Your new company

This London-based university is a service-driven function, working closely alongside six academic schools as well as their Professional Services Directorates to understand and collaborate on their priorities, opportunities, and challenges. Operating at strategic and operational levels, within a rapidly changing political, economic, and legal context, the HR Directorate aims to provide innovative and practical solutions, thereby helping managers to achieve their aims and objectives. They are seeking an experienced Employee Relations Manager to join their team on a fixed-term basis, until July 2026.

Your new role

• Manage a small Employee Relations Team including, where appropriate, the setting of service level standards and resource planning.
• Manage a portfolio of complex employee relations cases.
• Work with the Head of Employee Relations & Policy Development on the development and implementation of protocols for the referral of cases from the HR Business Partnering and People Services Teams, and to manage the associated tracking and reporting systems.
• Manage, coordinate, and participate in employment tribunals and associated legal fora.
• Liaise with specialist legal counsel as appropriate.
• Analyse themes identified as potential concerns through these processes, and provide this insight to inform policy development and revisions, reports to relevant stakeholders, and broader HR activities.
• Analyse trends from employment case law, and legislative and regulatory development, and in liaison with the HR Policy & Projects Manager, make recommendations for policy changes, updates, or training requirements.
• Lead on the development of good practice in relation to case management, conflict resolution and mediation.
• Develop and deliver training to managers on a wide range of employee relations skills, including investigation training and training for Chairs of Hearings/Appeals.
• Take the lead on the design and implementation/delivery of a variety of support mechanisms (e.g. guides, website resources, etc.) to maximise the support available for those involved in informal and formal employee relations processes.
• Work closely with the Head of Employee Relations & Policy Development, the Head of Organisational Development, and other members of the HR Senior Team, in providing support with the implementation of change programmes that impact the University and its staff, ensuring both consistency and best practice are followed.
• Support collective trade union relations, for example, by contributing to consultation and negotiation processes with the university’s recognised trade unions.

What you'll need to succeed

• Professionally qualified – either Chartered MCIPD membership (or equivalent standing in other equivalent relevant bodies), or a broad-based business qualification, together with significant practical HR experience in a range of HR activities including experience in complex employee relations
• Significant experience and knowledge across all aspects of HR in a large, complex and unionised organisation, in particular employee relations and engagement; and case management.
• Experience of advising and guiding complex employee relations matters.
• Experience of effectively and constructively managing complex and challenging Trade Union relationships: supporting consultation and negotiation processes and dispute resolution (ACAS, ETs, Settlement Agreements etc.)
• Solid understanding and ability to practically apply UK employment law
• Experience of managing and developing a team.
• Experience that demonstrates your ability to work collaboratively as a senior member of a team, taking an active lead role on behalf of others.
• Effective interpersonal skills and personal and professional credibility to influence and have a positive impact at all levels of the organisation, and with external stakeholders.
• Knowledge of key issues in Higher Education, and how this may affect HR strategies
• Clear and engaging oral presentation skills, together with excellent writing skills with the ability to draft complex HR documents.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and progress a high volume of complex issues to successful resolution.
• An excellent understanding of GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, with the ability to deal with sensitive matters with discretion.

What you'll get in return

What you need to do now

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.

If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.