Job Details

Employee Relations Manager

Sector:HR & Training

Region : Greater London

Location: East London

Salary: £54,000 - £64,000

Job Ref.: GHGER5623

Job Information

I am currently recruiting for an experience Employee Relations Manager to join a organisation based in East London.

The Employee Relations (ER) Manager is a senior “specialist/strategic lead” role, being a member of the HR Leadership Team and working most closely with the HR Business Managers, although working directly with senior managers on national issues. The job holder has no line management responsibilities.

The successful candidate will have extensive experience of Employee Relations and will have worked in a similar HR Management position ideally within either the Public, Retail, Manufacturing or Leisure Sector.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The provision and maintenance of up-to-date, user-friendly, compliant HR policies, procedures, guidelines and other HR documents;
• Monitoring and analysing Employee Relations (ER) activity and planning initiatives to address issues;
• Providing high-level ER advice to HR Business Partners and other senior HR colleagues;
• Leading a programme to develop managers’ people management skills.
• The ER Manager is additionally responsible for ER strategy and for overseeing the successful resolution of case-work within defined timescales, ensuring fairness and consistency.
• Contribute to the Human Resources function by designing, developing and implementing an ER strategy that supports the organisations objectives and ensures HR colleagues meet their objectives.
• Work with HR colleagues and senior managers across the business to ensure adherence to organisational values; to promote diversity and inclusion and to further trust, respect and fairness into everyday practice between employees and the organisation.
• Full responsibility for all documents on the HR Information Management System (IMS) including those owned by other HR Heads/Leads, to include developing and maintaining HR policies, procedures, guidelines and other contractual/legal documents for use by staff, managers and HR colleagues.
• Effectively communicate new legislation, updated policy and guidance across the organisation and, where necessary, ensure training is disseminated across the organisation, tailored to the appropriate ‘audience’.
• Track employee relations plans/strategy against agreed metrics and propose recommendations for improvement.
• Monitor trends in employment practices and advise on appropriate proactive action.
• Develop the capacity of line managers to manage ER problems locally, working closely with the Head of L&D, to develop managers’ management styles to foster positive working relationships with employees and to minimise the occurrence of line management problems and issues.
• To coach and develop managers to be competent and consistent in their execution of HR policies and procedures, eg to encourage them to deal with problems informally, wherever possible, rather than allowing situations to escalate.
• Train mangers to conduct investigations and handle hearings as necessary.
• Effective overview of case management of people-related issues, advising and supporting primarily HR Business Partners on ER issues such as: disciplinary, grievance, sickness absence and capability cases, where appropriate setting target timescales for resolution. The professional advice provided by the ER Manager to HR Business Partners will enable them to apply and/or convey the advice to other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Drive and oversee all employee relations initiatives across the organisation including TUPEs; proposed changes to business structures; centre openings and closures and changes to structures and roles.
• Provide accurate, timely information and support primarily to HR Business Partners, but also to managers and HR colleagues who are managing conflict situations and/or leading negotiations.
• Where necessary, lead key consultation/negotiation meetings with representatives/trade unions etc.
• Foster constructive working relationships with trade unions and lead collective consultations, seeking to identify ways to overcome barriers to change (from both the management and trade union perspectives).
• Wherever possible, adopt an independent stand between the organisation and trade unions to constructively challenge both parties to modernise and improve working practices.
• Work with HR Business Partners, and other HR colleagues to encourage open and honest conversations between individuals and managers.
• Work with HR Business Partners, HR colleagues and Head of L&D to focus on training interventions to enhance constructive and honest communications between employees and managers.


SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• MCIPD, Master’s degree in HR, and MBA or other relevant advanced degree
• Comprehensive and current knowledge of UK (and key EU employment law) plus significant case-law
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Experience of planning, developing and leading the full range of ER change management programmes including: organisational restructures, TUPE transfers, and redeployment and redundancy exercises.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders.
• The ability to work at both a strategic and operational level.
• Up-to-date, proven experience of managing disciplinary, grievance and absence management and other complex employee relations case work.
• The ability to produce results to demanding deadlines and work on a number of key issues simultaneously.
• Ability to innovate and find creative and practical solutions to complex problems and to exploit new opportunities.
• Able to assess potential problems and make sound judgments around issues that may have an adverse effect on the business from an ER perspective.
• Strong people management skills, gained through managing and developing a team(s).
• Strong project management skills.
• Sensitive people management skills: a high level of emotional intelligence; excellent interpersonal skills; a wide understanding of people issues.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate at all levels.
• Excellent MS Office skills.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.
• Strong communication skills with credibility and the ability to influence, persuade and interact across all levels of management.


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