, Taunton, TA1 4DY?
- Are you available to start from 16 November 2026?
Experience:
- Employee Relations / HR Advisory: 3 years (required)
- Complex Case Management: 2 years (required)
- Public Sector / Local Authority HR: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- CIPD qualification or equivalent HR qualification (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.
OR120297-11-26
