Employee Relations Advisory Manager - Fixed Term Contract 8 months

HSBC Holdings plc; Genf; Hybrid; CHF 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Life assurance

Pension

Family friendly leaves

Job summary

HSBC is seeking an Employee Relations Advisory Manager on a fixed-term contract in Geneva. Hybrid work model with close collaboration across Legal, Compliance and Risk teams.

You will provide expert, impartial support on complex people matters, lead investigations, and coach managers while maintaining strict confidentiality in high-pressure situations. Fluency in French is required, and Swiss/EU work status is considered due to immigration rules.

Qualifications

• Extensive ER/HR advisory experience.
• Proven track record managing workplace investigations.
• Experience with whistleblowing, retaliation, attendance and performance issues.
• Experience coaching managers through sensitive situations.
• Strong knowledge of employment principles and legislation.
• Confidential handling of sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage end-to-end complex ER cases in Switzerland.
• Provide ER guidance to managers on performance and conduct issues.
• Lead light investigations with evidence gathering and notes.
• Advise on dismissals and sensitive exits with risk assessment.
• Collaborate with Legal, Compliance and Risk teams.
• Identify trends and risks; suggest improvements to ER processes.

Skills

Employee relations

HR advisory

Investigations

Mediation

Confidentiality

French fluency

Tools

ServiceNow

Job description

Employee Relations Advisory Manager - Fixed Term Contract 8 months

Location:

Geneva, Geneva, CH, CH 1211

Brand: HSBC

Area of Interest: Human Resources

Role Workstyle: Hybrid Worker

Date: 28 Sept 2026

The opportunity:

Being part of HSBC in Switzerland, you’ll help evolve and grow our business.

Are you interested? Do you have Employee Relations expertise? Do you enjoy being part of a cohesive team?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we want to hear from you!

What you will do:

The Employee Relations (ER) Advisor provides expert, impartial support on complex and sensitive people matters, including conduct, capability, attendance, grievances, performance concerns and workplace conflict.

The role leads robust and defensibleinvestigations by planning case strategy, assessing evidence, conducting interviews, establishing relevant facts and producing clear findings, case summaries and outcome documentation.

Acting as a trusted adviser to managers, the ER Advisor applies employment legislation, regulatory expectations and internal policies consistently, balancing fairness, employee wellbeing and organisational risk. The role works closely with Legal, Compliance, Risk and other specialist teams, uses mediation, coaching and informal resolution where appropriate, and maintains strict confidentiality while making sound judgements in high-pressure situations.

In addition, the ER Advisor identifies recurring themes and emerging risks across cases,recommending preventative actions and improving ER processes, guidance, templates and controls to strengthen manager capability and promote consistent, high-quality employee relations outcomes.

In this role you will:

• Own and manage end-to-end complex ER cases in Switzerland.
• From intake/triage through to resolution and closure, ensuring accurate documentation, appropriate evidence gathering and clear outcomes.
• Provide ER advice and coaching to managers on performance and behaviour issues, including capability/performance improvement actions, conduct management and formal processes where required.
• Lead light investigations (fact-finding, interviews, meeting notes, evidence review) and recommend next steps; elevate to Head of ERA country/Legal where scope, sensitivity or risk warrants it.
• Provide ER support for redundancies (e.g. process guidance, explanation, risk assessment, stakeholder co-ordination) in line with HSBC policy and Swiss requirements.
• Advise on and support dismissals and other sensitive exits, ensuring decisions are defensible, risks are clearly articulated and required approvals are obtained.
• Apply a risk-based approach that balances colleague experience, compliance and commercial realities; document options, rationale, risks and recommended actions within ServiceNow.
• Maintain a close working relationship with the Legal team, engaging them early on cases with higher legal/reputational exposure (e.g. dismissal risk, discrimination/harassment allegations, regulatory sensitivity, high-profile stakeholders).
• Identify recurring themes and policy/process gaps; propose improvements using insights from case trends and knowledge tools.

You should apply if you have:

• Extensive and demonstrable experience in Employee Relations (ER), HR advisory or a closely relatedfield.
• A strong track record of managing workplace investigations.
• Deep experience advising on complex or high-risk matters, including whistleblowing, retaliation,long-term absence and potential litigation.
• Considerable experience coaching managers through sensitive and challenging situations.
• Employment principles and legislation.
• Disciplinary, grievance, performance-management and absence processes.
• Equality, discrimination, harassment, bullying and reasonable-adjustment considerations.
• Data protection, confidentiality, record retention and appropriate information.
• Investigation methodology, procedural fairness and evidential standards.
• Mediation, workplace conflict and psychological safety.
• Organisational policies, delegated authorities and escalation routes.
• HR risk management, controls, audit requirements and regulatory expectations.HR systems, case-management tools and reporting platforms.
• The organisation’s values, culture and risk appetite.
• Fluency in French is required
• Due to immigration restrictions in Switzerland we will only be able to consider applications from Swiss or EU citizens or from candidates holding a valid Swiss work permit.

Even if you feel you do not meet 100% of our qualifications, we encourage you to apply, if you believe this role is right for you.

What you’ll get in return:

We offer a comprehensive and competitive package of benefits usually covering healthcare, life assurance, pension, andfamily friendly leaves,as well as many other benefits to support your wellbeing.

HSBC operates multiple variable pay plans, to reflect the diverse nature of the businesses, roles and markets in which we operate. Variable pay is designed to reward colleagues for their individual performance and contribution, as well as the performance of their relevant Business / Infrastructure, and the overall Group.

HSBC has been certified “Top Employer 2026” in Europe. This recognition from the Top Employers Institute rewards our HR practices and recognises HSBC as an HR Leader in France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Switzerland.

HSBC is a signatory company of the Advance Charter. This Charter is a commitment towards gender equality in business and hence a workplace environment that supports a fair and balanced approach to hiring, remunerating, promoting and retaining female talent.

Being open to different points of view is important for our business and the communities we serve. At HSBC, we’re dedicated to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces. We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring careers at HSBC are inclusive and accessible for everyone to be at their best.

If you have a need that requires accommodations or changes during the recruitment process, please let us know.

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