Associate Employee Relations Specialist (12-18 months fixed term contract)

Capital One (Europe) plc; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site gym

Restaurant on-site

Learning Loft

Rooftop running track

Private medical insurance

Job summary

Capital One (Europe) plc in Nottingham seeks an Associate Employee Relations Specialist on a 12-18 month fixed term contract. You will manage a range of employee relations cases, delivering compliant case management and coaching to People Leaders and Associates on employment topics.

You will contribute to AR policy development, engage in HR projects, and help drive improvements through data analysis and governance-driven AI tools, while maintaining strong relationships across the business.

Qualifications

• Prior employee relations case management experience is essential.
• Knowledge of UK employment law and its practical application.
• Experience dealing with challenging associate-related situations.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing abilities.
• Ability to apply judgment in ambiguous situations with risk implications for the company.
• Sensitive to associate needs while balancing business needs.

Responsibilities

• Own case management for straightforward employee relations issues or collaborate on higher-risk cases.
• Provide legislative and best practice advice and coaching to People Leaders and Associates.
• Support AR policy development and process improvements; contribute to HR projects.
• Analyse case data to identify themes and support continuous improvement.
• Leverage AI in line with governance to drive efficiency in internal processes.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure proper documentation.

Skills

Employee relations

UK employment law

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Judgment under ambiguity

Job description

Nottingham Trent House (95002), United Kingdom, Nottingham, NottinghamshireAssociate Employee Relations Specialist (12-18 months fixed term contract)

Our Mission

We’re on a mission to be a force for good in lending. Throughout our almost 30-year history, we’ve consistently been recognised as a great place to work; in 2026, Capital One was officially ranked 9th in the UK’s Best Workplaces™ list. Hear from our team

About the role

An opportunity has arisen within Associate Relations for an Associate to join this specialist team on a 12 -18 month fixed term contract.

The role will take ownership of a range of employee relations cases (either owning the case management for more straightforward cases or working in partnership with more experienced team members to gain experience of higher risk cases). They will provide legislative and best practice advice and coaching to People Leaders and Associates throughout the business on a range of employment topics. There will also be opportunities to engage in HR projects and provide AR consultancy to HR and the business.

What you’ll do

Casework

• With support from senior team members, partner with the business to deliver high quality and proactive case management support on employee relations issues such as: capability, absence management, flexible working, appeals, disciplinary, grievances, the Equality Act.
• Provide the business with pragmatic solutions whilst considering the employment, legal and risk framework.
• Provide coaching to managers to upskill and support them to reach positive outcomes with their associates.
• Contribute to team development through the sharing of best practice and lessons learnt.
• Support with maintaining an effective feedback loop with the HR Business Partners to drive change and elevate high risk cases to AR Principal Associate / AR lead as and when appropriate.
• Build and leverage relationships across the business to obtain support when formal meeting support is required on case work.
• Manage all cases in line with well-managed principles.
• At all times, manage employment related risk for Capital One.

Projects

• Support with AR policy development or process improvement projects that arise.
• Maintain and continually seek to improve AR policies and procedures, as a means to support managers and associates both as a learning tool and as a repository of relevant information.
• Participate in broader HR projects and initiatives that support the AR Agenda.

Other

• Continually build employee relations technical knowledge through attendance at employment law briefings and conduct self-directed research into best practice.
• Support with analysing case management data to identify themes and make recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Leveraging AI, in accordance with governance and risk processes, to drive efficiency and improvement in internal processes.
• Take a proactive approach to the maintenance of AR procedures.
• Adhere to GDPR and case purging and management requirements.
• Support on well-managed activities, liaising and coordinating activities in the team.
• Ensure accurate records are maintained and documentation is stored correctly.

What we’re looking for

• Prior employee relations case management experience is vital;
• Knowledge of UK employment law;
• Experience of dealing with challenging associate-related situations;
• Effective stakeholder management and influencing skills;
• Experience of applying judgement to ambiguous associate situations which could result in risk for the company;
• Sensitive to associate needs and able to balance those with the needs of the business / employment risk;
• Good communication skills, written and verbal;
• Willingness to learn and prioritise self-development.

Where and how you'll work

This is a permanent position based in ourNottingham office.

We embrace a hybrid approach to work. You'll spend three days a week in the office (Tuesday-Thursday), with Monday and Friday being dedicated work-from-home days.

Our offices are designed to inspire and support you. At our Nottingham head office, you'll find an on-site gym, restaurant and dedicated Learning Loft. Our London office boasts a rooftop running track and coffee bar.

What’s in it for you

We invest in the growth of our people alongside our business. You will have extensive opportunities to learn and develop your career, including access to up to £5,000 in funding for external qualifications.

In addition to career development, our comprehensive benefits package is designed to grow with you, ensuring your wellbeing is prioritised at every stage of your career:

• Wealth & Future: Competitive pension and performance-based bonus schemes
• Holidays: Start with 25 days of annual leave, increasing with tenure. Need more? You have the option to buy 5 additional days.
• Health: Access premium care through our private medical insurance.
• Family Support: We champion your milestones with enhanced parental leave.

A full list of our benefits is available here.

What you should know about how we recruit

We pride ourselves on hiring the best people, not the same people.

Building diverse and inclusive teams is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do.

We want to work with top talent: whoever you are, whatever you look like, wherever you come from.

We know it’s about what you do, not just what you say.

That’s why we make our recruitment process fair and accessible.

We value diversity, inclusion and belonging at our core.

We empower our associates to do great work by creating an inclusive culture—one that values diverse perspectives, fosters collaboration and encourages innovative ideas—and a place where associates of all backgrounds can thrive by bringing their most authentic selves to work.

We call this our Culture of Belonging, and it rests at the heart of our business.

Our associate-led Business Resource Groups were created to help support our diverse population and include over 10 groups across our offices.

Because each Business Resource Group is as unique as the population it serves, they offer a range of activities, networking opportunities, special events and learning programmes to associates.

Capital One is committed to diversity in the workplace.

Who We Are

At Capital One, we're building a leading information-based technology company. Still founder-led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Fairbank, Capital One is on a mission to help our customers succeed by bringing ingenuity, simplicity, and humanity to banking. We measure our efforts by the success our customers enjoy and the advocacy they exhibit. We are succeeding because they are succeeding.