ER & HR Operations Lead

Michael Page; Chobham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking an ER & HR Operations Lead to manage complex employee relations and support a small HR team. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in employee relations, coaching abilities, and confidence in policy creation. This role offers a salary up to £55,000 plus benefits including a car allowance and medical insurance.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Dental cover

Health cash plan

Bonus eligibility up to 13% of annual salary

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience in employee relations, preferably with trade union exposure.
• Proven people management skills, able to coach and develop direct reports.
• Comfortable navigating challenging conversations.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice on employee relations issues, ensuring policy alignment.
• Lead complex disciplinary and grievance cases effectively.
• Coach and mentor a small HR team.

Skills

Employee relations expertise

Coaching and mentoring

Strong communication skills

Policy creation

Adaptability

Education

CIPD Level 5 or equivalent

CIPD Level 7 preferred

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced ER & HR Operations Lead to take ownership of complex employee relations, coach and support managers, and develop a small HR team. This is a hands-on role where you'll manage high-volume ER cases, contribute to policy and process improvements, and help drive cultural change. The position is based near Chobham (4 days on-site) with regular travel across multiple UK sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice and guidance on employee relations (ER) issues, ensuring alignment with company policies and employment law.
• Lead and manage complex disciplinary, grievance, and performance management cases fairly and effectively.
• Support managers with PIPs, absence management, flexible working requests, and performance-related issues.
• Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders, building strong relationships across the organisation.
• Coach, mentor, and develop a small HR team of 2 (early-career and mid-level staff).
• Own, review, and update HR policies, processes, and manager guidance documents for compliance and practicality.
• Act as the primary contact for union representatives, fostering positive working relationships and supporting industrial relations activities, including quarterly consultation meetings (e.g., JCC).
• Maintain accurate records of ER cases and prepare reports for senior management, including Employment Tribunal preparation.
• Develop and deliver training sessions on ER best practices, employment law, and HR policies.
• Ensure compliance with relevant employment legislation and keep policies up to date with legal and regulatory changes.
• Support the implementation of company-wide HR initiatives and policies.
• Foster a culture of integrity, adaptability, and collaboration within the team.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5+ (Level 7 preferred) or equivalent experience.
• Strong hands-on experience in employee relations, preferably with some trade union exposure.
• Proven people management skills, able to coach, develop, and support direct reports.
• Comfortable navigating challenging conversations with employees, managers, and unions.
• Highly adaptable, resilient, and team-oriented with strong integrity.
• Willing to travel regularly across multiple sites.
• Confident in policy creation, process improvement, and building manager capability.

Job Offer

• A salary of up to £55,000 + £5K car allowance.
• Private medical insurance, dental cover, and a health cash plan.
• Bonus eligibility of up to 13% of your annual salary.

If you're ready to take on this challenging and rewarding ER Lead role, we encourage you to apply today.