Employee Relations Lead

awepeople; Reading; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9-day working fortnight

Employer pension scheme

Family friendly policies

Professional development funding

Employee assistance programme

Life assurance

Discounts

Special Leave

Job summary

AWE is recruiting an Employee Relations Lead in Reading to lead and develop a HR/ER team delivering high quality services. The role manages a personal caseload and projects while aligning with the company people plan and SLAs.

You will require strong ER experience in large organisations, CIPD membership, and excellent coaching and stakeholder skills to drive improvements and compliance across the function.

Qualifications

• Chartered Member of the CIPD or equivalent.
• Experience leading HR teams and service delivery within a business-facing HR environment.
• Background in employment tribunals, mediation, and trade union consultation.
• Managing teams to SLAs and KPIs, delivering HR projects in complex environments.
• Skilled in using data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing a team of HR professionals delivering high-quality HR/ER services.
• Overseeing delivery aligned with the people plan and SLAs, while managing a personal caseload and projects.
• Providing expert HR data analysis and reporting to support employee communications and regulatory compliance.
• Promoting a culture of safety, quality, and collaboration while maintaining high standards.

Skills

Employee relations

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Data reporting

Coaching

Education

CIPD Chartered Member

Job description

AWE is currently recruiting for an Employee Relations Lead to lead and develop a team of HR professionals to deliver high quality HR/ER services to the business, ensuring the supply of services is meeting business demands.

Location: Reading, with free onsite parking.

Package: From £61,040 to £85,000 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Ready to play your part?

At AWE, it's not just a job, it's far more than that. Our shared purpose is to help keep the nation safe. Could this role be the opportunity for you to play your part?

As the Employee Relations Lead, you will oversee the delivery of a high-quality, legally compliant HR service aligned with the company's people plan and SLAs, while leading and managing a personal caseload and/or related projects.

You will also be accountable for:

• Ensuring consistent application of HR policies and practices, aligning with legal requirements and best practice, managing risk appropriately and driving continuous improvement and change.
• Embedding a service led approach to manage business demand, coordinate resources, and collaborate with Heads of HR CoEs to ensure services meet business needs.
• Providing expert analysis and reporting on HR data, supporting employee communications, and maintaining strong external relationships to ensure compliance and alignment with industry standards.
• Promoting a culture of safety, quality, and collaboration, maintaining high personal and professional standards.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a candidate with strong experience in employee relations (ER) within a large organisation. You will be able to manage your own workload and priorities effectively, while demonstrating excellent facilitation, mediation, and stakeholder management skills. The ideal individual will be a confident communicator with strong presentation abilities and expert coaching skills that inspire trust and collaboration.

We do need you to have the following:

• Chartered Member of the CIPD or equivalent
• Experience leading HR teams and initiatives, including service delivery, change management, and process improvement within a business-facing HR environment.
• Background in employment tribunals, mediation, and trade union consultation, with a solid understanding of employment law and third-party management.
• Managing teams to SLAs and KPIs, delivering HR projects, and driving results in complex, demand-led environments.
• Skilled in identifying strategic HR issues, developing solutions, and using data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Working within and leading initiatives, including the development and implementation of SLAs and KPIs.
• Active inhouse mediator/mediation skills.
• You’ll need to have the ability to work calmly and constructively in a priority changing environment and be able to manage your own workload. You will also have initiative, enthusiasm, a flexible approach, and ability to work to tight deadlines.

Some reasons we think you'll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• 9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

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