As a visible and trusted advisor, you’ll play a vital role in shaping a positive workplace culture while building strong relationships across our West Coast Rail Network. Your ability to navigate sensitive issues with sound judgement and professionalism will make a real difference to our people and performance.

You’ll provide expert guidance to managers on a wide range of people challenges, including ER case management, absence, and performance issues, while building capability and ensuring fair, consistent outcomes. Our ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, unionised environment and bring confidence, resilience, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Employee Relations Expertise: Lead and advise on complex ER cases from start to resolution, including disciplinary, grievance, ill-health capability, ACAS early conciliation, and Employment Tribunal preparation.
• Absence Management: Provide hands-on support and guidance to managers on short- and long-term absence cases, ensuring fair and consistent application of policy and proactive interventions.
• Trusted Advisor: Coach and build capability in line managers to handle people issues confidently and compliantly.
• Data-Driven Insight: Analyse absence trends, ER case volumes, and KPIs to identify risks and drive continuous improvement.
• Change Support: Deliver HR support for organisational change initiatives, including restructures and redundancies.
• Collaboration & Escalation: Work closely with Strategic HR Business Partners, escalating complex issues and supporting delivery of people plans.
• Process Improvement: Identify and implement opportunities to enhance HR processes and ways of working.

What you’ll bring:

• Proven HR advisory experience, ideally within a unionised and multi-site environment.
• Strong experience in handling complex ER cases from start through to resolution.
• Level 5 CIPD or equivalent experience
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility quickly.
• Willingness to travel nationally and be present where it matters most.