ER Specialist

Primark Stores Limited; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Pension

Bonus potential

27 days leave + bank holidays

Tax Saver Tickets

Fitness centre

Subsidised cafeteria

Job summary

Primark Stores Limited is seeking an experienced Employee Relations professional to drive specialist ER guidance across a designated region. You will advise on disciplinary, grievance, performance, and absence matters, while collaborating with stakeholders to resolve complex people issues.

The role focuses on policy development, documentation review, and supporting business change initiatives, with a commitment to compliant, practical solutions and excellent colleague outcomes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing complex ER cases in a fast-paced, multi-site environment.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and ER best practice to advise on policy.
• Ability to influence, coach, and build credibility with stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Highly organized, able to prioritise and deliver under pressure.
• Data-driven decision-making with a proactive, improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert employee relations guidance and case management across a region.
• Advise on disciplinary, grievance, performance, absence, flexible working and probation cases.
• Build strong, internal and external relationships to manage risk and outcomes.
• Review ER documentation, policies and training to reflect legal requirements.
• Lead ER aspects of change initiatives and complex business cases.
• Analyse ER trends, maintain case records, and support audits and reporting.

Skills

Employee relations

Employment law

Influence & coaching

Communication

Organization

Customer-focused mindset

Job description

Because we strive to put people first. Culture, our way.

People and Culture at Primark

What’s a career at Primark all about? The positive impact you’re making, the experiences you’re having and the people you’re with. You’re our inspiration. Embrace what sets you apart, own your career and develop in ways you never expected. Leave your mark. And do it your way.

What You’ll Get

People are at the heart of what we do here, so it’s essential we provide you with the right environment to perform at your very best.

• Healthcare, pension, and potential bonus
• 27 days of leave, plus bank holidays and if you want, you can buy 5 more
• Tax Saver Tickets
• fitness centre
• a subsidised cafeteria

What You’ll Do

We want you to feel challenged and inspired. Here, you’ll develop your skills across a range of responsibilities:

• Provide expert employee relations guidance and case management support across a designated region, partnering with managers and stakeholders to resolve complex people matters effectively.
• Act as a trusted advisor on a broad range of ER topics, including disciplinary, grievance, performance, absence management, flexible working, family leave, and probation cases, ensuring compliance with policy and employment legislation.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders across Retail, People & Culture, Legal, Occupational Health, Trade Unions, and external partners to manage risk and deliver positive colleague outcomes.
• Review and support the development of ER documentation, policies, procedures, and training materials, ensuring they reflect legal requirements, best practice, and business needs.
• Lead and support employee relations aspects of business change initiatives, organisational design projects, and high-profile or complex cases, providing practical solutions and expert advice.
• Drive continuous improvement by analysing ER trends and metrics, maintaining accurate case records, contributing to audits and reporting, and identifying opportunities to enhance processes and colleague experience.

What You’ll Bring

Here at Primark, we want everyone to feel valued – so please bring your authentic self to work, of course with some other key experience and abilities for this role in particular:

• Strong Employee Relations experience within a fast-paced, multi-site environment, with expertise in managing complex ER cases and supporting organisational change.
• Excellent knowledge of employment law and ER best practice, with the ability to provide clear, practical, and commercially focused advice.
• Proven ability to influence, coach, and build credibility with stakeholders at all levels, fostering strong and collaborative working relationships.
• Outstanding communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills, with a professional, diplomatic, and confidential approach.
• Highly organised and resilient, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, work at pace, and deliver high-quality outcomes under pressure.
• A proactive, customer-focused mindset with a passion for continuous improvement, innovation, data-driven decision-making, and personal development.

About Primark

At Primark, people matter. They’re the beating heart of our business and the reason we’ve grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to a £9bn+ turnover business a over 80,000 colleagues and over 440 stores in 17 countries today. Our values run through everything we do. In essence, we're Caring and always strive to put people first. We're also Dynamic, bravely pushing the boundaries to stay ahead. And finally, we succeed Together.

If you need any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request, during your recruitment journey, such as extended time or breaks between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, mobility access, or assistive technology please contact your talent acquisition specialist.

All offers of employment are subject to background checks, including right to work, reference education and for some roles criminal, and financial checks. If you have any concerns, please reach out to our talent acquisition team to discuss.

#LIHybrid

REQ ID: JR-15083