Employee Relations Specialist

Inspired Pet Nutrition Ltd; Bordeaux; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is seeking an Employee Relations Specialist to join our People team at our Bordeaux or Pléchatel sites. You will partner with managers to navigate complex people matters and foster fair, compliant practices across the French operations.

Joining during a period of growth, you will support managers through employee relations matters, mitigate risk, and help to strengthen management capability while contributing to a positive, high‑performing workplace culture.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in HR Generalist, HR Advisory, HRBP or Employee Relations roles.
• Strong knowledge of French employment law and HR best practices.
• Experience supporting learning and development, talent or organisational development initiatives.
• Ability to coach managers and influence at different levels of the organisation.
• Excellent judgement, confidentiality and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise managers on employment law, policies, and HR best practice.
• Provide expert guidance on employee relations across the lifecycle.
• Coach managers in handling people issues consistently and effectively.
• Develop and maintain employee relations guidance, policies, and toolkits.
• Lead and manage complex employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance, and absence matters.
• Conduct investigations and support formal processes where required.
• Ensure cases are managed fairly, consistently, and in line with employment legislation.
• Produce employee relations reports and insights to support decision‑making.
• Monitor trends and identify opportunities to strengthen manager capability and people practices.

Skills

Employee relations

HR advisory

HR business partner

Stakeholder management

Confidentiality

Analytical skills

Job description

We're excited to be recruiting for an Employee Relations Specialist to join our People team.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR professional with strong employee relations expertise who enjoys partnering with managers, navigating complex people matters, and ensuring fair and consistent people practices across the business.

Joining at an exciting time for our French operations, you'll play a key role in supporting managers through employee relations matters, mitigating risk, strengthening management capability, and helping to foster a positive, compliant, and high-performing workplace culture.

This role can be based at either our Bordeaux or Pléchatel site and will support managers and teams across our French operations.

Responsibilities

Employee Relations & Manager Support

• Advise managers on employment law, company policies, and HR best practice
• Provide expert guidance on employee relations matters across the employee lifecycle
• Coach and support managers in handling people issues effectively and consistently
• Build management capability through advice, guidance, and practical support
• Develop and maintain employee relations guidance, policies, and toolkits

Case Management

• Lead and manage complex employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance, and absence matters
• Conduct investigations and support formal processes where required
• Ensure cases are managed fairly, consistently, and in line with employment legislation
• Prepare high-quality case documentation, reports, and recommendations
• Identify and mitigate people-related risks and potential legal exposure

Learning & Development

• Support the development and implementation of learning and development initiatives
• Partner with managers to identify capability, development and training needs
• Support performance management, talent development and succession planning activities
• Contribute to the design and delivery of manager development programmes
• Evaluate the effectiveness of learning initiatives and recommend improvements

People Projects, Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Deliver training and workshops on employee relations topics and people management practices
• Maintain compliance with employment legislation and internal policies
• Support organisational change and people transformation initiatives
• Contribute to the development of a positive and respectful workplace culture
• Support continuous improvement of people processes, policies and employee experience initiatives

Reporting & Insights

• Produce employee relations reports and insights to support decision-making
• Monitor trends and identify opportunities to strengthen manager capability and people practices
• Analyse people data to support workforce planning and organisational effectiveness
• Ensure accuracy and quality of employee relations data and documentation

About you

• Significant experience in a HR Generalist, HR Advisory, HR Business Partner or Employee Relations role
• Strong working knowledge of French employment law and HR best practice
• Experience supporting learning and development, talent or organisational development initiatives
• Ability to build credibility, influence and coach managers at different levels of the organisation
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Comfortable balancing risk management with practical business solutions
• Excellent judgement, professionalism, and confidentiality
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Passion for creating positive employee experiences and supporting managers to succeed
• Join our French People team during an exciting period of growth and transformation
• Play a key role in shaping employee relations practices across multiple sites in France
• Partner closely with managers and leaders on a broad range of employee relations matters
• Contribute to the development of management capability, people practices and workplace culture
• Gain exposure to both local and international stakeholders within a growing European business
• Flexibility to be based in either Bordeaux or Pléchatel

About us

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is an innovative, well-established, and award-winning pet food manufacturer employing over 1,200 colleagues across the UK and Europe. Our family of brands includes Harringtons, Wagg, Barking Heads & Meowing Heads, AATU, Blink, Butcher's, Classic, Pro-Nutrition, and Ultra Premium Direct, along with a number of partner brands that trust us to produce food on their behalf. Our kitchens in Thirsk, Kinmel, and Crick produce a wide range of dry, wet, and baked foods enjoyed by dogs and cats all over the world. We also have sites in France, in Bordeaux, Pléchatel, and Agen. Our ambition is simple: to become a global leader in pet nutrition.

Our Purpose: To create happiness

We’re on a mission to set a new standard of workplace happiness within the pet nutrition industry—one that looks like no other and feels like no other. Our culture is built on INSPIRED’s unique behaviours and colleague experience, creating an environment that excites, empowers, and puts people and pets at the heart of everything we do.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is committed to building an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the colleagues and communities we serve. We believe everyone should feel valued, respected and able to be themselves at work. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We make hiring decisions based on talent, potential and the experience you bring.

We are also committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace, ensuring equitable access and opportunity for all. If you need any adjustments or support to take part in our recruitment process, please let us know by emailing [e-mail] #INDHP