Employee Relations Lead

AWE; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 61,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9-day working fortnight

Pension scheme 9-13%

Maternity/Paternity leave

Professional development funding

Employee assistance programme

Life assurance 4x salary

Discounts on everyday spending

Special leave policy

Job summary

AWE is recruiting an Employee Relations Lead to steer a team of HR professionals, delivering high-quality, legally compliant ER services aligned with the people plan and SLAs. You will manage a personal caseload and drive HR projects across the business.

Based in Reading with onsite parking, the role offers a 9-day working fortnight, a competitive pension, generous leave, and flexibility to fit your lifestyle. Chartered CIPD membership and strong mediation and stakeholder skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Chartered CIPD member or equivalent with ER expertise.
• Experience delivering ER services in a large organisation.
• Strong analytical and reporting capabilities for HR metrics.

Responsibilities

• Oversee delivery of high-quality ER services to meet SLAs.
• Lead and develop HR professionals and coach teams.
• Manage personal caseload and related ER projects.

Skills

HR policies & compliance

Service-led delivery

HR data reporting

Stakeholder management

Safety & quality culture

Education

CIPD membership

Tools

Microsoft Office

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?

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.

Skills

• 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.

Proficiency in HR information systems and intermediate-level MS Office skills, particularly Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Co-Pilot. The candidate should be fluent in developing and interpreting ER metrics and reporting, with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities. A commercial mindset and business acumen are key, along with the ability to design and deliver impactful ER solutions at pace, with measurable return on investment.

We Do Need You To Have The Following

• Chartered Member of the CIPD or equivalent

Whilst not to be considered a tick list, we’d like you to have experience in some of the following:

• 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

• 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.

The 'Working at AWE' page on our website is where you can find full details in the 'AWE Benefits Guide'.

Hybrid working is available for this role on an informal, non-contractual basis. Typically 3 days onsite per week.

Important Things You Need To Know

• We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.
• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR and kept separate from your application form and CV, and the information will not be shared with anyone involved in interviewing or making hiring decisions.

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.