Employee Relations Manager (EMEA)

Clio; Ireland; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid model

Equitable compensation

Company equity

RRSP matching

Wellness programs

Paid time off

Parental leave

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Clio is seeking an experienced Employee Relations expert to lead the EMEA ER framework, adapting it to local laws across Spain, UK, Ireland, and beyond. This first-of-its-kind role offers high autonomy and a regional caseload across multiple jurisdictions.

You will conduct investigations, coach people leaders, manage relationships with employee representatives, and drive compliance programs such as equality plans and harassment protocols while aligning with global standards.

Qualifications

• 6–8 years of progressive experience in Employee Relations across multiple countries.
• Strong knowledge of Spanish labour law and works councils.
• Experience leading investigations and coaching managers on disciplinary matters.

Responsibilities

• Own EMEA ER caseload end-to-end, including intake, investigation, resolution and documentation.
• Lead workplace investigations with impartial findings and recommendations.
• Advise and coach people leaders on disciplinary processes, grievances, and performance management.
• Develop and govern compliance programs (Equality Plan, harassment protocol, whistleblowing).
• Collaborate with Legal and outside counsel to mitigate risk and ensure regulatory adherence.

Skills

Employee Relations

Spanish labour relations

Workplace investigations

Coaching managers

Policy development

Education

Degree in Employment Law / Labour Relations

Post-graduate specialization in Employment Law

Job description

• This role is Clio’s dedicated Employee Relations expert in EMEA
• It delivers the global ER framework in the EMEA context — adapting it where local law requires and feeding regional case trends back into global policy. It is a first-of-its-kind ER role for Clio in EMEA and carries high autonomy
• Own the EMEA Employee Relations caseload — run ER matters end to end across EMEA (Spain, UK, Ireland, and other EMEAlocations as Clio grows): intake, triage, investigation, resolution, and documentation for concerns spanning harassment, discrimination, misconduct, performance disputes, and policy violations
• Conduct workplace investigations — lead thorough, impartial, and legally sound investigations, including witness interviews, evidence assessment, and clear written findings and recommendations to stakeholders
• Advise and coach people leaders — act as the trusted advisor to managers and People Business Partners on disciplinary processes, grievances, performance management, accommodations, and terminations, always grounded in local law and Clio’s values
• Lead Spanish labour relations — own Clio’s relationship with employee representatives (Comité de Empresa / Delegados de Personal) and trade unions in Spain, including all legally required information and consultation processes, and the negotiation, interpretation, and ongoing administration of applicable Convenios Colectivos
• Govern EMEA people compliance programs — lead end-to-end delivery of mandatory obligations across the region, with a main focus on the Spanish group: Plan de Igualdad, salary audit and gender pay gap reporting, Protocol against Harassment, LGBTI+ Plan, and the whistleblowing channel
• Localise global ER frameworks — implement the global ER case management framework (intake channels, escalation paths, SLAs, documentation standards) in EMEA, adapting process and communications so they hold up legally and land appropriately with local employees and representative bodies, without fragmenting the global employee experience
• Own EMEA people policy — design, implement, and keep current the internal people policies and procedures applicable to EMEA, ensuring regional variants stay aligned to the single global framework as both evolve
• Monitor employment law and manage risk — proactively track EMEA employment and labour law developments, identify exposure areas, and build mitigation plans in partnership with Legal and outside counsel
• Build manager capability — design and deliver practical ER and labour compliance training for managers and the People team on investigation basics, difficult conversations, documentation standards, and the EMEA legal context
• Report insights — track EMEA ER and LR case data, cycle times, and outcomes; translate trends into recommendations for the Manager, Global Employee Relations, regional leadership, and the wider People team
• Independently assesses and manages day-to‑day ER cases across EMEA, determining the appropriate route (investigation, mediation, coaching, or formal action) and advising managers on outcomes without escalation for routine matters
• Owns the operational relationship with employee representatives and unions in Spain — setting negotiation positions, preparing consultation processes, and managing works council interactions with autonomy, while keeping the Manager, Global Employee Relations and regional leadership informed
• Determines the approach to mandatory EMEA compliance obligations (e.g. Plan de Igualdad timeline, LGBTI+ Protocol implementation), including sequencing, scope, and vendor or counsel engagement
• Decides when local law requires a departure from the global ER framework, and proposes the regional variant — with the global standard owned by the Manager, Global Employee Relations
• Escalates to the Manager, Global Employee Relations, People Leadership, and/or Legal for matters involving significant legal risk, collective action, major restructuring, executive‑level cases, privileged advice requirements, or formal proceedings before labour authorities
• Operates in a high‑ambiguity environment: this is a first‑of‑its‑kind ER role for Clio in EMEA, requiring the ability to build structures and frameworks where no local playbook exists
• Balances a genuinely regional caseload against deep single‑country obligations — must triage and prioritise across markets rather than defaulting to whichever matter is loudest
• Navigates complex multi‑entity, multi‑CBA environments: Clio’s Spanish group operates under multiple collective bargaining agreements with differing employee populations — this role holds that complexity while working toward harmonisation over time
• Anticipates regulatory change and labour market developments, translating them into actionable risk assessments and policy adjustments before issues arise
• Exercises strong judgment in balancing legal compliance, ER best practice, business continuity, and Clio’s people values — often under time pressure and with incomplete information

