26.126 HEO People Advisor- Fixed Term Appointment

About the Department:

DBS was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 on 1 December 2012, operating from two sites, Liverpool and Darlington. We operate on behalf of government delivering Disclosure functions in England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, and Barring functions for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We operate in the complex world of safeguarding alongside our multi agency partners. Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.

We provide a service that enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make better informed, safer recruitment and other decisions. We do this by providing information to enable them to determine whether individuals are unsuitable or unable to undertake certain work, particularly with occupations involving regular contact with vulnerable groups, including children.

DBS is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office.

DBS has a number of strategic Priorities:

1. Provide high quality, reliable, consistent, timely and accessible services for our customers.

2. Embrace technology to drive improvements to the quality of our work.

3. Develop a talented and diverse workforce that understands how their contributions help to achieve our objectives.

4. Build a flexible, vibrant and contemporary workplace where our staff will be able to do their jobs using modern ways of working that are smart and which promote OneDBS.

5. Raise awareness of the DBS and the services we offer, keeping people informed through our communications, to increase public understanding and confidence in our organisation.

6. Be a respected and trusted organisation, working with our partners to play an influential role in the environment in which we operate.

Further information about the Disclosure & Barring Service can be found via - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about

Job Purpose:

To support the HR Services Team to ensure that we deliver an effective HR service.

Corporate Duties:

• To provide advice and guidance to managers using working knowledge of DBS policies, Employment Law, and best practice.
• Provide advice, guidance, support and coaching to Managers in the effective use of all HR policies and procedures; supporting on all ER matters including but not limited to investigation, disciplinary, grievance, short and long-term absence, whistleblowing, family friendly policies recruitment and workforce planning.
• In line with the team’s operating model follow up on ER issues to ensure that advice is being acted on and followed through to conclusion, provide specific case management.
• Support managers in performance management processes by advising on appropriate tools and techniques (e.g., appraisals, performance reviews)
• Ensure HR and Employment Law knowledge is up to date and advice is given is in line with law and best practice.
• Prepare all ER letters in conjunction with Managers ensuring legal requirements are met.
• Act as a HR Support in Employee Relation cases when required.
• Supporting the Senior HR Advisor with various HR matters including various capability investigations, including grievance and disciplinary
• Provide support to the HR Services team including Resourcing and Onboarding, for example supporting at assessment centres.
• Provide support with HR Computer System (Metis) development and support for wider business, LTER, also monitoring key MI in recruitment metrics, such as turnover and retention rates, absence. Collate and analyse management information identifying trends to support HR colleagues and the business to make any improvements
• Work with DBS Academy identifying criteria for training and development, providing training interventions and building capability, delivering coaching where appropriate
• Work with OD in developing talent, wellbeing and engagement through DBS Excellence
• Liaising with Trade Union and key stakeholders in relation to HR matters.
• Supporting HRBP’s in working with operational management teams to identify opportunities/ areas of improvement to support improved organisational and people performance in line with business needs.
• Assist the People & Inclusion Directorate and wider business, to promote and raise awareness of equality and diversity issues and to meet our legal responsibilities in the workplace and wider society.
• Contribute to the development, delivery and on-going evaluation of DBS’s people management policies and procedures.
• Responsible for the day to day management, monitoring and updating of casework for the business.
• Identify areas for improvement, put forward potential solutions and options to meet these and work with the business to plan and deliver improvements.
• Ability to work flexibly to be able to provide HR support for Evening shift as and when required.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of the recruitment process the Disclosure & Barring Service will conduct a behaviour based sift exercise and interview process.

To apply for this role, please provide a CV along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words, outlining how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role, including all essential and desirable criteria.

For all candidates who are successful at the initial sifting stage, you will be invited to interview. The interview will consist of an in person panel-based interview.

The aim of the panel interview will be to assess your ability to demonstrate the following behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

As part of the interview you will be expected to complete a short case study exercise assessing 'Managing a Quality Service', followed by a panel based interview. The case study will be provided to the selected candidates before the interview.

Interviews will take place on site in Liverpool.

The following timetable outlines indicative dates. Please note, these dates may be subject to change without prior notice.

Closing date: 28th September 2026 at 10am

The initial candidate sift is due to take place from 28th September.

Interviews are due to take place week commencing 19th October.

Whilst we will endeavour to provide some flexibility with regards to dates wherever possible, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer an alternative date once an appointment has been scheduled.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.