EMEA Lead Employee Relations Partner

UKG; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

UKG seeks a Lead Employee Relations Partner (EMEA) to serve as a trusted advisor with HRBPs, Legal and People Operations, shaping policies and guiding complex ER matters across the region. You will influence strategy and ensure alignment with local law while driving best practices.

You will oversee UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, and France, manage investigations, restructurings, and change programs, deliver training, and drive improvements in ER processes, ensuring compliance and high employee

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in Employee Relations, HR, or Employment Law across multiple jurisdictions.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law and ER across EMEA including UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, and France.
• Experience handling cross-border ER matters balancing legal requirements and business objectives.
• Fluent English; additional European languages are an asset.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Legal and People Operations to develop, implement, and maintain employee relations policies and practices that align with applicable employment legislation and organizational values across the EMEA region.
• Serve as the regional Employee Relations subject matter expert, providing guidance informed by local employment laws, regulatory requirements, cultural considerations, and market practices.
• Act as the primary ER partner for assigned EMEA countries, with particular responsibility for supporting the United Kingdom, Ireland, Bulgaria, and France, while partnering across additional jurisdictions as needed.
• Advise managers, employees, and HR Business Partners on complex employee relations matters, including performance management, disciplinary processes, grievances, workplace concerns, accommodations, absences, and employment separations.
• Partner with the global investigation team on workplace investigations, ensuring matters are handled objectively, consistently, and in accordance with company policies and legal requirements.
• Facilitate the resolution of interpersonal and team conflicts, promoting positive working relationships and a culture of respect, accountability, and inclusion.
• Support managers in addressing performance concerns, implementing performance improvement plans, and ensuring employment actions are fair, consistent, and appropriately documented.
• Design and deliver training and educational programs to enhance understanding of employee relations practices, employment obligations, workplace policies, and manager capabilities.
• Analyze employee relations data and trends to identify risks, root causes, and opportunities for proactive interventions that improve employee experience and mitigate organizational risk.
• Provide ER leadership and guidance during organizational changes, including restructures, workforce transitions, mergers and acquisitions, collective consultations, redundancies, and other transformation initiatives.
• Collaborate with Legal and HR partners to ensure compliance with country-specific regulatory requirements, information and consultation obligations, and works council processes where applicable.
• Recommend and support the implementation of technologies, tools, and processes that enhance employee relations operations, reporting, and case management effectiveness.
• Lead regional and cross-functional projects, ensuring alignment with broader People, Employee Relations, and organizational objectives.

Skills

Employee Relations

Employment Law

Stakeholder Management

Analytical Thinking

Communication Skills

Change Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business/Law

Master's degree preferred

Tools

HRIS

Case Management

Workforce Analytics

Reporting Tools

Job description

UKG seeks a Lead Employee Relations Partner (EMEA) to serve as a trusted advisor with HRBPs, Legal and People Operations, shaping policies and guiding complex ER matters across the region. You will influence strategy and ensure alignment with local law while driving best practices.

You will oversee UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, and France, manage investigations, restructurings, and change programs, deliver training, and drive improvements in ER processes, ensuring compliance and high employee