HR Advisor

HR Advisor

Salary: The full time salary is £33,501 to £41,000 per annum.  The actual salary, pro rata based on 30 hours per week, will be between £26,801 and £32,800 per annum (the salary offered will depend on CIPD qualifications, relevant experience and skills).

Hours: 30 hours per week (including working a Friday).

Location: Hybrid working available and with attendance in the office expected a minimum of 2 days a week (the office is based in the Central Office in Cheltenham, but the role will be required to work across all YMCA Cheltenham sites)

“Shape a legacy. Grow impact. Lead with purpose.”

We are looking for an experienced and proactive HR Advisor to join our busy HR Team and help us deliver an exceptional employee experience. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled HR professional who enjoys building relationships, providing practical advice and supporting managers to achieving positive outcomes.

Working closely with the Head of HR, you will play a key role in delivering our People Strategy, supporting employee wellbeing, ensuring legal compliance and promoting best-practice people management across the organisation.

It is an exciting time to join our organisation in this role, as we celebrate 170 incredible years of continuous service to the communities of Gloucestershire; supporting those most in need and working alongside generations of families and individuals over an astonishing 17 decades of meaningful and transformative work.

About the Role

As HR Advisor, you will provide professional, customer-focused HR support to managers and employees across YMCA Cheltenham. You will be responsible for delivering advice across the full employee lifecycle and supporting a wide range of employee relations, recruitment and HR operational activities.

You will thrive in a busy environment, be comfortable managing multiple priorities and have the confidence to provide clear, practical and legally compliant HR guidance.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations

• Provide expert HR advice and guidance to managers and employees.
• Manage and support disciplinary, grievance, absence, capability and performance cases.
• Conduct investigations and support hearings and appeals.
• Ensure HR policies and employment legislation are applied fairly and consistently.

Performance and Attendance Management

• Support managers with probation, attendance and performance processes.
• Encourage regular performance conversations and development planning.
• Monitor sickness absence trends and recommend appropriate interventions.
• Liaise with Occupational Health providers and support employee wellbeing initiatives.

HR Advisory Support

• Support managers in interpreting and applying HR policies and procedures.
• Promote best-practice people management throughout the organisation.
• Assist with organisational change projects, restructures and consultation processes.

Recruitment and Onboarding

• Support recruitment campaigns and selection activities.
• Coordinate interviews and pre-employment checks.
• Manage onboarding activities including Right to Work and DBS processes.
• Promote inclusive and values-led recruitment practices.

HR Operations

• Support payroll administration and employee benefits processes.
• Assist with flexible working requests, secondments and other employee lifecycle activities.
• Maintain accurate HR records and ensure data integrity.

Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Produce HR reports, metrics and workforce analysis.
• Identify trends relating to absence, retention, engagement and wellbeing.
• Support the development of HR policies and procedures.
• Contribute to HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives

What We’re Looking For

Qualifications 

• A minimum Level 4 professional qualification in HR (Level 5 is desirable).
• Member of the HR body called CIPD.
• Evidence of relevant Continuous Professional Development. 

Experience

• Proven experience working as an HR Advisor.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience managing employee relations cases.
• Experience using HR systems and Microsoft 365 applications.
• Excellent communication, organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to analyse HR data and produce meaningful reports.

Personal Qualities

• People‑centred: builds trust and understands the challenges within the organisation.
• Advisor and expert: provides excellent advice to the workforce.
• Collaborative & Influential: builds trust across teams and partners; confident negotiator.
• Organised & Resilient: manages competing priorities, stays calm under pressure, delivers to deadlines.
• Ethical & Professional: champions fairness, safeguarding, and integrity in all interactions.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: curious, pragmatic, and solutions‑focused.
• Eye for detail: demonstrates an excellent attention to detail.

ABOUT US

YMCA Cheltenham, founded in 1855, is a registered charity and has become a leading provider of supported housing for the most vulnerable in Cheltenham and Gloucester, alongside other works including early-years provision, sports facilities, community engagement and other charitable activities.

Organisational Values

YMCA Cheltenham is an organisation founded on Christian values and, as such, employees may encounter behaviours, artefacts, or other elements particular to or representative of the Christian faith in their workplace.

As an organisation founded upon the Christian Faith, YMCA Cheltenham draws its Values from the Bible, principally as described in Micah 6:8. Our Values are therefore expressed as follows:

OUR VALUES

YMCA Cheltenham will OPERATE with Equity, Integrity, Openness and Honesty.

YMCA Cheltenham will ENGAGE with Empathy, Kindness, Generosity and Grace.

YMCA Cheltenham will BE Thoughtful, Discreet, Ethical and Respectful to all.

Employees are not required to adhere to the Christian faith, nor any faith, and no such consideration is made by the organisation in employment choices nor in delivering its services – however, we do expect all employees to demonstrate the list of Values shown while in the workplace.

ABOUT WHAT WE OFFER

The organisation recognises that employees need a good balance between work and life.  We are committed to supporting a healthy balance between work and life and creating a workplace where people can thrive. Our benefits include:

• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, rising by up to 5 extra days with service.
• Two wellbeing days per year.
• Retail discounts and rewards across major high‑street and online brands.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Generous contributory pension.
• Company sick pay.
• Life Assurance at two times salary.
• Health cash plan, covering optical and dental costs, GP/consultant access, and independent personal, workplace, and financial advice.
• Free use of on‑site sports facilities.
• Occupational Health support and reasonable adjustments where needed.
• Extensive training and development, including opportunities to gain relevant qualifications.
• Regular social events for colleagues and their families
• Critical Illness cover.
• Wellbeing / wellness services and apps.
• A supportive, passionate and high-performing team environment.

We are committed to creating a dynamic and diverse workforce and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their age, gender, disability, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or faith. We have procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.

YMCA Cheltenham is committed to following safer recruitment guidelines.  In line with the requirements of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, all applicants must be able to demonstrate they have evidence to be eligible to live and work in the UK.  Successful candidates will need to provide two satisfactory references, undergo a DBS check and demonstrate full employment history. 

YMCA Cheltenham is wholly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.