People Advisor (2 roles available)

The People Advisor will support the hub Lead People Advisor, Cluster Leads and Country Directors and SBU leads and teams through the delivery of legally and culturally compliant advice and guidance, across the broad spectrum of People function activity, to support efficient and effective business operations and an improved employee experience. Through coaching and advice, they will contribute to building the confidence of line managers to address people-related challenges and to the early resolution of workplace conflict.

The role will be key to ensuring that the People function services provided are consistent with global HR policies and processes, reflect local policy frameworks, and are high quality and efficient

Role context

The British Council Professional Services are undergoing significant transformation. For People function, this means significant change to the delivery of People function services to business leaders, line managers and employees.

The People Services and Solutions (PS&S) team exists to enable business leaders to make good decisions within policy and process frameworks and to ensure that the fundamentals of people administration are delivered efficiently and effectively for all colleagues, in partnership with the MSP.

The People Services and Solutions hubs ensure compliance with local legislation as well as meaningful interpretation of global policy to local context. The team has a key role to play in developing organisational capability in people management through advisory services and building a continuous improvement approach to delivery of operations services.

The People Advisor will work closely with country and regional leaders and managers, the managed service provider, and the wider People function team particularly the People Solutions and Employee Relations colleagues, People Business Partners, and People Experience and Insights teams., Subject expertise

• Advise and guideline managers to manage all aspects of the employee life cycle, so that the EVP is delivered and experienced within the organisation.


• Apply People function technical and professional knowledge, recognised best practice approaches and insight from previous experience to resolve non-standard issues.


• Manage and advise on discipline and conduct related issues, up to and including dismissal by reference to policy and local legislation and working with ER/case management team on medium and high-risk cases as required.


• Support resolution of workplace conflict, including grievances, taking an early resolution approach wherever possible.


• Conduct analysis using a range of standard methodologies and across multiple datasets to provide high quality and evidence-based procedural recommendations and HR advice.


• Support business execution of organisation re-structures compliant with British Council policies and legal requirements (e.g., advise and participate with business on execution of the consultation process and managing redundancies) and work with legal advisers and union bodies as necessary to support Lead Advisor.


• Use a variety of information resources and professional networks to maintain up-to-date knowledge of developments in external policy, practice, and regulation within the People function.


• Build line managers' confidence to make decisions in people-related matters.


Internal customer focus

• Consult closely with internal customers and other stakeholder to understand current and future business needs and plans work activities accordingly to ensure the services and advice provided meet those demands


Service improvement

• Provide expert HR advice informed by local labour laws and other relevant regulations, support and challenge to internal customers and other stakeholders to support the development of high quality, effective and continuously improving business practices within their area of expertise, ensuring high quality service is delivered to maximise performance and minimise risks and costs.


• Make professional recommendations to resolve specific or localised People function issues and offer ideas which contribute to the development of wider solutions to broader business challenges and problems.


• Participate as part of a team to support implementation the people component of corporate or regional change projects.
  
  There are three proficiency levels for HR skills, novice, developing and exemplary. The relevant proficiency level for this role is listed against each skill.


Data Literacy

Data-driven - Grasps & uses data to make decisions and inform practice (novice/developing).

Business Acumen

Customer understanding - Understands customer needs & applies user-centric principles (novice/developing).

People Advocacy

Risk mitigation & ethics - Ensures ethical conduct and compliance, and mitigates people risks (developing).

Execution excellence

Action orientation - Implements actionable and adaptive plans to achieve results (novice).

Interpersonal skills - Achieves shared goals using effective interpersonal skills (novice).

Role specific knowledge and experience

Minimum/essential

• Demonstrable experience in a generalist or specialist People function Advisory role across a number of countries in the (Hub); and/or a large complex country and well versed in all areas of the People function life cycle.


• Track record of building effective relationships with business leadership teams and managing a range of complex internal and external stakeholders in the delivery of high quality and effective professional People function services.


• Working knowledge of employment and labour law including working knowledge of social security and tax regulations for private sector organizations in the (Hub) and leading on employee relations cases.


Language Requirements

The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency (CEF C1) in English is required.

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021-22 we reached 650 million people., The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council's Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

Salary: Starting £30,839 per annum, depending on skills and experience, plus a £3,300 London Market Allowance (for London-based roles),
• Annual Leave: 32 days, plus public holidays


• Volunteering Leave: 3 days per year


• Pension: Career average defined benefit pension scheme