Employee Relations Advisor

Apricot Inc; City of London, Biggleswade; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A vibrant retail company is seeking an Employee Relations Advisor for a dual-site role in London and Biggleswade. The advisor will manage first-line employee relations queries, support HR systems administration, and contribute to policy development. Ideal candidates should have solid HR experience and strong relationship-building skills. This full-time position offers excellent benefits, including free on-site parking and staff discounts. Join us in making a difference at the heart of our customer journey!

Benefits

Free On-site parking at Biggleswade Warehouse

Free snacks and fruit

Staff discount

Qualifications

• Proven experience in HR, preferably within retail environments.
• Experience in performance management and employee relations.
• Strong listening skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee relations queries.
• Support effective onboarding and offboarding processes.
• Ensure accurate HR data and support in policy development.

Skills

Solid HR experience within retail

Strong influencing and relationship-building skills

Intermediate + user of MS Office

Excellent at managing time

Education

CIPD qualified (or working towards it)

Job description

JOB TITLE:Employee Relations Advisor

LOCATION: Dual Site Role Based atHead Office, Moorgate, London & Biggleswade Warehouse

CONTRACT: Permanent, Full-Time

HOURS: 35 hours over 5 days per week

SHIFT PATTERN: Monday - Friday

SALARY : Starting at £30,000 per annum

JOB OVERVIEW

Based between our warehouse in central Bedfordshire and our London head office, our Employee Relations Advisor will be the go-to person for first-line ER queries from our warehouse and retail teams. You’ll thrive in being hands‑on and will play an important role in supporting our people, while also helping to manage the day‑to‑day administration of our HR systems (HRIS) and assisting the HR Partner and Head of HR with policy development and updates.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys being part of a small, close‑knit HR team, working in a business with a flat structure where every voice counts. We’re looking for someone who can get to know the business quickly, build strong relationships, and contribute to existing working practices.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Warehouse

• Trusted first point of contact for managers and staff on all employee relations (ER) matters – offering clear, practical advice and escalating to the HR Partner or Head of HR when needed.
• Support the management team with people‑related admin and help ensure a smooth onboarding and offboarding experience for warehouse team members.
• Coach and guide managers through formal processes such as investigations, disciplinaries, grievances, and flexible working requests – making sure everything’s handled fairly and in line with legislative and procedural requirements.
• Get involved in recruitment: posting vacancies through our ATS, liaising with agencies, and supporting hiring managers along the way.
• Stay connected with the team through an open‑door approach and regular check‑ins – spotting potential ER issues early and helping prevent escalation.
• Support the management team to monitor performance and address any concerns both during and after the probation period
• Build strong, trusted relationships across the warehouse – through timely responses, open conversations, and transparent processes.
• Become our in‑house expert on the Time & Attendance system, ensuring accurate payroll reporting and finding ways to get the most out of the software.
• Act as the first point of contact for payroll queries, escalating when needed.

Use data to spot trends in sickness or turnover and make recommendations to the Warehouse Manager, HR Partner, and Head of HR on how to reduce persistent short‑term sickness or improve unwanted turnover.

Retail

• As part of the wider HR team, act as a point of contact for day‑to‑day queries (for example, AWOL, performance/ capability discussions, posting job adverts. Escalate to the HR Partner/ Head of HR when necessary
• Administrative support for new starters, contract variations and leavers
• Provide notetaking support for formal meetings (in‑person or virtually, dependant on location)

General

• Manage the shared HR inbox – responding to queries where possible and redirecting where needed.
• Keep employee data accurate and up to date in the HRIS.
• Support the ongoing development of HRIS capability to automate admin processes, reducing workload for the HR team and line managers
• Support the HR Partner with responses to ONS surveys
• Manage reference requests for all new starters in the warehouse and retail stores
• Support the HR partner and Head of HR with ongoing projects and policy development

Please note: this list isn’t exhaustive — we’re a hands‑on team, and sometimes you’ll need to pitch in on other areas to help keep things running smoothly!

SKILLS & KNOW-HOW

• Solid HR experience within retail (warehouse experience is a bonus, but not essential).
• Background in an owner‑led business would be ideal.
• Able to balance the ideal with the realistic — understanding when to make a sensible, pragmatic call.
• Confident making commercial decisions and understands when a calculated risk is the best outcome for the business
• CIPD qualified (or working towards it) is great, but hands‑on experience counts just as much.
• Strong influencing and relationship‑building skills — you know how to challenge constructively and earn respect.
• Great listener, well‑organised, and excellent at managing your time.
• Intermediate + user of MS Office (Outlook, Word & Excel)
• Highly numerate
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a keen eye for detail.
• Understands the status quo and when it is appropriate to challenge this

BEHAVIOURS

• Passionate about the Apricot brand and the fashion industry; a true brand ambassador
• Delivers results in a timely manner
• Remains calm under pressure, even when priorities shift
• Able to self‑manage and happy to take the initiative
• Relentlessly looks to improve working processes and practices with a commercial approach
• Resilient and tenacious, remaining positive in the face of challenge or adversity
• Accountable – focussed on finding solutions, not placing blame
• Curious and resourceful and ready to learn when you don’t have all the answers Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a keen eye for detail.

Benefits

• Free On‑site parking at Biggleswade Warehouse
• Free snacks and fruit
• Staff discount

If you need any adjustments made during the recruitment and interview process do let us know. Join us and make a difference at the heart of Apricot's customer journey!

Good Luck!