Introduction to the Role
Join our People Team at HarperCollins Publishers as a People Advisor within our Supply Chain Division based in our Glasgow office. You will play a key role in delivering effective employee relations, enhancing employee engagement and supporting our workforce. The ideal candidate will have experience in manufacturing, distribution, engineering, or construction industries, along with a strong understanding and experience of working within a unionised environment. This is an exciting opportunity to drive growth and foster a collaborative workplace culture.
Key Tasks and Accountabilities:
* Employee Relations: Provide coaching and support to managers on absence management, performance issues, conflict resolution, and employee engagement, while ensuring compliance with policies.
* Recruitment & Talent Acquisition: Collaborate with hiring managers to identify staffing needs and manage the recruitment process to ensure a diverse candidate pool.
* Onboarding & Training: Facilitate smooth onboarding for new employees and identify training needs to enhance skills within the supply chain division.
* Offboarding: Support employees and managers during retirements and resignations, ensuring clear communication and compliance with policies.
* Policy Development: Assist in developing People policies that align with company goals and comply with UK employment law.
* Performance Management: Help managers maximise employee performance and address capability or conduct issues.
* Employee Engagement: Support initiatives to boost morale and engagement, including surveys and feedback mechanisms.
* People Metrics & Reporting: Maintain metrics to track absence turnover, and other key indicators, utilising Excel for data analysis.
* Compliance: Ensure adherence to employment legislation and liaise with the People Business Partner for necessary updates.
* Union Engagement: Foster positive relationships with union representatives.
* General Responsibilities: Participate in HR initiatives, identify business opportunities, and build strong relationships with staff.
Skills Required:
* Experience in a fast-paced People/HR role.
* Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
* CIPD qualification preferred.
* Experience in manufacturing, distribution, engineering, construction or similar industries is desirable.
* Familiarity with unionised environments and collective bargaining.
* Excellent multitasking and organisational skills.
* Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
* Proficient in Microsoft Office and People Management Software.
* Strong knowledge of UK employment law.
At HarperCollins, we value authenticity and integrity in our recruitment process. To ensure a fair and accurate evaluation of all applications, we ask that all responses to assessment questions reflect your own thoughts, experiences, and capabilities. This allows us to fairly assess your knowledge, skills, and experience to determine how they align with the role. We value diverse perspectives and genuine contributions, even if answers are not perfect. The use of AI tools or external assistance to generate responses is discouraged unless explicitly permitted for specific tasks.
Benefits
* Hybrid working model (4 days in the office)
* 27 days holiday plus bank holidays
* Private healthcare cover and life assurance
* Summer Hours
* Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal
* Relocation Rent Support Loan
* Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network and Neurodiversity at Work
* Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal
* Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers
* Gym membership discount
* Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days
* We're a certified Carbon Neutral company
* Free e-books and audiobooks, newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books
* Subsidised canteen and retail discounts
* Onsite prayer room
If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to with subject heading 'Vacancy Query' plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Benefits:
* Bereavement leave
* Canteen
* Company events
* Company pension
* Cycle to work scheme
* Discounted or free food
* Employee mentoring programme
* Enhanced maternity leave
* Enhanced paternity leave
* Free parking
* Life insurance
* On-site parking
* Paid volunteer time
* Private medical insurance
* Sick pay
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 28/09/2025