Employee Relations Business Partner

Arriva Group; Thurmaston; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Arriva Group is seeking an experienced Employee Relations Partner to shape positive ER across our UK depots. You will lead investigations, advise on disciplinaries, grievances, absence management and performance issues, and coach managers to resolve complex ER challenges.

Working with leaders, HR colleagues and Trade Union representatives, you will analyse ER data, develop proactive case management frameworks, and help implement policies that minimise risk and support business objectives.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in an Employee Relations role managing complex ER cases.
• Experience in a unionised environment and building relationships with Trade Union representatives.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment legislation and its practical application.
• Excellent coaching, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• Commercially focused approach with sound judgement.
• Ability to share knowledge, challenge constructively, and drive best practice.
• Strong organisational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Analytical capability with ER metrics, trend analysis, and reporting.
• Good IT skills including Microsoft Office and HR systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead investigations into ER cases with fair outcomes.
• Advise on disciplinaries, grievances, absence management, and performance issues.
• Coach HR and management on ER challenges.
• Analyse ER data and provide insights.
• Develop and implement ER strategies and policies.
• Embed proactive case management frameworks.
• Drive improvements for ER case files and data.
• Build relationships with leaders, HR, and Trade Unions.
• Support organisational change programmes.
• Promote manager ownership for ER issues.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment law.

Skills

ER experience

Unionised environment

UK employment law

Coaching & influencing

Commercial mindset

Knowledge sharing

Organisational skills

Multitasking

HR data analysis

IT/HR systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

MS Office

HRIS systems

Job description

Are you an experienced Employee Relations professional looking to make a real impact in a complex and fast-paced environment?

We're looking for an Employee Relations Partner to play a pivotal role in shaping positive employee relations across our UK depots. This is an exciting opportunity to provide expert guidance on complex ER matters, influence key stakeholders, and drive proactive solutions that support both our people and business objectives.

Working closely with leaders, HR colleagues, and Trade Union representatives, you'll help create a culture where employee relations issues are effectively managed, risks are mitigated, and managers are empowered to make informed decisions.

As An Employee Relations Partner, You Will

• Lead investigations into complex and high-risk employee relations cases, ensuring fair and consistent outcomes while minimising business risk.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on a range of ER matters including disciplinaries, grievances, absence management, and performance issues.
• Support and coach HR and management teams on complex employee relations challenges.
• Analyse employee relations data, identify trends, and provide meaningful management information and insights.
• Develop and implement strategies, policies, manager guidance, and initiatives in response to emerging ER trends.
• Introduce and embed proactive case management frameworks, taking a risk-based approach to case resolution.
• Drive process improvements for managing ER case files and data, helping to reduce case volumes and improve efficiency.
• Build strong working relationships with operational leaders, HR colleagues, and Trade Union representatives to foster positive employee relations.
• Support organisational change programmes and wider people initiatives across the business.
• Promote manager ownership and accountability for employee relations issues.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment law and HR best practice to ensure compliance and minimise risk.

To Be Successful In This Role, You'll Bring

• Significant experience in an Employee Relations role, handling complex and sensitive ER cases.
• Proven experience working in a unionised environment and building effective relationships with Trade Union representatives.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment legislation and its practical application.
• Excellent coaching, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• A commercially focused approach with sound judgement and the confidence to make balanced decisions.
• The ability to share knowledge, challenge constructively, and drive best practice.Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Analytical capability with experience producing ER metrics, trend analysis, and management reporting.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and HR systems.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to take a strategic and influential role within employee relations, helping to shape how ER is managed across the business. You'll work with a wide range of stakeholders, contribute to meaningful change initiatives, and play a key role in creating a positive employee experience.

If you're passionate about employee relations and thrive on solving complex people challenges, we'd love to hear from you.