Senior Employee Relations Manager

Addleshaw Goddard; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm is seeking to hire a strategic advisor to shape and implement their employee relations strategy in Manchester. The ideal candidate will have expertise in UK employment law, experience with complex HR cases, and the ability to influence senior leadership. This role offers the opportunity to work within a collaborative HR function committed to fostering an inclusive culture and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience with UK Employment law and complex cases.
• Ability to work autonomously and influence stakeholders.
• Familiarity with international law is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as trusted advisor to senior leaders.
• Lead workplace investigations and manage long-term absence cases.
• Review and implement employee relations policies.

Skills

UK Employment law expertise

CIPD qualification

Complex case management

Discretion and confidentiality

Analytical skills

Education

Graduate calibre

Job description

This role is responsible for shaping and implementing the firm’s employee relations strategy at a strategic level, supporting business objectives and fostering a high-performance, inclusive culture. The role offers significant influence within a collaborative HR function, partnering with senior leadership to drive continuous improvement, operational excellence, and sustainable employee engagement.

You will join a globally connected HR Group which is spread across our London, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Dubai, Dublin and Warsaw offices. The teams include Resourcing, Early Careers Learning and Development, Reward, HR Operations HR Business Partnering and Responsible Business.

This firmwide position is closely aligned with the HR Business Partnering team, working collaboratively with HR, key stakeholders, and business partners to provide guidance, support, and coaching. AG’s commitment to continual improvement and innovation makes this role integral to driving firm performance, efficiency, and project delivery.

What You'll Do

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, supporting employee relations strategy and mitigating business risk.
• Lead workplace investigations (conduct, grievance, or whistleblowing).
• Partner with global HR and senior leaders to ensure consistent ER practices internationally.
• Interpret changing UK and EMEA employment legislation, providing relevant updates to the HR team.
• Lead development, review, and implementation of employee relations policies and procedures, ensuring legal compliance and alignment with the firm's cultural values.
• Design and deliver leadership training to enhance managerial capabilities and foster a culture of accountability and high performance.
• Manage long-term absence cases and advise on daily HR matters, maintaining accurate records.
• Continuously review and improve practices to address long-term issues.
• Support HRBPs and line managers through change programmes and restructures, minimising disruption

Who We're Looking For

• preferably of graduate calibre; CIPD qualification a plus but not essential.
• Expert in UK Employment law, with practical experience.
• Skilled in complex cases (Tribunals, TUPE, organisational change); with international law experience (Europe, Middle East, Asia) a plus.
• Absolute discretion, confidentiality, and diplomacy.
• Able to analyse trends, question practices, and implement improvements.
• Prior experience at a similar level, ideally in professional services or a fast-paced environment.
• Works autonomously, builds trusted relationships, and influences senior stakeholders.

Why Choose Us?

Addleshaw Goddard is a place where you are not just valued but encouraged to reach your full potential. Our culture promotes improvement, growth, and collaboration, making us the natural choice for top-tier clients. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees.

Interested? If this role sounds like your next career step, we'd love to hear from you. Click the Apply button to view the full role profile on our website and start your application!