Employee Relations Advisor

 Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water: 

 We offer a salary range from £42,294 - £47,550 per annum,  depending on experience 

 •    Annual performance related bonus (£1000 maximum bonus opportunity for the performance year)
•    Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution) 
•    Development opportunities in line with the Employee Relations Advisor progression plan
•    25 days annual leave plus bank holidays – plus two wellness days! 
•    Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary 
•    A great benefits package – choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.  
•    Retail savings scheme  
•    Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more! 

Location: You’ll be based at our new Leeds Valley Park office, with hybrid working that combines office and home working.

 Work type: Fixed term role for 9 x months, working full time between a working window of 8:00am-6:00pm, Monday – Friday. 
 

We have an exciting opportunity for an Employee Relations Advisor to join our People Operations team. This is a key role in providing expert, consistent and commercially balanced employee relations advice across Yorkshire Water, helping leaders and managers resolve people issues fairly, confidently and at the right time.

Casework delivery will be a core part of the role, but this is more than a traditional advisory position. You will use insight from ER casework, absence, attrition and engagement data to identify trends, reduce avoidable demand, build manager capability and support earlier intervention before issues escalate

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it’s so much more than this.
 

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire’s water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity. 

 New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry.  
 

Where you fit in:

 You will play an important part in strengthening our Employee Relations (ER) service, helping leaders create healthier working environments and improving colleague experience. By translating ER insight into practical action, you will help reduce repeat issues, improve manager confidence and support fair, consistent and defensible outcomes.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys both the pace of casework and the opportunity to make a wider impact through insight, coaching, early intervention and continuous improvement.

 Some of the key responsibilities will include:

•     Triaging ER queries and cases effectively, ensuring issues are routed appropriately and managers retain ownership where formal ER intervention is not required.
•    Managing ER casework consistently, ensuring timely progress, fair outcomes and procedural compliance across areas such as disciplinary, grievance, absence, capability and conduct.
•    Coaching managers on performance, conduct, absence and conflict, helping them address concerns earlier and with greater confidence.
•    Analysing ER casework, absence, attrition and engagement insight to identify themes, hotspots and root causes.
•    Preparing ER insight, recommendations and progress updates for leaders and business review forums.
•    Supporting informal resolution and preventative action to reduce repeat issues, avoidable escalation and dependency on formal ER routes.
•    Develop and deliver ER training, guidance, manager workshops, policy improvement and process improvements where these help reduce future ER demand.
•    Working collaboratively with our People Partners, Trade Union Representatives and People Leaders to support fair, effective and sustainable outcomes. 
 

What skills and qualifications are we looking for?

•     Strong working knowledge of employee relations practice, employment legislation and HR policies.
•    Experience providing balanced advice to managers and leaders, assessing risk, maintaining confidentiality and producing clear case documentation.
•    Confidence using data and insight to identify trends, make recommendations and communicate findings clearly to stakeholders.
•    Strong influencing, coaching and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to constructively challenge leaders while maintaining trust.
•    Experience engaging with stakeholders, including trade unions, on ER themes, policy application and early resolution of workplace concerns.
•    A CIPD qualification or equivalent HR/ER experience would be desirable.

 Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it’s important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn’t always easy! 

 Do we sound like your cup of tea?   

If you are passionate about employee relations, confident working with managers and leaders, and motivated by using insight to improve outcomes, we would love to hear from you.
  

Please complete the online application process and submit a covering letter and CV outlining your suitability for the role.

Recruitment Process -

Closing Date – 31st August, 2026
 

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.
 

 All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.
 

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.
 

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.
 

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

 
No agencies please.