Senior Employee Relations Adviser - 12 month Fixed Term Contract

At S&W, we help our clients thrive by simplifying the complex, illuminating new paths, and shaping solutions that make a difference. As one of the UK’s top 10 fastest-growing accountancy firms, we have been a trusted partner since 1881—helping businesses and individuals meet challenges and seize opportunities across generations.

Built on expertise and driven by ambition, we provide a comprehensive range of services, including tax and accountancy, advisory and assurance, corporate finance, and restructuring. We are defined by our purpose—to help navigate challenges, unlock potential, and achieve the extraordinary.

Job Description

What will you be doing?

We're seeking a talented individual to join our London HR Advisory team on an initial 12 month fixed term contract. Working closely with the Employee Relations Manager, the HR Business Partners, and the HR Services team to provide proactive and commercial HR advice and guidance to the business to assist them in delivering their overall business strategy.

This role requires substantial experience in managing complex employee relations cases, including high-risk grievances, disciplinaries, and sensitive investigations, ensuring robust and legally sound outcomes. Providing escalation support and coaching to HR Advisers, this role is key to the team's ongoing development.

As Senior Employee Relations Adviser, your responsibilities will include among others

• Establish and develop trusted relationships across the business at a variety of levels through collaboration and gaining credibility
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of HR systems and practices
• Maintain knowledge of current case law, identify implications to our current practices and make proposals for improvement where relevant
• Provide support to the HR Business Partners to deliver change projects, e.g. restructuring, M&A activities etc.
• Lead and/or participate on certain projects e.g. policy and process reviews, SMCR, Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs), Whistleblowing etc
• Provide HR advice and guidance to specific client groups
• Take ownership of complex employee relations cases, including high-risk grievances, disciplinaries, and appeals, ensuring thorough investigation, documentation, and resolution in line with legal and policy frameworks
• Provide support on complex employee relations issues and advise on other employee relations issues including the case management of performance improvement plans, sickness absence management, grievances and disciplinaries etc, escalating as required
• Provide support on other leaves of absence such as maternity/paternity leave and changes to terms and conditions including flexible working requests etc
• Proactively support the development of our HR Advisers, sharing your knowledge and experience where beneficial
• Work closely with the Resourcing team for business recruitment needs, and Learning & Development for business training needs
• Supporting the Head of Reward and Reward team with operational reward matters including the annual pay review
• Compile and analyse HR Management Information
• Provide support to the HR Services team as required
• The role will require some travel to other offices as required.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role, you should

• Up-to-date knowledge of HR best practice, employment law and current thinking and developments in HR.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities & deliver to deadlines.
• Extensive experience in managing complex and sensitive employee relations cases, including formal investigations, hearings and appeals
• Experience of more complex case management
• Experience of coaching others for their development
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Excellent systems and analytical skills, with attention to detail.

Professional

Qualifications

• CIPD L5 or equivalent relevant professional qualification.

Additional Information

As a colleague here at S&W you will have access to benefits that include

• Competitive salary
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Pension contribution
• Hybrid working model (role dependent)
• Generous holiday package
• Option to purchase additional holiday
• Shared parental leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Eye care support

We are proud to value the differences that a diverse workforce brings, representative of society and our clients. At S&W we have a wide range of highly active employee resource groups and we’re delivering multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the organisation. It is our commitment to provide a workplace where all colleagues, regardless of identity, background, or circumstance, feel respected as individuals and feel that they can achieve their full potential and work in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.

We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments to accommodate for your needs throughout the application process. Please let your Recruiter know.