Head of Employee Relations

Hansen Filler Associates; England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy in financial services is seeking a Head of Employee Relations to oversee a global Employee Relations and Policy function. The role involves managing complex employment matters and ensuring compliance across jurisdictions. Ideal candidates will have 15+ years of experience in employee relations, strong expertise in employment law, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders. This position is vital for modernizing employment policies and enhancing the employee experience during transitions.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in Employee Relations within financial services or a regulated environment.
• Expertise in complex investigations and multi-jurisdictional employment law.
• Proven ability to influence executive stakeholders and partner with legal counsel.

Responsibilities

• Lead the global ER strategy, frameworks, policies, and risk management.
• Oversee high-risk cases with discretion and commercial awareness.
• Deliver comprehensive redesign of global employment policies and documentation.
• Establish case-management systems and investigation standards.

Skills

Employee Relations strategy

Influencing executive stakeholders

Complex investigations

Employment law expertise

Policy frameworks

Job description

Role Overview

Our FS client is seeking a Head of Employee Relations to build and oversee a global Employee Relations (ER) and Policy function. This role will manage complex employment matters, drive consistent policy frameworks, and ensure strong legal and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions. It requires deep expertise in ER strategy, investigations, employment law, and influencing executive stakeholders during periods of organisational change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the global ER strategy, including frameworks, policies, standards, and risk management.
• Oversee complex and high-risk cases (e.g., misconduct, regulatory issues, senior exits, whistleblowing) with discretion and commercial awareness.
• Deliver a comprehensive review and redesign of global employment policies, documentation, and processes.
• Establish scalable case-management systems, investigation standards, and basic ER reporting.
• Partner closely with Legal, Compliance, Risk, HR and senior leadership on governance, people risk, and regulatory expectations.
• Develop and lead a global ER team, ensuring consistent capability, workload management, and cross-regional coordination.
• Provide senior advisory input on culture, conduct, and people-risk matters, including support for Board and Committee reporting.

Key Outcomes

• A centralised ER function with consistent, compliant global practices.
• Modernised employment policies and documentation.
• Effective management of sensitive senior-level employment matters.
• Reduced employment risk and improved employee experience during transformation.

Profile Requirements

• 15+ years’ experience in Employee Relations within financial services or a similarly regulated environment.
• Expertise in complex investigations, senior-level case management, and multi‑jurisdictional employment law.
• Proven ability to influence executive stakeholders and partner with legal counsel across regions.
• Experience leading ER teams and delivering major policy and process frameworks.
• Strong judgement, discretion, and strategic thinking.