Senior HR Caseworker

* Location: Manchester

* Salary: £50,838 (plus a concessionary payment of £2,658)

Flexible working: this full-time role is based on site at our Manchester office. Opportunities to work from home will be very limited in this role, with a maximum potential of up to 20% of time working from home, but this cannot be guaranteed and will be determined by business requirements. We are happy to consider part time & compressed hours working requests.

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

As a Senior HR Caseworker at GCHQ, you'll be at the heart of an exciting new advisory service. You’ll use your expertise to shape how we tackle people challenges across the organisation. This is a unique role, full of variety.

On the advisory side, you'll run our HR Casework Advisory, supporting colleagues by phone and email and helping managers navigate situations such as performance reviews, absence monitoring and misconduct issues. In every conversation, you’ll focus on finding fair outcomes before issues escalate, making sure your advice is always current, compliant and aligned with policy and best practice.

Your work will also help shape the future of our service. Through regular horizon scanning, you’ll keep the team informed of new or changing legislation, case law and emerging employment trends. Along with ensuring casework and guidance are clearly documented, you’ll also review sanctions and assessments, and spot opportunities to strengthen our way of doing things.

On the investigatory side, you'll lead case investigations and dispute resolutions, work with or Employment Legal Advisors to support employment tribunal preparations, and keep accurate, up-to-date records. You’ll mentor junior caseworkers, helping them build confidence and develop their skills. In all your work, you’ll make sure everything we do meets policy, legal, and compliance standards.

To apply, you’ll need a Level 5 CIPD qualification and proven experience in HR advisory and case management, with a strong knowledge of employee relations, employment law and HR best practice. You’ll value integrity, discretion, and professionalism, and you'll be organised and confident when managing competing priorities. Your communication, skills, both written and verbal, will allow you to provide advice that is thoughtful, clear and supportive.

As this is a new service, you’ll need to be comfortable working flexibly and adapting to change. You'll also have some line management responsibilities, but as prior experience isn’t required, you’ll be supported and trained to lead your team confidently.

From the day you join us, you’ll be paired with a buddy to help you settle into your role, and your team will be there to offer ongoing guidance throughout. You’ll also have access to a wide range of internal communities, support networks, and mentors to help you navigate your journey. In line with our commitment to nurturing talent and developing future leaders, we’ll support you in gaining the professional qualifications you need to grow and progress in your career.

At GCHQ diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website.

To find out more and apply, please visit our website.

To be eligible to apply, you must be a British Citizen. If you hold dual nationality, of which one component is British, you will nonetheless be considered. Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for seven out of the last ten years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. You can apply at the age of 17 years, if successful you will not be offered a start date prior to your 18th birthday. Full eligibility details can be found on our website