People Advisor

Job Description

Working at the RFU means being part of the ‘bigger picture’ at England Rugby: to be rooted in our purpose, which is to enrich lives, introduce more people to rugby union & develop the sport for future generations. If our purpose resonates with you, and you recognise the value that sport can bring to people’s lives, we’d love to work with you. An opportunity has arisen for a People Advisor to join our People team on a permanent basis.

Job Title : People Advisor
Department : People
Reports to : People Partner
Salary Banding : c.£43,000 per annum
Job Level : Implement
Location : This role is contractually based at Allianz Stadium, offering some flexibility to work from home
Employment Type : Permanent
Working Hours : This is a full-time role, covering 35hrs per week

Application Information:

• Please submit an anonymised CV (i.e. remove personal details). You do not need to submit a cover letter
• Vacancy closing date:Friday 2th March at 5pm
• Interviews will take place week commencing 30th March

The Role:

The People Advisor provides the operational and strategic support that keeps the RFU performing at its best. Working closely with the People Partner, you will be a key point of contact for colleagues within your designated business area, promoting a culture of high performance and great leadership. From managing day-to-day people activity to delivering change programmes and cross-business projects, you will draw on your experience to help shape the future of our People Plan—a vital part of the RFU’s overall strategy.

The Team:

Our People Team of 13 spans Operations, Internal Comms & Culture, Recruitment, Reward, and Payroll. Together we are responsible for building a seamless and supportive journey for every RFU colleague, helping us create high-performing and winning teams both on and off the pitch!

As a team, our culture is fast-paced and deeply collaborative – we’re a group that leans in, shares ideas, and ensures every voice is heard. We do this by living our RFU values every day: we Put The Team First to stay connected, Shape The Future by always looking for better ways to work, and Respect Each Other in every interaction.

Some key responsibilities include:

Operational Excellence & Lifecycle

• Manage the Employee Journey: Oversee the full lifecycle, from preparing offer letters and contracts with meticulous attention to detail, to leading the ‘first day’ People induction and conducting insightful exit interviews.
• Recruitment Support: Partner closely with our Recruitment & Operations Advisor, providing expert support to the business in their absence of during busy periods. You’ll use your sharp eye for detail to review offer information and job descriptions for accuracy, navigate Oracle Cloud, help evaluate job levels, and join the interview process when required.
• Compliance: Manage pre-employment screening (DBS/Right to Work) and ensure all records are maintained in line with GDPR and UKBA guidelines.
• Project Delivery: Lead or contribute to cross-organisational People projects, staying ahead of best practices and employment law to keep our policies relevant.

Guidance & Coaching

• Coach and Support Managers: Enable them to handle a range of people scenarios (from performance to conduct) in line with RFU policies and our core values.
• Expert Guidance: With support from the People Partner, act as the lead contact for employee relations, including grievances, disciplinaries, and liaison with external legal advisers when needed.
• Drive Performance: Support leaders in creating the right conditions for high performance, embedding our PDR process to encourage regular goal setting, reviews and meaningful feedback opportunities.
• Shape Initiatives: Work with specialists across the team to feed in business needs for talent tools, reward strategies, and learning and development plans.

HRIS & Data Insight (Oracle)

• System Expert: Act as a super-user for Oracle, ensuring 100% data accuracy and training others to use the system effectively.
• Collaboration: Work with Payroll, Finance, and Technology (and third-party partners like Namos) to ensure people are paid correctly and budget changes are reflected.
• Evidence-Based Decisions: Use data to provide insights that help the business make better, more informed decisions.
• Technical Support: Support system upgrades through correct testing methods to ensure smooth launch and delivery of any updates

As an RFU Employee, You Will:

• Actively collaborate with colleagues to contribute to the development and delivery of the current strategic, business and operational plans.
• Act as an ambassador for, and promote the best interests of the RFU, including the promotion of our culture and core values – This Rose Means Everyone: Put The Team First, Shape The Future, Respect Each Other.
• Undertake other duties as may be required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the post and the needs of the organisation.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience:

We welcome candidates who bring different relevant experiences to the role. To help you thrive in this role, we are looking for:

• Proven Experience: You’ve worked in a generalist HR Advisory role with a focus on employee relations, recruitment, and performance management.
• Natural Communicator: You are a clear, confident communicator who can build rapport with everyone from Community Rugby Coaches to Senior Directors.
• Technical Aptitude: You are a confident 'super-user' of HR systems (ideally Oracle Cloud) with a high bar for data integrity. You don’t just manage the system; you proactively use reporting and analytics to spot trends, drive operational improvements, and help the business make smarter, evidence-based decisions.
• Commercial & Collaborative: Confident to share your expertise and influence others to make the best decisions for their teams and the wider RFU
• Resilient & Trustworthy: You handle sensitive issues with integrity, stay calm under pressure, and thrive when given accountability.
• Value-Led: You are committed to Putting The Team First, Shaping The Future, and Respecting Each Other, and you’re passionate about building an inclusive culture.

Additional Information:

• We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. If there is anything we could do to support you through your application or to provide the best environment for your interviews, including assistance or adjustment, please reach out to recruitment.
• During your application, we will ask questions about your identity. This information is considered highly confidential and will not be seen by hiring managers. You can find out more about why we ask these questions here.

About Us

About England Rugby

Our core activities are:

• Rugby – supporting rugby from grassroots to performance level
• Commercial – building partnerships and hosting matches and events
• Running the business - ensuring our organization and people can thrive

Our Culture

What we can offer you

We are proud of the range of benefits we can provide:

• A variety of corporate discounts
• Priority access to purchase match tickets
• 25% discount in Rugby Store and EnglandRugby.com
• 25 days of annual leave
• Your birthday day off
• Free access to the stadium gym
• Life assurance of 4x your basic salary, income protection scheme and Employee Assistance Programme that offers anonymous and confidential, emotional and practical support 24/7
• Pension Scheme; the RFU will double match your individual contribution up to 10% of salary

https://www.englandrugby.com/about-rfu/rfu-policies/diversity-and-inclusion/our-approach