Employee Relations Specialist

Kerry Inc.; Bradley Stoke; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The Employer Relations Specialist at Kerry is responsible for expert employee and employer relations support across the UK, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. The role partners with managers, HR Business Partners, Legal and business leaders to ensure fair, consistent and legally compliant management of employee relations matters.

This fixed-term maternity cover position is hybrid, with regular onsite engagement and travel to sites, primarily across the Midlands, reflecting Kerry's

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, Business, or related discipline.
• CIPD qualification (Level 5 minimum, Level 7 preferred) or equivalent.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in employee/employer relations.
• Strong working knowledge of employment legislation in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
• Proven experience managing complex employee relations cases independently.
• Experience conducting workplace investigations and preparing reports.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end employee relations cases from intake to resolution.
• Provide practical ER advice to managers and HR partners.
• Ensure compliant application of policies across UK and ROI.
• Draft investigation reports, outcome letters, and settlement docs.
• Support policy development and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate with employee representatives and unions on consultations.

Skills

Employee relations

Stakeholder management

Investigation reports

UK & ROI employment law

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Employment Law / related

CIPD Level 5 minimum

CIPD Level 7 preferred

Job description

The role owns and manages complex employee relations cases from intake through resolution, providing practical advice and guidance while balancing business needs, employee experience, and employment law requirements. The Employer Relations Specialist also contributes to the development of a strong Responsible Employer culture through policy application, manager capability building, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This is a hybrid working opportunity with regular onsite engagement and travel to sites, primarily across the Midlands. Applying candidates should note that this is a fixed term maternity cover position.

Key responsibilities

end-to-end employee relations cases including

• Disciplinary matters
• Grievances
• Performance and capability issues
• Attendance and absence management
• Investigations
• Bullying, harassment, dignity at work, and employee conduct matters
• Conduct risk assessments and provide recommendations on appropriate courses of action.
• Ensure consistent and compliant application of company policies and procedures.
• Draft and review investigation reports, outcome letters, settlement documentation, and other ER correspondence.
• Maintain accurate case documentation and records in HR systems.

Manager and HR Advisory Support

• Act as the primary point of contact for managers on employee relations matters.
• Coach managers through formal and informal processes to build confidence and capability.
• Provide pragmatic, commercially focused advice while ensuring legal compliance and adherence to company values.
• Partner with HR Business Partners on complex, sensitive, and high-risk situations.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with employment legislation across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
• Identify legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks and elevate as appropriate.
• Partner closely with Legal Counsel on tribunal claims, external legal matters, and high-risk cases.
• Support audits, governance reviews, and compliance reporting activities.

Policy and Continuous Improvement

• Support the development, review, and implementation of employee relations policies, procedures, and guidance materials.
• Analyse ER trends and case data to identify opportunities for proactive interventions.
• Deliver training and education sessions for managers and HR teams.
• Contribute to projects relating to employee experience, responsible employer initiatives, policy harmonisation, and organisational change

Employee Representative Relations

• Support engagement with employee representatives, trade unions, and consultation bodies where applicable.
• Provide guidance on collective consultation processes, organisational change programmes, and workforce restructuring activities.
• Assist with employment-related aspects of acquisitions, transfers, and business transformations when required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, Business, or related discipline.
• CIPD qualification (Level 5 minimum, Level 7 preferred) or equivalent.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in employee/employer relations.
• Strong working knowledge of employment legislation in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
• Proven experience managing complex employee relations cases independently.
• Experience conducting workplace investigations and preparing reports.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.

Desirable

• Experience supporting manufacturing, operations, FMCG, or unionised environments.
• Experience working across multiple jurisdictions.
• Knowledge of collective consultation and industrial relations frameworks.
• Experience working within a shared services or centre of excellence model.

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

The Employer Relations Specialist is responsible for providing expert employee and employer relations support across the UK, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland. The role partners with people managers, HR Business Partners, Legal, and business leaders to ensure fair, consistent, and legally compliant management of employee relations matters.

Why Kerry?

In Kerry we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles, and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.