Job Description
HR Advisor – Port of Tilbury
Every operation has a heartbeat.
At the Port of Tilbury, it’s the people.
Behind every vessel docking, every container moved and every project breaking ground, there’s a workforce keeping one of the UK’s most important logistics hubs running. And right now, that workforce is growing – with a refreshed HR team right at the centre of what comes next.
Denholm Associates are delighted to be retained by Forth Ports to appoint a proactive, relationship-driven HR Advisor who wants more than a traditional advisory role. This is a role for someone who’s as comfortable with people as they are with systems – and who enjoys helping managers use both well.
If you’re looking for visibility, influence and genuine impact, you’ll find it here.
Why this role matters
Tilbury isn’t just busy – it’s evolving. With ambitious investment, digital transformation and a clear path towards net zero by 2042, the port is moving fast. HR is stepping up, becoming more strategic, more data-led and more embedded in the business.
This role sits right at that intersection.
You’ll support around 700 colleagues across multiple business units in a hands-on, operational environment where decisions happen quickly and no two days look the same. You won’t be tucked away in the background – you’ll be visible, trusted and actively working alongside managers and leaders to help them get the best from their people and the tools available to them.
What you’ll be doing
Your week could involve:
* Guiding managers through ER cases with confidence and clarity
* Working closely with trade unions, including collective bargaining and annual pay negotiations
* Supporting consultation, redundancy and wider change activity
* Coaching leaders to build capability and improve how they engage their teams
* Reviewing and modernising policies, processes and ways of working
* Acting as a confident user and advocate of the HRIS, supporting managers to use the system effectively and consistently
* Using HR data and insight to spot trends, inform decisions and strengthen the wider people agenda
* Getting involved in projects linked to growth, colleague experience, digital adoption and operational improvement
It’s varied, fast-paced and gives you plenty of scope to shape how HR shows up in the business.
What you’ll bring
You’ll already have solid experience in an HR Advisor or Generalist role within a complex, operational or industrial setting, along with strong ER/IR exposure and confidence working in a unionised environment.
You’ll also bring:
* A proactive, solutions-focused mindset
* The ability to build trust quickly at every level
* Curiosity to understand how the operation works day-to-day
* Confidence to influence and challenge constructively
* A collaborative, hands-on style
* Strong digital confidence – you’re comfortable working with HR systems, data and dashboards, and enjoy helping managers get value from them
* CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent experience)
This is a full-time role with a hybrid element, but being present at Tilbury is essential. The real work happens on site, in conversation with managers and teams – not from a laptop miles away.
What’s in it for you
You won’t just be joining a business – you’ll be joining it at the right moment.
The operation is growing. Investment is high. Leaders are open to new ideas. HR is becoming more proactive, more connected and more influential – and more digitally enabled.
You’ll have:
* The space to shape how things are done
* The opportunity to influence how HR systems are used in practice
* Support to grow professionally
* A team that genuinely works together
* A visible role where your impact won’t go unnoticed
If you’re an HR Advisor who enjoys being in the business, working with managers, and using data and systems to make HR better – not more complicated – this is a brilliant next step.
Ready to get involved? Let’s talk.