Benefits

• Specialized learning and development programs and access to an in‑house performance coach
• Equitable compensation for your contributions, regardless of gender, race, or any other identifying factor
• Access to pay transparency on all of our global roles
• Company equity for applicable employees
• RRSP‑matching in Canada, 401k in the US, and pension plans in Ireland
• Hybrid model – striking the right balance between the benefits of in person connectivity that in office brings, and the flexibility of remote
• Flexible paid time off (4‑week minimum with opportunities for personalization based on individual needs and achievements)
• Parental leave options for birthing and non‑birthing parents
• A $500 contribution to your child’s RESP
• Various health, dental, and vision benefits for you and your family, including an Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Virtual and In‑person Wellness Programs to support mental and physical health
• Paid time for volunteering through our Clio Gives program
• $2000 annual counseling benefit for CAD Clions

Discretion and composure — sound judgment handling confidential, sensitive, and high‑stakes informationCollective engagement skill — credible and constructive at the table with works councils and unions, able to hold a firm position while protecting a long‑term working relationshipSpanish labour relations depth — Estatuto de los Trabajadores, Convenios Colectivos, Comités de Empresa, equality legislation, and the compliance obligations triggered by the 50‑employee thresholdTranslation and influence — turns complex legal requirements into practical, business‑aligned guidance for non‑specialist managers and senior leaders, with autonomy in a matrixed environmentPolicy authorship — able to write clear, legally defensible policy and process from scratch, not only apply what existsHands‑on ER practice — workplace investigations, disciplinary and grievance procedures, performance management, and audit‑ready documentation across multiple jurisdictionsMulti‑jurisdictional EMEA employment law fluency — statutory dismissal and notice regimes, consultation obligations, protected characteristics and discrimination frameworks, and the practical differences between markets (e.g. Spanish just‑cause dismissal versus UK statutory unfair dismissal process)Preferred: post‑graduate specialisation or certification in Employment Law, Labour Law, or HR compliance (Master’s, LLM, CIPD, or equivalent)Degree in Employment Law, Labour Relations, Human Resources, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience demonstrating deep ER and employment law expertise is also consideredDemonstrated experience managing or negotiating with employee representatives and/or trade unions in SpainHands‑on experience creating and governing mandatory compliance programs (Equality Plan, LGBTI+ Protocol, harassment protocol, whistleblowing channel, or equivalents)Working knowledge of employment law fundamentals across multiple EMEAlocations, and comfort partnering with outside counsel to fill gaps in jurisdictions where Clio has smaller populationsDemonstrated experience leading workplace investigations independently, from intake through resolution and written findingsTrack record of coaching and influencing managers and senior leaders through ambiguous, sensitive, or emotionally charged situations6–8 years of progressive experience in Employee Relations, Labour Relations, Employment Law, or HR Compliance, including meaningful time supporting ER across more than one countryExcellent written and verbal communication in English (working language with the global People team and leadership)Deep expertise in Spanish labour law: Estatuto de los Trabajadores, collective bargaining framework (Convenios Colectivos), works council regulations (Comités de Empresa), equality legislation, and recent regulatory developmentsExperience authoring and iterating ER/HR policy from scratch, including piloting changes and incorporating stakeholder feedbackComfort operating with high autonomy in a fast‑paced, distributed, matrixed environment — building the process as much as running itProfessional or native proficiency in Spanish — strongly preferred given the works council, CBA, and compliance elements of the roleExperience in technology, SaaS, or LegalTech, particularly high‑growth or post‑acquisition integration environmentsFamiliarity with a globally distributed People function where the regional ER specialist is the primary local expertExposure to ER matters in EMEA markets beyond Spain — particularly the UK and Ireland