Employee Relations Specialist

NES Fircroft; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working in London

12-month PAYE contract

Global ER exposure

International stakeholder engagement

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

NES Fircroft in London is seeking an Employee Relations Specialist to manage UK employee relations strategy and relations with trade unions. You will collaborate with HR peers across the UK and internationally to ensure compliant policies and effective employment practices.

The role requires strong UK employment law knowledge, stakeholder management, and experience in a global matrix environment. The position is hybrid-based in London under a 12-month PAYE contract with potential extension.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in employee relations within large or multinational organisations.
• Strong understanding of UK employment legislation and practical application.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels and build relationships.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice on employee relations strategy and engagement with trade unions where appropriate.
• Act as the primary contact for the UK Works Council, driving engagement and collaboration.
• Support the Head of UK P&O on key HR priorities and country-specific people initiatives.
• Lead review and maintenance of UK employee policies to reflect evolving legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Review and update HR policies, procedures, and toolkits to align with global principles.

Skills

Employee relations

UK employment law

Stakeholder management

HR advisory

Trade unions/works councils

Education

Chartered CIPD qualification

Job description

Employee Relations Specialist

Location: London, UK
Working Pattern: Hybrid Working
Contract Type: PAYE Contract
Duration: 12 Months ( up to 24 months )

About the Opportunity: Employee Relations forms part of the wider HR function and is responsible for collective employment matters across the organisation. The team manages collective agreements, salary processes, employment policies, and administrative arrangements, while ensuring compliance with applicable legislation, agreements, and internal requirements.

Operating on a global scale, Employee Relations establishes consistent principles and processes across the business while ensuring appropriate local adaptation. The function plays a critical role in fostering strong, trust-based relationships between employees, employee representatives, unions, and management.

This position will sit within the Employee Relations Collective Team, working closely with HR professionals based across the UK, Norway, Brazil, the United States, and the Netherlands.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice to the organisation on employee relations strategy and engagement with trade unions where appropriate.
• Act as the primary point of contact and relationship owner for the UK Works Council, driving continuous improvement, engagement, and collaboration.
• Support the Head of UK People & Organisation (P&O) on key HR priorities and country-specific people initiatives.
• Lead the review and maintenance of UK employee policies, ensuring compliance with evolving UK employment legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Review and update HR policies, procedures, and toolkits to reflect UK best practice while aligning with global corporate principles.
• Provide guidance to business leaders and HR colleagues on employee relations matters, including escalations, policy interpretation, and deviations.
• Support collective consultation processes and employee representative forums as required.
• Collaborate effectively with global Employee Relations and HR teams to ensure consistency of approach across the organisation.
• Participate in and support ad hoc HR and Employee Relations projects as required.

Candidate Requirements

• Significant experience in Employee Relations, ideally within a large, complex, or multinational organisation.
• Proven experience working with Works Councils, employee representative bodies, and trade unions.
• Strong background as an HR Advisor, Senior HR Advisor, Employee Relations Advisor, or similar role.
• Experience supporting offshore and operational workforces alongside corporate/onshore teams is highly desirable.
• Chartered CIPD qualification or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong understanding of UK employment legislation and its practical application.
• Ability to advise and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience operating within a global matrix organisation.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and delivery-focused approach.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High professional integrity and commitment to company values and ethical standards.
• Flexible and adaptable working style, with the ability to manage fluctuating workloads and competing priorities.

What's on Offer

• Initial 12-month PAYE contract.
• Hybrid working arrangement based in London.
• Opportunity to work within a global Employee Relations function.
• Exposure to complex employee relations matters across an international organisation.
• Collaborative and supportive team environment with global stakeholder engagement.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining andManufacturingsectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.