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People Operations Advisor

Buckinghamshire New University -
High Wycombe

Job details

Permanent
£29,588 - £33,002 a year

Benefits

On-site gym
Company pension
Discounted gym membership
Employee discount

Qualifications

Microsoft Word
GCSE
Microsoft Office
Numeracy
Human resources
Communication skills

Full job description

Location

High Wycombe

Contract Type

Permanent

Salary Range

£29,588 - £33,002

Hours per week

Closing Date

24/07/2026

Ref No

2048

People Operations Advisor

Full Time (37 hrs per week) – Permanent – High Wycombe

Salary - £29,588

We’re not trying to fit in with the higher education status quo. We’re challenging it. We’re doing things differently – because our students, our staff, and our world need us to.

So this is an exciting moment to join us. We’re boldly reimagining what a university can be: a place rooted in social mobility, a community where difference is celebrated, and an institution that empowers people to become more than they thought possible.

You will be a member of the People Operations Team within the overall people function. You will play a key role in delivering an effective, responsive HR service to the University. You’ll be a trusted adviser to managers and colleagues, offering clear guidance on HR policies, terms and conditions, and all aspects of the employee lifecycle.

You will practice an inclusive approach and support building an inclusive university community where people can be themselves.

What we offer:

a generous holiday entitlement (30 days per annum, plus bank holidays & closure days)
Hybrid working (dependent on business needs)
training & development support opportunities
contributory pension scheme
free gym membership for our on-site gym
a range of staff discounts with major retailers.

Please click here to see our wide range of benefits available for employees.
Please click here for our behavioural based interview question bank.
Please click here to view our employee handbook.

If you have the qualities and attributes representative of the University’s values and ambition, we would be delighted to hear from you.

For further information about this role please contact [email protected]

All applications are to be made in full and online. If you’re considering using AI to support your application, we encourage you to question the value it adds. The use of AI tools sometimes erodes authenticity and prevents us from being able to assess the real you. We strongly recommend you prepare your application using your own skills and knowledge and that AI is only used for the purpose of review

We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace and aim to continue building an environment where everyone thrives and can be themselves.

Please let us know if you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process. We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that would enable you to perform to the best of your abilities in your role. Please reach out to the People team at [email protected] if you have any specific needs or if you would like more information on how we can support you.

We ensure that our interview/shortlisting Chairs complete the relevant e-learning and/or inclusive recruitment training.

Closing Date: 24 July 2026

Interview Date: w/c 3 August 2026

If you are invited to interview for this role, you will need to provide evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK and if on a Visa, current visa and status. Due to the salary for this post, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship to the successful candidate.

BNU is a Disability Confident employer and as such you will be given the opportunity to declare a disability as part of the application process.

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: People Operations Advisor

Faculty/Directorate: People

Grade: E

Location: High Wycombe

Hours: 37

Responsible to: Head of People Operations

Job Purpose:

To support the People Operations team in delivering an effective and efficient HR service to the University and its designated business areas. This includes providing managers and staff with advice and guidance on a wide range of HR matters across the employee lifecycle, such as terms and conditions of employment and the appropriate application of HR policies and procedures.

Main duties & responsibilities of the role:

Act as first point of contact for the People Business Partner dealing with personal, telephone and written enquiries from employees and customers, both internal and external to the University.
Be responsible for the administration of all employee changes, including changes of hours, upgrades, promotions, and temporary allowances, ensuring that the HR system is updated accordingly, and payroll are informed promptly.
Ensure transactional HR processes are carried out in a timely manner (including overseeing probation checks, absence reviews, pension administration, visa expiry dates and ending fixed term contracts), ensuring that the HR system is updated accordingly, and payroll are informed.
Ensure the data as a result of changes, leavers and new starters is kept up-to-date and accurate on Business Connect and exit interviews are carried out for off-boarding employees.
Monitor and action regular reports from Business Connect (HR System) as appropriate, such as monthly sickness absence reports, duration of fixed-term contract and probation reports.
Support, advise, and guide managers on all aspects of resourcing (including advertising, shortlisting, arranging interviews, participating in interviews, making offers and onboarding) for both permanent and temporary employees, and to ensure that all recruitment matters are handled effectively and efficiently.
Undertake and lead on the necessary processes for the appointment of new starters, including obtaining pre-employment checks or other clearances (e.g. DBS checks), issuing contracts and other related documentation.
Be proactive and monitor sickness absence for all employees, keeping the People Business Partner informed of absence problems and providing appropriate administrative support for ill-health referrals, liaising with the University Occupational Health provider as appropriate.
Manage maternity, paternity and parental leave cases, employee queries, issuing letters and supporting line managers and employees.
Assist in the handling of employee grievance and disciplinary cases and other case work as required.
Organise, service and act as a note-taker where required in employee meetings and make the necessary arrangements for room bookings.
With guidance, manage any ER case work that is allocated.
Provide support for and take the lead on some HR projects when required.
Maintain and audit employee files and records in electronic and paper format.
Support the people aspects of change programmes across the University.
Participate in the development of the University’s HR service, to undertake continuous personal and professional development of the University’s HR service and to undertake continuous improvement.
Ensure the HR/Recruitment trackers are maintained and kept up to date.
Administration of HR related suppliers in Business Connect, including raising of purchase orders and invoice management.
Run basic pre-prepared reports from Business, Connect and produce statistics when requested by the People Business Partners.
Maintain knowledge of current employment legislation to ensure the process is robust, consistent and in line with current legislation.
Provide support and cover to other People Operations Advisors.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to partner and raise the profile of the People team, meeting regularly with managers.
Volunteer to support the Colleges and PSE areas in direct student activities such as graduation and enrolment duties where possible.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

A = Application T = Test I = Interview

Good general education to GCSE standard

CIPD qualified or working towards/Experience in the field also considered

Knowledge & Experience

Experience of working in an HR environment

A/I

Experience of working with an electronic HR system

A/I

Familiarity with office procedures and systems

A/I

Skills

Excellent Written & Verbal Communication skills

T/I

MS Office, Word and Excel

A/T

Good level of numeracy

Prioritisation of workload and managing deadlines effectively

Delivering excellent service

Providing the best quality service to external and internal customers/students/stakeholders. Building genuine
and open long-term relationships in order to drive up customer service standards.

Finding solutions

Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and to develop workable solutions.
Identifying opportunities for innovation.

Achieving results

Consistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria. Taking personal responsibility for getting things

People Operations Advisor

Job Description

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