About The Role
An opportunity has arisen for an experienced People Advisor to join the people team at Cala. With strong Employee Relations experience and the ability to work independently, the successful candidate will support our regional businesses across the UK.
You’ll support the business through effective employee relations case management, proactive absence management, and HR advisory services. You will work closely with managers to ensure the fair and consistent application of policies and procedures, while also playing a proactive role in upskilling managers to build their confidence and capability in handling people matters. This role is pivotal in promoting a culture of trust, respect, and engagement across the organisation.
Main Accountabilities:
Employee Relations
Provide timely and professional advice on employee relations issues including disciplinary, grievance, performance management, conflict resolution, and absence cases.
Support and coach managers through ER cases from start to finish, ensuring timely, fair outcomes compliant with employment law and internal policies.
Support managers in the conducting of investigations to produce clear, objective reports with recommendations.
Support investigations and hearings, including preparing documentation and attending meetings as required.
Monitor ER trends and proactively identify areas for improvement or intervention.
Collaborate with legal advisors when necessary to mitigate risk. Stakeholder Engagement
Build strong relationships with managers and employees to understand team dynamics and provide proactive support.
Provide coaching and support to line managers to build their confidence in handling people matters.
Collaborate with People Team colleagues to ensure consistency and alignment in HR practices. Skills Training
Support the design and delivery of training programs to upskill managers in handling people matters effectively. Absence Management
Lead on absence management processes, including short-term and long-term sickness cases.
Work with Occupational Health and line managers to support return-to-work plans and reasonable adjustments.
Track absence data to identify patterns and areas for improvement.
Advise managers on absence-related policies and procedures, including capability and welfare meetings. Flexible Working & Family Leave
Provide guidance to employees and managers on flexible working requests, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and internal policies.
Support the implementation of flexible working arrangements, including remote, hybrid, and part-time working.
Advise on family leave entitlements including maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, adoption leave, and carers’ leave.
Support managers and employees through the process. Recruitment
Provide hiring managers with end-to-end recruitment support as required. Project Involvement
Contributing to HR initiatives such as policy reviews and organisation restructuring.
About The Candidate
Key to the success of this role will be your ability to work independently, influence managers and continually seek to improve and review the way we lead and manage our people. You must have relevant experience in Employee Relations with the ability to prioritise and manage a number of key tasks and deadlines. Experience in a similar role with excellent written and verbal communication skills, you will need to develop and maintain good working relationships with managers and directors across the business. A full driving licence, access to a car and flexibility to travel and do overnight stays to our regional offices is essential.
Skills & Experience
Proven experience in a HR or People Advisor role with a strong focus on employee relations.
Solid understanding of UK employment law and HR best practices.
Ability to communicate clearly, empathetically, and professionally with all levels of staff.
Coaching and influencing skills.
Ability to manage sensitive situations with discretion and professionalism.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with the ability to assess situations and provide practical, people-focused solutions.
Ability to multi-task and effectively prioritise work.
Ability to build trust and credibility with employees and managers.
Experience of delivering manager skills training.
Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in all aspects of work.
Proactive and solution focused.
Highly organized with a methodical approach to tasks.
HR systems knowledge – familiarity with HRIS platforms such as Workday. Desirable Qualifications
Degree educated in relevant discipline OR qualified by experience.
CIPD qualification Level 5 (or working towards).
Experience in a fast-paced multi-site organisation.
Construction industry experience. We recognise that a diverse team makes us a stronger and more successful company. We value different ideas and perspectives as it helps improve our decision-making, products and services. And we’re striving to create an inclusive work environment, in which everyone can feel comfortable as themselves, uniquely contribute and do their best work. If we need to adjust anything in our recruitment process to support you, please contact (url removed)
About The Company
The Cala Group is a major UK housebuilder and leading provider of desirable new homes across Scotland, the South of England & Midlands. Driven by a mission to create vibrant and sustainable new communities, our homes are characterised by exceptional design and sector-leading build quality, and we have a passion for providing our customers with a great home buying experience. This is an exciting time to be at Cala. Our approach to sustainability and technology is undergoing a dramatic transformation, and we’re aiming to create an industry-leading experience for both our staff and customers. At Cala, you can expect to be part of an environment which allows you to do meaningful work, while offering opportunities for personal growth. Our goal is to be the favoured employer in our industry and beyond. We encourage applications from those who want to be part of a culture where they can thrive, feel a sense of belonging and be comfortable being themselves at work