Employee Relations Manager

JR United Kingdom; Chester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in Chester seeks an Employee Relations Manager to drive forward a fair and consistent approach to employee matters. This role involves advising on complex ER issues, collaborating with HR teams, and enhancing employee relations across partner organisations while implementing effective HR policies. Join a supportive team and play a key role in driving cultural development and organisational change.

Qualifications

• Significant experience advising managers in a unionised environment.
• Strong understanding of employment law and HR best practices.
• Ability to manage complex ER casework.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality ER service on disciplinary, grievance, and attendance management.
• Review and implement HR policies to improve service delivery.
• Oversee management of HR formal casework.

Skills

Employment law

HR best practice

Organisational development

Collaborative approach

Complex casework management

Solutions-focused

Education

Chartered CIPD membership

Job description

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Are you an experienced HR professional with a passion for employee relations and driving forward a fair, consistent and people-focused approach to workforce matters? We’re seeking a skilled Employee Relations Manager to join our friendly and supportive HR & OD team.

In this role, you’ll be responsible for delivering a high-quality, customer-focused ER service, providing clear, professional advice on a wide range of employee relations matters including disciplinary, grievance, and attendance management. You’ll play a key part in simplifying and improving HR policies and practice across our partner organisations, helping to shape a modern and consistent approach to people management.

You’ll work closely with a Senior HR Advisor and HR & OD Apprentice, and collaborate with legal and other external partners where needed, to support effective service delivery. This is a great opportunity to influence change, support culture development, and contribute to a progressive People & OD strategy.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Work with our employment policies and approach to casework management
• Facilitate informal resolution, where possible and appropriate to do so
• Influence delivery from our shared service operations to and for RBK requirements in a planned way, where possible
• Adhere to agreed procedures to maintain effective governance and central management of terms and conditions and contracts (picked up in policy project) including policy version control
• Oversee and undertake casework including attending hearings to demonstrate a responsive action to workforce issues for 2024/ 25 including sickness absence short term, long term and complex mental health and wellbeing (managers action monitored)
• Highlight risks of ET claims and financial exposure,
• Ensure investigation timelines are monitored and escalated when delays incurred, provide mitigating actions to reduce negative impact
• Support the improvement of service delivery, visible and proactive training for policy and culture and empower the role of the manager, support good union relations and enhance outcomes for staff
• Review, develop and implement HR policies and procedures, transactional and operational processes, to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and customer focus
• To provide specialist policy and procedural advice to all areas of HR and OD and service management.
• Make recommendations to managers and identify risks and opportunities to enhance early resolution.
• To oversee the management of HR formal casework, in line with standards set out, including the constitution of panels and representation.

Skills & Experience

• Experience Chartered CIPD membership or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Significant experience advising managers and working in a unionised environment
• Strong understanding of employment law, HR best practice and organisational development
• Confidence in managing complex ER casework and supporting organisational change
• A collaborative, solutions-focused and professional approach

The role may occasionally be required to work irregular working patterns (with reasonable notice) in order to attend certain events and member meetings. The post holder should be able and willing to work flexibly during these periods.