Employee Relations Lead – Projects (FTC to 31 December 2027)

Overview

In this role you lead employee relations activity for mergers, acquisitions, transfers and organisational change, ensuring compliant, colleague‑focused outcomes. You provide end‑to‑end ER case management and guidance across business segments, partnering with Legal, Compliance and HR to deliver supported M&A activity. You will plan consultation, manage risk, and drive scalable ER processes for change programmes and integration. The role combines advisory leadership with hands‑on case work in a fast‑paced, regulatorily mindful environment.

Pay / Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus a WTW day
• private healthcare
• life insurance and group income protection
• defined contribution pension with up to 10% company match
• hybrid working
• employee assistance programme

Responsibilities

• Lead ER input into mergers, acquisitions, divestments, transfers and integration activities, including due diligence and post‑transfer integration
• Plan and manage consultation (collective and individual) with clear, timely information and risk management
• Escalate and support complex, high‑risk or sensitive ER cases (discipline, grievances, absence, whistleblowing, etc.)
• Identify ER risks and trends from casework and change activity; translate into preventative actions and coaching
• Develop and embed scalable ER processes, templates, guidance, and governance for change, TUPE, redundancy and integration
• Prepare documentation for employment tribunal readiness in collaboration with Legal and business stakeholders
• Act as escalation point for regulatory breaches or governance concerns and ensure proper referrals
• Contribute to wider HR projects including policy development, organisational design and continuous improvement

Key requirements

• Significant HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations and employment law
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and ER best practices (disciplinary, grievance, performance, absence, redundancy, TUPE, collective consultation, tribunals)
• Proven track record supporting organisational change, restructures, and complex people-change activity
• Ability to lead small-scale collective consultation
• Ability to assess people-related risk in M&A and change activities balancing legal, commercial and reputational factors
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence senior leaders across HR, Legal, Compliance and business teams
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; capable of drafting case documents and communications
• Strong judgement, discretion, and resilience handling confidential or high-pressure matters
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities and timelines
• Analytical mindset using ER data and case insights to improve processes and manager capability

• Stakeholder management and influencing
• Communication clarity
• Discretion and resilience
• UK employment law knowledge
• TUPE and collective consultation
• ER case management

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