HR Adviser

Job summary

As a HR Adviser in Acas, you will work as part of a team of HR experts in our fast-paced Employment Relations Team. You will be accountable for leading and managing a portfolio of complex HR Casework up to and including Employment Tribunals utilising your employment law and HR expertise. Your success in this role will rely on building and nurturing relationships with various stakeholders, including trade unions, employee forums, and networks. By establishing trust and confidence, you will provide insightful solutions and address challenges, ensuring that our people policies align with organisational needs and create a supportive employee experience. This role plays a large part in our culture change at Acas, where lessons learned and coaching of line managers in a clear and timely way will build our capability and confidence for the future.

Job description

Your main accountabilities will include:

• Managing a portfolio of complex HR cases, examples of which include, but not limited to, probation, performance management, sickness absence, discipline, grievance. appeals, Civil Service Appeals Board (CSABs) and Employment Tribunals
• Providing expert HR advice to managers of all grades, ultimately improving the capability and confidence of line management through the sharing of HR expertise, support and coaching
• Using an evidence-based approach to assessing risk and developing solutions that deliver a successful outcome
• Ensuring cases are managed in a timely manner and appropriate conclusions met adhering to employment law, policies, business and operational needs
• Managing Early Conciliation, Personal Injury Claims and Employment Tribunal cases where Acas is the respondent, working alongside Govt legal Dept (GLD)
• Analysing evidence and developing effective solutions to complex issues and sensitive situations, encouraging managers to take ownership while supporting them in the implementation of the agreed solutions
• Conducting lessons learned, collaborating with the wider team to determine trends or themes which arise and require preventative action to change our culture, including the collection and management of data and insight to inform decision making
• Working proactively with our Trade Unions when developing policy changes, including the reviewing and publishing of policy and guidance in line with legislation, terms and conditions of service and best practice.

Who we are

Acas exists to make working life better for everyone in Britain. We are the experts in workplace matters, we’re impartial, so we’re not on anyone’s side. That means we’re working for everyone to help prevent, manage and resolve workplace issues.

Acas helps employers and employees by providing information, advice, training, conciliation and other services that prevent, manage or resolve workplace problems.

Acas: Britain’s Workplace Experts

Acas has been recognised for its Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace from the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion awards – Disability Confident Highly Commended; Pay Gap award winner and Overall winner for public sector organisations. Acas is committed to providing services and developing policies which embrace diversity, promote equality of opportunity, and eliminate unlawful discrimination.

Person specification

The successful applicant will have the following:

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience (within the last 18 months) of managing complex HR cases, using evidence to assess risk and develop solutions that deliver a successful outcome. (Lead)
• Ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders on sensitive and complex issues – e.g., line managers and Senior leadership team, legal team, HR Business Partners, Government Policy Group networks.
• Ability to interpret and assimilate information, by gathering facts, sifting and relaying information to relevant stakeholders to reach a positive outcome.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including experience of communicating confidently about HR issues and solutions providing constructive challenge and feedback, whilst remaining objective.
• Influencing skills, and the provision of expert advice to senior stakeholders.
• Experience of dealing with risk and managing situations according to the risk appetite of the organisation, appropriately seeking legal advice, including case escalation as required.
• Excellent written and verbal skills with the ability to work collaboratively, communicating and presenting ideas and HR information to colleagues, internal and external partners in a clear and positive way
• Demonstrable self-awareness and resilience while having a flexible approach to change, with the ability to prioritise, and manage a varied workload in a multi-faceted, fast-paced team
• Ability to work to tight deadlines, including working on complex work at pace whilst demonstrating a good level of attention to detail when providing HR support and guidance.

Qualifications

Current membership of Level 5 CIPD or a willingness to work towards it, through either study or experiential assessment. Or equivalent experience of managing complex HR cases. If you have equivalent experience, please click 'Similar equivalent held' in your online application and provide relevant details.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,547, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service contributes £10,587 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We’re big believers in rewarding people for the amazing work they do. Take a look at some of the fantastic benefits we offer:

• Learning and Development
• Health and wellbeing
• Pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Volunteering opportunities

Could you ask for anymore?

You’ll have access to a Lifestyle website, where you’ll be able to grab savings on a wide range of products, from holidays to your weekly shop.

To find out more, please check out Working for Acas

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Please click on the 'Apply now' button.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete the following:

• Statement of Suitability and CV: An evidence-based Statement of Suitability and CV reflecting the Essential Experiencerequirements as listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. Your statement of suitability should be no longer than 1000 words. It should avoid generalised assertions, instead including specific examples of achievements, explaining the degree of challenge, what you did and the outcomes.

• Behaviour: A 250-word statement on the Managing a Quality Service behaviour

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the:

• Lead Essential Experience Criterion: Proven experience (within the last 18 months) of managing complex HR cases, using evidence to assess risk and develop solutions that deliver a successful outcome.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift of all the above requirements or progressed straight to interview.

If a large number of applications meet the minimum standard an interview wait list may be created for this position. This means that if you have met the minimum requirements at sift you may be placed at a ‘Hold’ status for up to 12 months and if we are able to invite you to an interview we will be in touch.

Interview Details

If you have successfully passed the sift, you will be invited to an interview via Microsoft Teams, which is likely to take place from week commencing 02 February 2026. It will be an Experience, Behaviours, and Strengths based interview.

The Behaviours being assessed at the interview stage are as follows:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture

A reserve list will be created for this position; this means that if you have passed the interview, but we couldn’t offer you this position, you will be placed on a reserve list for 12 months and may be considered for similar positions.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader, Acas is committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. If you have a disability and feel that any part of the recruitment process puts you at a disadvantage, we will work with you to make Reasonable Adjustments that support your needs. If you require any changes to help you apply:

• Please contact Acas HR Recruitment Service via HRRecruitment@acas.org.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Please complete the “Assistance Required” section on the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to let us know about any adjustments or support you may need during the recruitment process. For example, this might include accessibility arrangements for entering a building or interview room, communication support, modifications to assessment methods, etc.
• You can find out more about the Disability Confident Scheme and Reasonable Adjustments by clicking these links.

Want to learn more about Civil Service recruitment? You can find out more on Civil Service Careers, including information on Success Profiles, writing a Personal Statement, acceptable use of Artificial Intelligence, and what to expect at Interview.

For applicants requiring a visa to work in the UK

Please be advised that Acas does not hold a sponsorship licence so cannot consider sponsoring a visa applicant or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : HR Recruitment Team
• Email : HRrecruitment@acas.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HRrecruitment@acas.org.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Code and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact us on HRRecruitment@acas.org.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from us, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

Job Description - G9 HR Adviser Opens in new window (docx, 47kB)