People Adviser

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Job title: People Adviser
Contract type: x2 12-month Fixed Term Contracts
Location: Manchester
Salary: £34,000 to £38,300
Working Arrangements: Hybrid working – 2 days a week in office

Are you dedicated to helping managers and colleagues navigate people matters with confidence while making a real difference across an organisation? In this role, you'll have the opportunity to provide expert HR advice, lead meaningful people initiatives and support positive workplace experiences across AQA.

Purpose of the Role

As a People Adviser, you'll be a key member of a team delivering high quality HR support across the business. You'll work closely with managers and colleagues on employee relations and employee lifecycle matters, helping people make informed decisions while ensuring policies, procedures and employment legislation are applied fairly and consistently.

Your work will help create an environment where colleagues can perform at their best, supporting AQA's purpose of enabling learners of all abilities to fulfil their potential.

In this role, you'll be responsible for:

• Providing expert advice and guidance to managers and colleagues on employee lifecycle and employee relations matters, helping to resolve issues effectively and consistently.
• Leading and supporting people-focused projects, including organisational change, restructures, policy implementation and people plans that support business priorities.
• Coaching managers to build their capability, using data, insight and sound judgement to drive positive people outcomes and continuous improvement.

You'll thrive in this role if you're a confident HR professional who enjoys building relationships, solving problems and supporting managers through complex people matters. You’ll bring:

• A CIPD Level 5 qualification, or the ability to demonstrate equivalent experience.
• Experience advising managers on a broad range of employee relations and employee lifecycle matters.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the confidence to influence and challenge where appropriate.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing demands and manage multiple activities.
• Comfortable using HR systems, Microsoft Office applications and data to inform decision-making.

What’s in It for You

This is an opportunity to build your HR career in a role that offers variety, challenge and the chance to make a genuine impact.

• Work on a wide range of people matters that influence colleagues and managers across the organisation.
• Gain exposure to employee relations, organisational change, policy development and people projects.
• Develop your expertise through continuous professional development and learning opportunities.
• Collaborate with experienced HR professionals and stakeholders across multiple business areas.
• Be part of an organisation committed to supporting colleagues, learners and positive outcomes.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Application process

• To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 23.59 on Sunday 26 July.
• Interviews will take place from 04 August in our Manchester office.

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Recruitment Agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.

Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Full Job Description

Summary

To provide the highest quality HR service through coaching, guiding, supporting and advising managers and colleagues on all aspects of the employee lifecycle, ensuring compliance with policies, employment law and regulations with consideration to risk and commercial management and ensuring a positive colleague experience. Having a hands-on approach and taking ownership of specific business area delivering proactive interventions in response to identified business and colleague needs.Landscape: The People Adviser role is a key member of a team of three advisers, providing high quality HR advice to managers and colleagues across the business. The team sits within People Partnering and Employee Relations department (22 colleagues). The department provides a range of services including: business area strategic support, diagnosis, consultancy and delivery of people-related services and projects; subject matter expertise in diversity and inclusion and employee relations; HR policy development and associated training development; operational support with people queries; and joiners, movers and leavers administration and checks.  
 
Activities: 
 
Proactively participate, facilitate, support and advise managers about employee lifecycle matters for example from the point of recruitment to the leaver process, policies, variations to contract, secondments, leavers, organisational development, and respond to colleague queries as appropriate. 
Proactively participate, facilitate, support and advise managers about employee relations matters such as absence management, performance management, grievance, disciplinary, capability, probationary, change management and TUPE, ensuring compliance with employment law and company policy, with consideration to risk and commercial management, and respond to colleague queries as appropriate. 
Lead on the development and implementation of projects including restructures, policy implementation and people plans in conjunction with the Senior People Partner/People Partner, ensuring deadlines are met in line with business plans and employment legislation. 
Conduct benchmarking and evaluations of job roles utilising external data and systems.  Proactively participate in regular job evaluation meetings. 
Coaching and developing managers in order to improve their capability and empower them to make decisions, challenging and escalating where necessary. 
Manage collaborative relationships across People Group teams, other key teams and managers. 
Interpret data into relevant reports, identifying themes and trends, ensure agreed follow up action is taken to enable implementation of decisions. 
Ensure the People Service Desk ticketing system and other systems/records are maintained and that high standards of service and performance and continuous improvement are demonstrated at all times. 
Results driven approach to managing complex employee relations cases that escalate to higher stages in the process in conjunction with Employee Relations Team, Senior People Partner/People Partner, business managers and Trade Unions/Employee Forum. 
Responsible for maintaining the relationship with recognised Trade Unions/Employee Forum in support of employee relations cases, as and when required. 
To comply with all AQA’s policies and other legislative requirements, including but not limited to Health, Safety and the Environment, Diversity and Inclusion and Information Security Management System. 
Take responsibility for your own continuous professional development to meet existing and future business needs. 
Travel to other AQA sites, sometimes necessitating overnight stays, as the need arises. 
 
 
To be successful in this role, you will need to know: 
 
CIPD qualified or equivalent – Level 5, or equivalent levels of experience. 
Proven experience of advising, guiding and supporting managers on a range of employee relations and employee lifecycle matters, at various stages and complexities and managing the application of policies, procedures and processes. 
Clear written and verbal communication skills, strong proven interpersonal skills, adaptable to a range of circumstances with an approach to achieving consistently high standards of work. 
Experience of challenging stakeholders at different levels where appropriate. 
Strong organisational skills, ability to prioritise and plan ahead. 
Proficient use of HR systems and Microsoft Office applications.