Senior People Relations Specialist - 12 month fixed term contract

Baillie Gifford; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services firm in Edinburgh seeks a Senior People Relations Specialist for a 12-month contract. The role involves managing complex employee relations issues and providing advice while ensuring compliance with employment laws. Candidates should possess strong HR skills, adaptability, and be digitally fluent. The firm emphasizes a supportive culture and offers ongoing training opportunities. This role is open to full-time or part-time arrangements.

Benefits

Ongoing training and development

Inclusive culture

Wellbeing support

Qualifications

• A strong technical HR specialist with deep employment law knowledge.
• Financial services experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of complex People Relations cases.
• Provide expert advice for escalated policy queries.
• Contribute to data-driven reporting to improve outcomes.

Skills

Adaptability

Digital effectiveness

Storytelling

Openness and discernment

Job description

Senior People Relations Specialist - 12 month fixed term contract page is loaded## Senior People Relations Specialist - 12 month fixed term contractlocations: Edinburghposted on: Posted 4 Days Agojob requisition id: R0004392## Job TitleSenior People Relations Specialist - 12 month fixed term contract## DepartmentHuman Resources-BG-UK## Overview of DepartmentThe people team develops the capabilities, culture and experiences that create a human and commercial edge for Baillie Gifford. We exist to make the firm the world’s most distinctive place to grow a career, investing in our people with the same long-term conviction as our portfolios and continually reimagining how work is done to outpace the industry. The team supports the full people lifecycle, including people operations, people partnering, leadership, learning and capability development, attraction and resourcing, organisational culture, reward, wellbeing and the end-to-end people experience. Through this work, we ensure that people and performance are deeply connected and that our colleagues are equipped to deliver long-term value for clients.## Purpose of RoleOur Senior People Relations Specialist is responsible for managing and resolving complex employee relations issues. The role involves delivering clear, human-centred and technology-enabled advice, ensuring compliance with employment laws and People policies. The role helps us to build trust with colleagues, ensure fair outcomes, compliance, and policy clarity. The role is envisaged to be a full time position, although we are happy to consider the role on a part-time or job-share basis.## Responsibilities* Manage a portfolio of complex People Relations cases, providing seamless human-centred and commercially sound advice.* Expert adviser for escalated policy queries from managers and colleagues, balancing colleague and manager experience with the firm’s risk appetite.* Identify opportunities to simplify policies and processes so it is easy for colleagues and people managers to do the right thing.* Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, and accountability within the People Team.* Contribute to data-driven reporting and identification of themes to improve case management outcomes and influence our People Relations approach.* Support the People Relations Manager with all People Relations processes including conflict resolution, litigation and business change.**What success looks like:****1. Clear, human people experiences**Delivers simple, supportive services on all complex case matters.Success looks like:* Clear and consistent processes* High trust and satisfaction from colleagues and people managers* Contributes to service culture grounded in empathy, clarity, and follow-through**2. Trusted advice**Advice is grounded in strong technical knowledge with risk well understood, well managed, and proportionateSuccess looks like:* Strong relationships across the People team to ensure a streamlined and efficient service for colleagues and the firm* Confident and proactive management of people risk with robust systems and controls across people processes* Fair and timely resolution of complex people matters**3. Trusted people data and insight**People Relations data is accurate, timely, and used to support sound decisions.Success looks like:* Clear and practical data* High confidence in data quality and integrity* Insight that informs policy improvements and proactive advice to leaders**Your knowledge and experience:*** A strong technical HR specialist with deep employment law knowledge.* Financial services experience is preferred**The type of candidate that we’re looking for:**You’ll be colleague-focused with a genuine interest in creating a great people experience across the organisation. You’ll be able to distil complex facts into clear, simple and commercial recommendations that align with our legal obligations and our shared beliefs. Comfortable working with ambiguity, you’ll be adept at managing multiple, and often competing, priorities at the same time, supported by excellent organisational skills. You’ll be skilled at building strong, trusted relationships at all levels and confident in constructively challenging stakeholders when needed, while also demonstrating the ability to listen, reflect and bring people with you. You’ll be digitally fluent and curious, excited by the potential of using data to help develop our People Relations offering in line with our strategy and priorities, and open to testing new and innovative approaches.**Critical skills:*** Adaptability* Digital effectiveness (including AI)* Storytelling* Openness and discernment## Closing DateJanuary 21, 2026*At Baillie Gifford we are committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful culture in which each of our colleagues can thrive and develop. We believe that our clients are best served by a diverse workforce with the experiences, ideas and perspectives that this brings.*If you are currently working at Baillie Gifford as an employee or contractor please apply to this job from the firm's Workday internal career site.Baillie Gifford is an independent, private partnership, which allows us to focus entirely on our clients and their investments. It helps our stability, motivation and culture and enables us to take a long-term view on all that we do, including staff development, client relationships and investing.And just like with our investments, we’re good at spotting potential in our employees. Join us and we’ll actively support you to explore the possibilities of your career and interests. We’ll give you on-going training and development, all to ensure you have valuable opportunities to grow your unique talents and pursue your goals. We’re also incredibly committed to the wellbeing of our employees.This is just a taste of our culture. One that was created by the partners who own and will work with you every day in the firm. People who are always on hand to hear your ideas and suggestions of how to make Baillie Gifford an even better place to be.So, if this sounds like somewhere you could realise your full potential, then our next investment could be you.If you have any questions or issues regarding your application, please contact us at [e-mail] more detail on careers at Baillie Gifford visit our careers site at:This page hosts our regular vacancies - to view our graduate and internship vacancies follow this