Job Introduction
HR Advisor
Be the trusted voice behind great people decisions.
Salary: £37,000–£40,000 per annum, depending on experience
Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday
Location: Head Office & Training Academy, Newport Pagnell
Working pattern: Hybrid – currently up to 2 days per week working from home
Travel: Occasional travel to our nursery locations across England
Great people deserve great HR support. That's where you come in.
Are you an experienced HR Advisor who loves getting to the heart of a challenge, building trusted relationships and helping managers make confident, fair decisions?
Do you thrive in a role where no two days are the same, where your advice genuinely matters and where you can see the positive impact of your work?
If so, we'd love to meet you.
At Childbase Partnership, we believe that when our people feel supported, valued and empowered, extraordinary things happen.
We're looking for a confident, approachable and solutions-focused HR Advisor to join our friendly People Team, supporting managers and colleagues across our nursery settings.
This isn't just about policies, processes and paperwork. It's about people. It's about listening, understanding, finding solutions and helping our teams be the very best they can be.
And because we're 100% employee-owned, you'll be more than an employee. You'll be a partner in our business, with a voice in our future and a share in our success.
Why you'll love being part of Childbase Partnership
We believe that looking after our people is just as important as the work they do. That's why we offer benefits that make a real difference, both inside and outside of work.
Be a partner, not just an employee: As a 100% employee-owned business, you'll have a voice in our future and the opportunity to share in our success through an annual tax-free dividend.
More time for you: Enjoy 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, with the opportunity to earn up to 20 additional paid Partnership Reward Days each year.
A better work-life balance: Hybrid working, currently offering up to two days working from home each week.
Fantastic family savings: Save up to 75% on childcare fees for your own children and enjoy 40% discounts for grandparents at our nurseries.
Keep learning and growing: Access professional development, training, online learning and apprenticeships through our Training Academy, EduBase.
Your wellbeing matters: Benefit from Mental Health First Aiders, occupational health support, flu vaccinations, eye care vouchers and a range of wellbeing initiatives.
A little extra to make you smile: Enjoy retail discounts, long-service rewards, family fun days and our cycle-to-work scheme.
A role where your advice really makes a difference
As our HR Advisor, you'll be a trusted partner to managers across an allocated group of nurseries, helping them navigate the everyday challenges and more complex situations that come with leading people.
You'll take ownership of employee relations cases, providing clear, practical and balanced advice that supports both our colleagues and our business.
One day you might be coaching a manager through a challenging employee relations matter. The next, you could be supporting an absence management case, advising on performance or helping shape a new people initiative.
You'll have the opportunity to:
Build strong, trusted relationships with nursery managers and senior leaders, becoming their go-to person for HR advice and guidance.
Manage a varied employee relations caseload, including disciplinary, grievance, absence, capability and performance matters.
Coach and empower managers to handle people challenges with confidence, consistency and compassion.
Provide practical, commercially aware advice that balances employment legislation, best practice and the needs of our people.
Support colleagues and managers throughout the employee lifecycle, helping to create positive employee experiences.
Contribute to exciting HR projects, policy development, colleague engagement and wellbeing initiatives.
Work collaboratively with a supportive People Team that shares ideas, celebrates successes and genuinely cares about making a difference.
This is a role where you'll have the autonomy to take ownership, the support of an experienced team and the opportunity to influence how we do things.
Could you be the person we're looking for?
We're looking for someone who brings a great combination of HR expertise, sound judgement and a genuine passion for people.
You'll ideally have:
Strong employee relations experience, with a proven ability to independently manage a varied caseload and advise managers through complex situations.
A solid understanding of UK employment law, with the confidence to turn legislation and policy into clear, practical advice.
A CIPD qualification or HR-related degree, supported by hands-on generalist HR experience.
Confidence and credibility, enabling you to build relationships, influence decisions and appropriately challenge stakeholders at all levels.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to handle sensitive conversations with professionalism, empathy and discretion.
Great organisational skills, allowing you to manage competing priorities in a busy, fast-paced environment.
A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to look beyond the immediate issue and identify opportunities for improvement.
Most importantly, you'll be someone who enjoys working with people, isn't afraid to have the difficult conversations and understands that great HR is about finding the right balance between supporting colleagues and achieving positive business outcomes.
Experience within early years or childcare would be welcomed, but it's not essential. What matters most is your HR expertise, your approach and your ability to build relationships that make a difference.
A little more about us
We've been delivering childcare excellence since 1989, and today our Partnership brings together 44 day nurseries, our Head Office and our Training Academy, EduBase.
Our ethos is simple: we all belong, we all matter and we all contribute.
We're proud to be 100% employee-owned, creating a culture where every colleague has a voice, where ideas are valued and where success is shared.
We're also incredibly proud to be ranked number one in the Nursery World league tables for our Ofsted outcomes, to have raised more than £3.5 million for charity and to be continuing our journey towards a greener, more sustainable future.
But what makes us truly special is our people.
We believe in careers, not jobs, and in creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and succeed.
Ready to make your next career move count?
If you're an experienced HR professional looking for more than just another advisory role, this could be the opportunity you've been waiting for.
Come and bring your knowledge, ideas and personality to a business where your contribution matters, your voice is heard and your work makes a genuine difference.
Join Childbase Partnership. Be valued. Be heard. Be part of something extraordinary.