Senior Labour Relations Manager

MPB.com; Berlin; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20 days statutory holiday + 8 days + 2

Urban Sports Membership discount

Retirement & pension plans

BVG ticket discount (50%)

MPB Employee discount

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

MPB Learning Lab courses

Enhanced paid parental leave

Summer and winter employee events

Financial assistance scheme

Milestone Gifts €150 for baby/ wedding

Dog friendly office

Job summary

MPB, the leading global platform for used photography and videography equipment, seeks an experienced Senior Labour Relations Manager in Berlin. You will own our collective employee relations work, including the Works Council relationship and co-determination, reporting to the VP Revenue, Central.

You will negotiate Betriebsvereinbarungen, advise on German employment law, and build robust processes with the Works Council.

Qualifications

• Experience leading or playing a key role in a Works Council relationship in Germany, including negotiation and building trust over time.
• Strong working knowledge of German employment law and the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG).
• Experience negotiating and drafting Betriebsvereinbarungen.
• Sound judgment, stakeholder management skills, and the ability to balance legal risk, employee relations considerations, and business priorities while providing pragmatic and timely solutions.
• Strong relationship-building skills across Works Council members, senior leaders, HR Business Partners, and legal counsel.
• Strategic advisor with the ability to align employment law guidance with broader business strategy and organizational goals.
• Fluent in German and English — both essential for this role.
• Willing and able to travel to our UK headquarters 2-4 times a year

Responsibilities

• Manage the relationship with our Betriebsrat and lead negotiations on Betriebsvereinbarungen.
• Become our main point of expertise on co-determination and German employment law.
• Build MPB's engagement with the Works Council: templates, tracking, rhythm, and ensuring proposals are well prepared and consistent.
• Be a trusted advisor and escalation point for the Senior People Business Partner and People Advisor.
• Partner with them on complex and sensitive matters, coach on judgement calls, and lead Works Council discussions when needed.
• Support wider Berlin office projects when Works Council workload allows.
• Enjoy labour relations, including legal detail and relationship-building with the Works Council and negotiating agreements that work for both sides.

Skills

Works Council

German law

BetrVG familiarity

Drafting agreements

Stakeholder management

German & English

Travel readiness

Job description

Senior Labour Relations Manager
Location: Berlin
Department: Revenue
Position type: Full-time. Hybrid

The role

We're looking for an experienced Labour Relations Manager to own our collective employee relations work in Berlin — the Works Council relationship, co-determination, and the more complex individual cases that need real judgement. Reporting into our VP Revenue, Central, and from there into our CRO, the Senior Labour Relations Manager will be the person the business turns to on German employment law and Betriebsrat matters.

What you will be doing

You'll manage the relationship with our Betriebsrat, lead negotiations on Betriebsvereinbarungen, and become our main point of expertise on co-determination. Just as importantly, you'll build the way MPB engages with the Works Council in the first place — the templates, the tracking, the rhythm — so every proposal that reaches them is well prepared and consistent, not reactive.

You'll be a trusted advisor and escalation point for our Senior People Business Partner and People Advisor, who own day-to-day ER casework with their client groups. You'll partner with them on the complex and sensitive matters, coach them on judgement calls, and lead discussions with the Works Council yourself when it counts. You’ll support wider Berlin office projects when Works Council workload allows.

This suits someone who genuinely enjoys labour relations: the legal detail, the relationship-building with the Works Council, and negotiating agreements that work for both sides.

What we are looking for

• Experience leading or playing a key role in a Works Council relationship in Germany, including negotiation and building trust over time
• Strong working knowledge of German employment law and the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG)
• Experience negotiating and drafting Betriebsvereinbarungen
• Sound judgment, strong stakeholder management skills, and the ability to balance legal risk, employee relations considerations, and business priorities while providing pragmatic and timely solutions.
• Strong relationship-building skills across Works Council members, senior leaders, HR Business Partners, and legal counsel
• Strategic advisor with the ability to align employment law guidance with broader business strategy and organizational goals.
• Fluent in German and English — both essential for this role
• Willing and able to travel to our UK headquarters 2-4 times a year

Nice to have

• Experience designing ER frameworks, policies, or playbooks from scratch
• Experience coaching team members on Works Council requirements
• A background that includes handling BEM case management or absence management support
• Comfort supporting broader People/office projects outside core ER work

Our Values; applied

Better, Connected: We work collaboratively and embrace diversity

Empowering and Empowered: We celebrate ownership and initiative

Insight-driven: We act based upon data and reflection

Agents of Change: We innovate and promote sustainability

Focussed on Excellence: We aim high, and work smart

Passionately Ambitious: We encourage creativity and strive to improve through innovation

About MPB

We are MPB, the largest global platform for used photography and videography equipment. Our platform transforms the way that people buy, sell and trade in photo and video kit. MPB is a destination for everyone, whether you’ve just discovered your passion for visual storytelling or you’re already a pro.

We recognise the benefit of inclusive practices to better build a diverse community here at MPB. Our commitment to ensuring inclusion fuels and connects us as one with the diverse community of visual storytellers that we serve.

MPB customers come from all walks of life, and so do we. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of family makeup, race, sexuality, religion, gender identity, disability or age. At MPB, every employee has the opportunity to make an impact and grow.

Benefits
We support our staff and their careers in every way we can and we offer the following benefits:

• You’ll get 20 days of statutory holiday, plus 8 additional days from us—with the option to buy up to 5 more each year + 2 days of volunteering leave + 1 day a year to focus on your well-being
• Urban Sports Membership discount
• Retirement & pension plans
• BVG ticket discount (50%)
• MPB Employee discount and uplifts
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Learning Management System (the "MPB Learning Lab")- You'll have access to thousands of free courses to up-skill in any areas you'd like, personal or professional
• Enhanced paid parental leave
• Summer and winter employee events
• Financial assistance scheme
• Milestone Gifts - €150 Amazon voucher to celebrate the arrival of your new baby; €150 Amazon voucher for you and your partner when you tie the knot or enter into a civil partnership
• Dog friendly office