People and Policy Partner

The IOP exists to help physics and the physics community deliver on their potential for our lives, our society, our planet.

Together with our members and leaders from the world of physics and beyond, we have identified three priorities of Skills, Science and Society which must shape our work over the next five years if we are to achieve our mission.

We are very proud of our new innovative strategy, our priorities and our principles.

Here at the IOP we are looking for a People & Policy Partner (Maternity Cover) until mid-November 2026 to support us in our mission.

What is it like working at the IOP?

The IOP is a friendly and ambitious organisation. Inclusion and diversity are central to our work and we have a work anywhere in the UK policy to make working at the IOP as flexible as possible. This is complemented with competitive salaries, professional development opportunities and generous benefits.

Our comprehensive benefits package including:

• An excellent pension scheme - (up to 12% company contribution)
• Private medical insurance, life assurance, dental insurance, health care cash plan (via salary sacrifice) eye care vouchers, annual flu vaccinations, long service awards, employee assistance programme
• Floating bank holidays (choose when to take your bank holidays throughout the year)
• Generous annual leave (25 days starting as a standard)
• Flexible working

The Role

The role is ideal for someone with strong ER and policy writing experience and good knowledge and understanding of UK employment legislation, key HR legislation and HR systems to appropriately advise and lead on ER cases. Ideally you would need to be CIPD part qualified or studying towards a qualification.

We are looking for an organised, resilient and dependable individual who has proven ability to work within a small team, as well as under their own initiative, and who can communicate effectively across the organisation both in written and oral form.

Strong interpersonal skills with ability to listen, discuss, negotiate and provide advice on difficult, complex or sensitive issues is essential.

What will I be doing?

• First point of contact on IOP s ER issues and responses, replying to queries in a timely manner
• Taking the lead on IOP HR policies, assessing and updating them on an ongoing basis in line with employment law changes
• Soley managing employee relations activities, ensuring that outcomes are proportionate, reasonable, timely and in line with legislation and the Institute s policies
• Guiding, advising and assisting management and senior management through employee relations processes
• Providing people management advice and support to line managers, to enable them to fully undertake their people management role and ensure they are fully aware of the risks / implications associated with their decisions

Who will I work with?

• Internally, the role works across all departments as well as IOP Publishing HR and Finance
• Externally, the role works with employment lawyers, occupational health providers and EDI professionals

Ideally, your skills include:

Essential Criteria

• A sound knowledge of employment legislation and its application
• Strong sense of professional boundaries and the importance of confidentiality
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to listen, discuss, negotiate and provide advice on difficult, complex or sensitive issues
• Experience working in a busy and varied role in a fast-paced environment, autonomously
• Strong working knowledge of employment law and HR best practice
• Absolute attention to detail
• HR qualification

Desirable

• Level 5 CIPD qualification (or working towards it)
• Experience using HR systems, ideally iTrent (Electric Theme)

Application

Alongside your CV, please ensure you include a brief cover letter stating how you meet the person specification.

Why should I want to work for the IOP?

The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland - we seek to raise public awareness and understanding of physics and support the development of a diverse and inclusive physics community. As a charity, we re here to ensure that physics delivers on its exceptional potential to benefit society.

Should you require any reasonable adjustments to support you in your application and / or throughout the recruitment process please do not hesitate to reach out to us for support.

The Institute of Physics is an open and inclusive organisation that welcomes and celebrates diversity.

To apply for this role please click the link below, best of luck with your applications!