Head of Employee Relations EMEA

K&K Talents; Greater London; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

K&K Talents is seeking an experienced Head of Employee Relations for the EMEA region, based in London. You will lead the ER function, shape policy, and drive initiatives ensuring compliance with labor laws while promoting a positive work environment across multiple countries.

You will partner with HR, Legal, and business leaders to establish processes, resolve complex employee relations issues, and build capability through coaching and stakeholder management in a fast-paced international setting.

Qualifications

• 12–20 years in HR with at least 10 years in Employee Relations.
• ER leader for UK&I, Germany, France, Benelux, Nordics, Switzerland; Eastern Europe exposure is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced international environment; proactive and decisive.
• Coaching and influencing others.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Employee Relations function for the EMEA region and align ER strategy with business goals.
• Develop, implement and streamline ER processes and documentation in collaboration with Legal and HR teams.
• Manage investigations, grievances, and disciplinary actions ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Provide guidance to leaders on value adherence and incident handling; support prevention and remediation measures.
• Collaborate with Work Councils or Employee Unions where applicable to foster a positive work environment.
• Conduct trend analysis and training initiatives to improve ER outcomes and manager capabilities.

Skills

Employee Relations

ER Strategy

Investigations

Policy Formulation

Disciplinary Processes

Stakeholder Management

Coaching

Leadership

Conflict Resolution

Employment Law

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

K&K Talents is Recruitment Agency who have been retained by our client to run this search. They are building team from scratch and looking for dynamic resources who are from IT and Consulting Background.

Role Title: Head of Employee Relations EMEA

Location: London, UK

Full Time Permanent

Summary of Roles & responsibility summary:

We are seeking an experienced Employee Relations leader to head the Employee Relations (ER) function for EMEA. The ER leader will develop a deep understanding of Client business and will collaborate with HR teams, Legal functions and business leaders to drive the Employee Relations function through Policy formulation, Process streamlining, enablement of stakeholders and other interventions.

Head of Employee Relations you are a subject matter expert on employee relations issues and leads Employee relations function within HR for a region. Will ensure compliance with the applicable labor laws and regulations and work on enabling awareness to leaders, managers and employees about ER related policies. Head ER of EMEA will be responsible for interventions to sustain culture & values that align with the organization’s goal and strategy to create a more positive and productive work environment. This strategic position will be responsible for reviewing, formulating and implementation of the Employee Relations function/practices in EMEA region.

As the head of the Employee Relations function in EMEA region, you will head the ER team in EMEA and be the point of contact for all Employee Relations matters in the region such as preventive and corrective actions of behavior/value incidents, disciplinary processes, major employee grievances and investigations.

Details of Roles & responsibility: Strategic ER Management:

• Responsible for ER strategy for EMEA region. Provides specialist advice on employee relations requirements and procedures to Business leaders, HR leaders and Sr management
• Establishing/sustaining/and improving ER process and process owner for operational matrices
• Drives ER processes including separations/terminations, absence management, performance management, workplace grievances, investigations and creation of required documentation to support those processes in close coordination with Legal teams.
• Review the Employee relations practices/policies involving value violations (disciplinary process), grievance redressal process, performance deficiency process and suggest changes/improvements
• Guide & enable Business partner HR, Business leaders, Manager community on the following:
• Values adherence: Proactive measures to avoid the occurrence of various types of value digressions. In case of incidents of value digressions, process & methods to conduct investigations and ensuing actions
• Employee grievances: Proactive measures to avoid the occurrence of grievances among employees to ensure a positive work environment. In case of the occurrence of grievances, process to be followed.
• Performance deficiencies: Enable Business partner HR and Business leaders on the process to be followed in of performance improvement plans or poor performance exits.
• Drive anti-sexual harassment initiatives, and coordinate internal investigations in case of any incident
• Work with Labour authorities and other stakeholders for statutory compliances involving Employee relations functions.
• Collaborate and coordinate Work councils or Employee Unions in the countries as applicable with an objective of a positive work environment in line with Business strategy and business need
• Conduct or support central teams in case of any whistleblower investigations as needed
• Conduct trend analysis to forecast and take measures to prevent incidents
• Undertake management development activities by coaching, influencing, and sharing knowledge to increase manager’s abilities to manage their teams.
• Stay current on employment law, ER practices and trends.
• Track and interpret trends in employee relations to proactively identify issues and develop training and other interventions and solutions.
• Promote the Company’s Culture and policies.
• Minimum of 12 – 20 years’ experience in HR with at least 10 years exposure to Employee Relations functions
• ER leader will be a subject matter expert of Employee Relations of UK&I, Germany, France, Benelux, NORDICS, Switzerland. Exposure to Eastern Europe will be an added advantage
• Strong team player who enjoys a fast paced, evolving international environment and who is proactive, assertive, decisive, and resilient.
• A key capability is the ability to understand the global business context and to be able to do practical, risk-based decisions that drive business outcomes based on solid employment law knowledge and experience, process improvement mindset and key understanding of HR matters.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills
• Experience in dealing with conflict resolution
• Ability to adapt quickly to a changing environment
• Coaching and Influencing skills.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office skills (Outlook, Excel, Word, PPT etc.)