Consultant, Employee Relations

Carnival Corporation Ltd.; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Discounted Cruising + Friends

Annual bonus

Minimum 25 days leave

Office events and live entertainment

Learning and development opportunities

Employee Assistance and Wellbeing

Health Cash Plan

Occupational Health support

Parental and adoption leave

Pension scheme

Job summary

Carnival UK is recruiting an Employee Relations Consultant to act as a trusted advisor to managers across shoreside and fleet operations. You will own a diverse ER casework portfolio, applying employment law and best practice to deliver fair, pragmatic outcomes.

Join a team within the People and Legal department, with hybrid working including up to two days from home. CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience is preferred, with a focus on risk-balanced advisory support.

Qualifications

• Strong ER case management experience.
• Ability to advise, coach and challenge stakeholders.
• Sound knowledge of UK employment law.
• Strong judgement and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Proactive and resilient with competing priorities.
• ER expertise with CIPD Level 5 or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of varied, complex and sensitive ER casework for shoreside and fleet operations.
• Advise and coach managers while balancing business risks to reach fair, legally sound outcomes.
• Apply UK employment law to assess risk and support effective decision-making.
• Build trusted relationships with managers, stakeholders and People Team colleagues.
• Contribute to continuous improvement, sharing learning and identifying opportunities to improve ways of working.

Skills

ER case management

Stakeholder management

Employment law

Risk assessment

Communication

CIPD Level 5

Education

CIPD Level 5 or above

Job description

Carnival UK are a leading name in the holiday sector, dedicated to delivering unforgettable holiday happiness to our guests. Our success is built on a foundation of diverse talents and perspectives, and we believe in fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

In our continuous journey of growth and innovation at Carnival UK, we are seeking an Employee Relations Consultant to bring fresh insights and expertise to our People and Legal department.

Role Overview

Join our Employee Relations team as a trusted advisor to managers and stakeholders across our shoreside and fleet operations. You'll take ownership of a varied portfolio of ER cases, using your judgement and employment law expertise to help managers navigate complex people issues and reach fair, pragmatic and commercially balanced outcomes.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Taking ownership of a varied, complex and sensitive ER casework for our shoreside and fleet operations, including disciplinary, grievance, investigations, absence, performance and capability matters
• Advising and coaching managers while balancing business risks to support them to reach fair, legally sound, and pragmatic outcomes
• Applying UK employment law and ER best practice to assess risk and support effective decision-making
• Building trusted relationships with managers, stakeholders and People Team colleagues across our shoreside and fleet operations
• Contributing to continuous improvement, sharing learning and identifying opportunities to improve ways of working

This role is positioned at CUK09 level within our organisation and is available on a full-time, permanent basis. We offer hybrid work including up to two days from home.

What You'll Bring

• Strong ER case management experience, with the confidence to independently manage complex and sensitive matters
• Proven ability to advise, coach and constructively challenge stakeholders, building credibility and providing clear, pragmatic guidance
• Sound working knowledge of UK employment law, with the ability to assess risk and translate legal principles into clear, practical advice
• Strong judgement and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to balance employee, legal and business considerations
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels
• A proactive and resilient approach, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment
• Demonstrable ER expertise and practical experience, ideally supported by a CIPD qualification (Level 5 or above) or equivalent professional experience

Why Join Us?

Working with us means more than just a role in the People team. It’s about being part of a team that values well‑being and personal growth.

Read our employee experience guide to learn more about life as a Carnival UK colleague here .

Here’s what we offer:

• Employee Discounted Cruising plus Friends and Family offers
• Annual bonus
• Minimum 25 days leave, bank holiday allowance and holiday trading scheme
• Regular office events including live entertainment, lifestyle events and charity partner fundraisers
• Extensive learning and development opportunities
• Employee‑led networks
• Employee Assistance and Wellbeing programmes
• Company paid Health Cash Plan and health assessment
• In‑house Occupational Health help and access to digital GP
• Life Assurance
• Parental and adoption leave
• Employee Shares Plan
• Onsite restaurant offering range of healthy cooked and grab and go meals
• Contributory Defined Contribution Pension scheme