The Hills Group – Employee Relations Assistant
Location: Swindon
Salary: £19,500.00 - £20,600.00 per annum
Hours: 25 hours per week, 09:00/09:30 – 14:00/14:30
Contract: Part-time, Permanent
Join Our Team at Hills!
We are looking for an Employee Relations Assistant to join our team in Swindon. This is a part-time, permanent role, based on site in our Head Office, with a competitive salary and a fantastic benefits package.
What is the role all about?
As our Employee Relations Assistant, you’ll play a key role in delivering high-quality, proactive HR support across a range of core processes. You’ll have a strong focus on providing support for absence management, employee relations casework, occupational health referrals, organisational change requests, and wellbeing initiatives, ensuring each is handled efficiently and professionally.
What you will be doing:
As our Employee Relations Assistant, you will:
- Provide first line support to employees and managers, face to face and electronically. Ensuring queries are dealt with timely and professionally, escalating where necessary.
- Support the day-to-day administration of employee absence processes, including logging absences, monitoring attendance triggers, coordinating fit notes and return-to-work meetings, maintaining HR records, and responding to employee and manager queries.
- Deliver proactive administrative support across a wide range of employee relations matters, including absence, performance, conduct, organisations change, drug and alcohol, grievance and disciplinary processes.
- Maintain accurate, compliant general HR documentation, ensuring confidentiality and adherence to data protection standards.
- Coordinate HR processes end-to-end, including meeting logistics, documentation, tracking actions and supporting timely progression of cases.
- Manage occupational health referrals process, liaising with managers, employees and providers, and tracking outcomes to ensure effective case management.
- Administer HR processes such as contract variations, employee surveys, probation reviews and wellbeing initiatives, liaising with managers and employees throughout.
- Act as internal superuser for maintaining HR Database - SDWorx and absence platform Empactis.
- Assist the ER Lead with case management preparation, preparing investigation packs and liaising with managers and employees on case status.
- Assisting with organisational change consultation meetings, ensuring process is on track and liaising with managers with progress status.
What we are looking for:
Essential:
- Previous experience in an HR environment, with exposure to employee relations processes, specifically absence management.
- Competent and confident in the use of HR systems and data management.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks.
- High attention to detail and accuracy in handling data and documentation.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), including maintaining trackers and reports.
- Clear and professional communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Discreet and professional when handling sensitive or confidential information.
Desirable:
- CIPD Level 3 qualified or working towards.
- Experience with SDWorx system.
- Experience supporting formal meetings.
- Basic knowledge of UK employment law and HR practices.
- Working understanding of absence management and employee relations procedures.
Why join us?
As our new Employee Relations Assistant, you’ll play a key role in delivering a positive employee experience, supporting a collaborative, forward-thinking and high-performance team that values professionalism, integrity and continuous improvement. We take pride in developing our people and creating an environment where you can grow your skills while making a meaningful impact across the business.
Why you will love working here:
- Healthcare Cash Plan – dental, optical, physiotherapy, prescriptions + free 24/7 remote GP for you and your family.
- Award-Winning Online Wellbeing Hub – expert resources to support your mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.
- 24/7 Support When You Need It – confidential employee assistance programme helpline (managed by an external provider) and up to 6 free counselling sessions every year.
- Family-Friendly Benefits – enhanced maternity and paternity policies, plus life assurance for peace of mind.
- Generous Holiday Allowance – 25 days (rising to 28) with the flexibility to buy or sell days – All manageable via our employee self-service mobile app.
- Good attendance credits – earn good attendance credits which can be traded in for more holiday days.
- Cycle-to-Work Scheme – save money, stay fit, go green.
- Exclusive Discounts – big savings on shopping, dining, gyms, travel, and entertainment.
- Grow Your Career – access to ongoing training and development via our “Learning For All” platform.
- Make a Difference – up to 2 paid volunteering days each year for causes you care about.
- Refer-a-Friend Bonus – cash rewards when you successfully refer a friend.
Interviews will take place Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th July 2026 in-person at our head office in Swindon.
Ready to Apply?
If this sounds like the perfect fit, click Apply today to be our new Employee Relations Assistant – we’d love to hear from you!
We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to screen or shortlist applications; all applications are reviewed by our hiring team.
We are proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme. During the application process, you will have the option to apply under this scheme should you wish to do so.
