Employee Relations Manager

Employee Relations Manager

Northern England / Hybrid

£65,000 + Car Allowance + Bonus + Excellent Benefits

Employee Relations can mean many things.

For some businesses, it’s largely case management, policy interpretation and the occasional complex issue.

This isn’t one of those roles.

We’re supporting a large, multi-site organisation in the search for an experienced Employee Relations Manager to lead and shape their ER agenda across the UK and Ireland.

With a workforce of approximately 2,500 employees and a strong union presence, this role requires someone who understands that successful employee relations are about much more than managing issues as they arise. It’s about building credible relationships, influencing stakeholders, navigating complexity and creating partnerships that support both colleagues and the wider business.

Reporting directly to the HR Director, you’ll take ownership of the organisation’s collective employee relations strategy, whilst leading a team of ER Advisors responsible for day to day case management activity.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading relationships with recognised trade unions and employee representatives across the business.
• Managing national collective bargaining activity and supporting local negotiations where required.
• Developing and delivering the employee relations strategy in line with wider business objectives.
• Providing expert guidance to senior leaders on complex ER matters.
• Supporting organisational change, consultation and transformation activity.
• Leading, coaching and developing a team of Employee Relations Advisors.
• Ensuring policies, processes and agreements remain compliant, effective and aligned to business needs.
• Building trusted relationships across operational and leadership teams to drive positive employee outcomes.

What we’re looking for

This is a specialist Employee Relations position, so we’re looking for more than generalist HR experience.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Significant Employee Relations experience within a unionised environment.
• Experience of collective bargaining and trade union negotiations.
• The ability to think strategically about employee relations and the commercial impact of strong industrial relations.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships across operational businesses.
• Previous leadership experience, including managing and developing ER or HR teams.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment legislation and employee relations best practice.

Experience gained within logistics, distribution, manufacturing, transport, retail, utilities or other highly operational environments would be particularly valuable.

Why consider this opportunity?

This is a genuinely influential role within the HR leadership team, offering the chance to shape employee relations strategy across a sizeable and complex organisation.

You’ll work closely with an experienced HR Director, lead an established team and have the opportunity to make a real impact during an important period for the business.

In return, you’ll receive:

• Salary of c.£65,000
• Car allowance
• Bonus opportunity
• Competitive pension
• Enhanced holiday entitlement
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Flexible hybrid working

Most importantly, you’ll join a business that values strong employee relationships and understands the role effective ER plays in long-term organisational success.

If you’re an experienced Employee Relations specialist looking for a role where you can influence strategy as well as delivery, we’d love to hear from you.