Head of HR / Employee Relations, Europe & Middle East

Acorn Care and Education; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education provider is seeking a Head of HR / Employee Relations for Europe & Middle East. The role involves developing employee relations strategies, overseeing compliance during mergers, and advising on complex HR issues. With a hybrid work model based in Manchester, this position offers competitive benefits and a commitment to employee wellbeing.

Benefits

Life Assurance

Pension scheme

Mental health support

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Employee discounts

Cycle to Work Schemes

Electric Car Purchase Scheme

Qualifications

• Experience across multiple European and Middle Eastern jurisdictions.
• Ability to manage sensitive and commercially pragmatic ER matters.
• Demonstrated expertise in post-acquisition ER integration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the ER strategy for the region.
• Lead the people-related workstream during M&A due diligence.
• Advise business leaders on complex performance matters.
• Maintain and update regional HR policies.
• Partner with legal teams to mitigate people-related risks.

Skills

Extensive employee relations experience

Expertise in M&A due diligence

Deep understanding of employment law

Strong coaching and advisory skills

Experience in regulated environments

Managing high-risk, complex ER cases

Job description

Overview

We’re reimagining work/life balance – and you could be part of it. At OFG, we’re proud to be part of the 4-Day Working Week trial – a bold step toward giving our teams more time to recharge, refresh, and enjoy life outside of work.

That means you could be working 80% of your usual hours, while still earning 100% of your pay. If the trial proves successful, we’ll roll out the 4DWW across the Group – making now the perfect time to join #TeamOFG and help shape the future of work.

Job Title: Head of HR / Employee Relations, Europe & Middle East
Salary: TBC
Location: Hybrid Manchester- (2 days in office per week)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

Job Purpose:
As Outcomes First Group (OFG) enters an exciting period of growth and international expansion, this role will play a critical part in shaping the Group’s organisational resilience by leading and delivering the employee relations strategy and operations across Europe and the Middle East. Combining strategic influence with deep technical expertise, the postholder will ensure legal compliance, effective case management, and proactive risk mitigation, while directly managing complex ER issues in a regulated, multi-site environment. They will bring both knowledge and delivery capability to support leaders with practical solutions, alongside playing a key role in M&A due diligence and post-acquisition people risk management. Against the backdrop of OFG’s strong reputation as a leading provider of specialist and inclusive education, supporting over 6,500 children and young people across more than 90 schools, the role will embed consistent ER practices, strengthen organisational capability, and enable the Group to deliver on its vision of building incredible futures for children and young people worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Employee Relations Leadership – Develop and deliver the ER strategy for the region, ensuring consistent application of policies and alignment with local labour laws.
• M&A Due Diligence – Lead the people-related workstream during due diligence, assessing employment liabilities, contractual obligations, and workforce risks.
• Post-Acquisition Compliance – Oversee ER aspects of integration, including TUPE/transfer processes, works council engagement, and collective agreements.
• Case Management – Advise and coach business leaders on complex disciplinary, grievance, and performance matters, ensuring fairness and compliance.
• Policy Governance – Maintain and update regional HR policies and procedures, ensuring they meet local legal requirements and best practice standards.
• Regulatory Compliance – Partner with legal and compliance teams to mitigate people-related risks in regulated settings.
• Stakeholder Partnership – Build strong working relationships with business leaders, legal teams, and employee representatives to enable effective resolution of people matters.

What we're looking for

• Extensive employee relations experience across multiple European and Middle Eastern jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated expertise in M&A due diligence and post-acquisition ER integration.
• Deep understanding of employment law, TUPE, and collective bargaining.
• Strong coaching and advisory skills for senior leaders.
• Experience in regulated, multi-site environments, ideally in education, healthcare, or similar sectors.
• Ability to manage high-risk, complex ER cases in a sensitive and commercially pragmatic way.

Why join Outcomes First Group?

About the Group

Outcomes First Group is the largest independent provider of high quality special needs education and care. We are a vital part of local communities in England, Scotland and Wales with a renowned reputation for quality and positive outcomes for the people we educate and care for.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Our divisional brands include Acorn Education, Options Autism, Blenheim Schools and Momenta Connect.

Benefits

• Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.
• And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks.

All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Please note: 4DWW is subject to successful completion of your probation period and is not a contractual benefit.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.