Senior HR Advisor

Senior HR Advisor

At Lanes Group nothing is more important than the health, safety and well-being of our people and our customers. It’s a major reason we are the UK’s largest independent specialist infrastructure delivery partner of choice with a turnover in excess of £530 million, (EBITDA £45m), with over 4,000 brilliant people and a countrywide network of operational locations. Our services cover the majority of the FTSE 100 & 250 respectfully.

Strong leadership being at our heart, supporting our people ensuring they are engaged with purpose, rewarded and recognised whilst delivering absolute exacting operational excellence being a leading entity and enviable delivery team embracing quality and compliance in our overarching delivery, one of our fundamental key differentiators. 

In this critical role of ensuring our organisation is known for being the best in everything we do, known for leaving a legacy of absolute quality and compliance and keeping our promises at all times is our absolute mantra.

Reporting to the Head of People, the Senior HR Advisor plays a critical role as a strategic partner and change agent, ensuring that HR initiatives drive business success. 

The Senior HR Advisor will play a pivotal role in supporting the Lanes Group team dedicated to the Thames Water contract. This position is both strategic and hands-on, working closely with operational leaders to deliver effective people solutions that align with contract objectives and business goals. The Senior HR Advisor will be a key driver of workforce engagement, performance, and development across a fast-paced, field-based environment. With a strong understanding of the challenges within utilities and infrastructure services, the Senior HR Advisor will ensure compliance, champion best practices, and help align a high-performance culture that supports safety, service excellence, and operational efficiency.

Position: Senior HR Advisor

Location: Customer Solutions Centre, Slough Head Office (Slough, Berkshire). Please note this role is in office only. You may be required to travel to depots on our network based in Ilford, Kidlington, Swindon, Abbey Wood, Ware, Camberley, and Colnbrook

Job Type: permanent, full-time 

Hours: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week (8:30am - 5pm)

Salary: £40,000 to £50,000 per annum, depending upon experience

Benefits: 24 days holiday (plus bank holidays); health cash plan; onsite parking; onsite restaurant; auto enrolment pension scheme; wellbeing support; friendly working environment.

About the Role:

Due to continued growth and development, we are now looking for a people-focused individual to join us in our Waste Network Division, on the Thames Water Contract, to deliver real and effective solutions to people-oriented problems. Your responsibilities will cover the following:

Strategic HR Leadership

Partner with operational managers and senior leaders to design and execute people strategies aligned with the contract’s service delivery goals.

Understand the contractual, commercial, and regulatory context to ensure HR interventions drive operational success.

Serve as a trusted advisor to contract leadership, contributing to strategic planning, workforce optimisation, and risk mitigation.

Employee Relations & Policy Compliance

Lead complex and high-risk employee relations cases, including investigations, disciplinary actions, grievances, capability, and absence management.

Ensure consistent and legally compliant application of HR policies across all contract locations.

Act as the first point of contact for operational teams on HR policy interpretation, offering pragmatic and commercially sensitive advice.

Workforce Planning & Talent Management

Collaborate with managers on workforce planning, forecasting, and succession planning to ensure critical roles are covered.

Partner with recruitment teams to attract and retain skilled talent, supporting hard-to-fill roles and local employment priorities.

Promote internal progression and coordinate development pathways for operational and supervisory staff.

Performance Management & Capability Building

Drive the performance review and appraisal processes across the contract, ensuring alignment with KPIs and service targets.

Identify training needs and partner with L&D teams to build capability in leadership, compliance, and technical excellence.

Coach managers on team development, difficult conversations, and day-to-day people management.

Change & Transformation

Support or lead HR workstreams during organisational change projects, including TUPE transfers, restructures, and redundancy processes.

Ensure all change initiatives are supported by clear communication, documentation, and support frameworks.

Champion change management best practices and cultural alignment during contract mobilisation or evolution.

Employee Engagement & Culture

Design and deliver engagement initiatives aligned with the operational reality of the Thames Water contract.

Act as a culture champion, ensuring contract-wide values and behaviours are upheld and integrated into HR processes.

Conduct pulse surveys, focus groups, and exit interviews to identify areas for improvement and action planning.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Promote inclusive hiring, development, and progression practices across field and office-based staff.

Ensure compliance with equality legislation and support managers in ensuring a respectful and inclusive workplace.

Collaborate with central HR to drive wider DEI goals across the business and contract.

HR Data, Analytics & Reporting

Leverage people data, dashboards, and workforce metrics to drive evidence-based decisions.

Monitor trends in absenteeism, attrition, performance, and engagement; make proactive recommendations to leaders.

Prepare regular and ad-hoc HR reports for internal stakeholders and client reviews as required.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

Work closely with wider support functions (Payroll, L&D, Recruitment, Occupational Health, Legal) to ensure cohesive HR delivery.

Partner with employee representatives or unions (if applicable) to maintain productive working relationships.

Represent HR at contract governance meetings, audits, and reviews with Thames Water stakeholders where required.

Be aware of all Lanes Group policies and your responsibilities towards them

Any other reasonable ad-hoc duties, tasks or projects as requested by management

So if you enjoy working in a dynamic team, providing expert advice and support across the business, where no two days are the same and want to join a growing company that values your expertise - while also investing in your professional development and career progression - then we are the right Company for you.

What is essential is the ability to work proactively and professionally, quickly assessing HR issues and delivering practical and efficient solutions to support both employees and managers, ensuring a positive and productive workplace.

About You:

The ideal candidate will:

Have a minimum of 2 years HR Advisor experience

Be able to explore, and effectively mitigate risks with the confidence to identify when escalation to the Lead HRBP & Group HR Director may be required

Have experience in delivering on HR Projects and working to tight deadlines

Have great interpersonal skills to create relationships within the People team, with all People Managers across the contract and the wider Lanes Group network

Have the ability to deal with people at different levels

Have excellent knowledge of both Microsoft 365

Have solid communication skills (both written and verbal)

Be resourceful and proactive

Be able to multi-task, prioritise, work under pressure and on own initiative

Be CIPD accredited (not essential but advantageous)

Ideally be experienced working in a fast paced environment

Preferably have strong influencing skills and a passion for embedding our core values

Your Contribution to the Company:

Strive to be always positive and constructive

Adhere to all company policies

Straight talking about the facts of the situation – open discussions are the best way to find solutions

Help others through communicating clearly

Deliver on commitments

Ensure that any ideas that may enhance the productivity or systems of the company are brought to the attention of Senior Management, or your colleagues

Deliver our Company Values understanding that by working together in unity we are ‘Stronger Together’

At Lanes Group, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered. We believe that our differences make us stronger and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. Join us in our commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse world. 

Lanes Group are a signatory of the ‘Charter for Employer Positive About Mental Health’ run by Mindful Employer.