Senior ER Consultant

M&G; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

M&G is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Consultant to provide expert guidance on employee relations and ensure compliance with legal standards. In this role, you will resolve workplace issues and support organizational change initiatives across the UK and Europe. Your expertise will be crucial in fostering a positive work environment and managing transformation processes, all while ensuring adherence to HR best practices.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Workplace accommodations available

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of UK employment laws and HR best practices.
• Experience of managing and resolving conflict.
• Experience in change management and large scale organisational transformation.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice on employee relations issues and ensure compliance.
• Support managers in handling sensitive employee matters.
• Lead formal consultation processes with employee bodies.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Conflict Resolution

Negotiation

Coaching

Education

Strong knowledge of UK employment laws

Experience of managing conflict

Experience in change management

Job description

At M&G our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. As an international savings and investments business with roots stretching back more than 170 years, we offer a range of financial products and services through Asset Management, Life and Wealth. All three operating segments work together to deliver attractive financial outcomes for our clients, and superior shareholder returns.

Through our behaviours of telling it like it is, owning it now, and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

Role Title:

Senior ER Consultant – Asset Management

The Role:

The Senior Employee Relations Consultant is responsible for providing expert advice and guidance on employee relations matters, ensuring compliance with employment laws, policies and best practices. You will work closely with managers and employees to resolve workplace issues, foster a positive work environment, and mitigate risks related to employment disputes. You will also act as the employee relations specialist supporting the implementation and delivery of organisational change and transformation, including acquisitions and outsourcing/insourcing activities across the UK and Europe. You will provide advice on diverse and complex employee relations matters in relation to transformation such as working with managers and relevant HR departments to create and develop the most pragmatic and risk managed processes.

Key Responsibilities:

ER Case Advice

• Provide expert advice on employee relations issues, including grievances, disciplinary, absence, performance management and workplace disputes.
• Support managers in handling sensitive employee matters while ensuring fairness and legal compliance.
• Provide support and advice to investigating and hearing managers, to ensure a fair and consistent approach.
• When required, facilitate employee relations investigations (performance, sickness absence management, conduct, grievance,anti-harassment, employment conditions).
• Work in partnership with external (and on occasion internal) legal counsel on any employee litigation.

Change and Transformation

• ER expert for any restructuring; acquisitions; outsourcing/insourcing and off shoring initiatives under the direction of the Head of ER.
• Partner with HRBP’s and other COE’s in relation to ingoing and outgoing TUPE’s for T&C’s review, policy analysis and consultation purposes.
• Liaise with M&A, Integration teams, HR Operations, payroll and HRBPs to achieve the best possible integration plan and delivery.
• Complete and support due diligence activity such as reviewing HR policies and processes to identify gaps and areas of improvement, audit legal documentation such as contracts of employment and make recommendations to update.
• Provide a country view and guidance on respective local requirements with regards to global projects, initiatives and policies.
• Advise the business on the people impact of transformation progammes, ensuring fair and transparent change processes.
• Work closely with the COO Transformation Team to ensure a seamless end to end transformation process for all impacted colleagues.
• Lead formal consultation processes as and when required with collective employee bodies ie Unite and Colleague Forum.
• Undertake and/or support designated Employee Relations projects/initiatives as directed by the Head of Employee Relations.

Policy Development and Implementation

• To research, develop and execute HR policies for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
• Conduct benchmarking studies and internal feedback reviews and update policies and processes accordingly.
• With the support of the ER Advisor, ensure HR processes and toolkits are aligned with any change of policy.
• Stay up to date with employment law and sector trends, ensuring HR policies remain legally compliant and fit for purpose

Conflict Resolution and Mediation

• Provide coaching to managers on effective conflict resolution techniques.
• Facilitating conversations between managers and colleagues as part of our early resolution framework.

Training and Employee Engagement

• Enhancing ER capabilities among managers and HR Business Partners and other HR stakeholders through training, coaching, and partnership.
• Support employee engagement initiatives to promote a positive work culture.

Case Management & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of employee relations cases, including investigations, resolutions and follow ups.
• Prepare reports on trends, risks and key employee relations metrics for your relevant business area.

Compliance and Legal Guidance

• Ensure adherence to employment law, company policies and industry best practices.
• Stay up to date with employment laws and recommend necessary policy updates.
• Assist with audits, compliance checks and Speak Out queries and investigations related to employment matters.

Your Skills:

• Strong knowledge of UK employment laws and HR best practices as well as an awareness of local labour law and regulations across Europe (experience of other European countries would be desirable).
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and listening skills.
• Experience of managing and resolving conflict.
• Experience of coaching a broad range of stakeholders on a broad spectrum of HR matters.
• Experience in change management and large scale organisational transformation.
• Experience of communicating effectively with a broad range of stakeholders whilst juggling competing priorities and demands.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive issues with discretion.
• Experience of recognising employment related risk and demonstrating a track record of appropriate escalation.
• Demonstrated ability to develop creative and innovative solutions to both ER and business issues.
• Strong negotiation, judgment and influencing skills.
• Experience in conducting investigations and writing reports.
• Demonstrated success in collaborating and negotiating with employee representative bodies and Staff Delegation.
• Experience in working within global organization and matrix structures would be beneficial.

Recruiter : Martyn Jack

Closing Date - 25th June 2025

We have a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture at M&G plc, underpinned by our policies and our employee-led networks who provide networking opportunities, advice and support for the diverse communities our colleagues represent. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or long term condition, we are looking to attract, promote and retain exceptional people. We also welcome those who take part in military service and those returning from career breaks.

M&G is also proud to be a Disability Confident Leader , and we welcome applications from candidates with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or neuro-divergent conditions. Being a Disability Confident Leader means that candidates who meet the minimum criteria of a job, will be offered an interview if they 'opt in' to the scheme when applying.

Ifyou need assistanceor an alternative means of applying for a role due to a disability or additional need,pleaselet usknow by contacting us at: [e-mail]