Head of Employee Relations

The Role

The Head of Employee Relations will define and lead our global approach to employee relations and performance management. Combining strategic leadership with operational expertise, the role will ensure employee matters are handled consistently, fairly and within applicable legal requirements. The role will build effective relationships with works councils and other employee representative bodies and partner closely with senior leaders, People teams and employment lawyers.  

Responsibilities 

Employee Relations and Performance Management strategy and governance 

• Define and implement the organisation’s employee relations and performance management strategy, principles and operating model.
• Define the organisation’s approach to performance management, including the effective management of underperformance.
• Establish clear, practical policies, processes and templates for performance concerns, grievances, disciplinary matters and other employee relations cases.
• Provide senior oversight and advice on complex, sensitive or high-risk cases.
• Help managers address concerns early, set clear expectations and reach fair, proportionate outcomes.
• Ensure practices are applied consistently while accommodating local legal requirements.
• Identify recurring themes and recommend preventative or organisation-wide action.
• Partner with relevant People teams to align employee relations and performance practices with the broader talent and reward strategy. 

Works Council and employee representation  

• Build constructive relationships with works councils, employee forums and other representative bodies.
• Define the organisation’s approach to engaging, informing and consulting with employee representatives.
• Advise leaders on consultation requirements, timelines and communications, particularly during organisational change.
• Support consultation and negotiation processes and ensure agreed actions are implemented.
• Build internal capability so that leaders and People teams engage with representative bodies confidently and consistently. 

Legal and risk management 

• Partner with in-house and external employment lawyers to ensure decisions and processes operate within applicable legal thresholds.
• Translate legal advice into clear and commercially practical recommendations.
• Monitor relevant employment law developments and update organisational practices where required.
• Identify and manage the legal, financial and reputational risks associated with employee matters. 

Leadership and capability 

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, People partners and Legal.
• Build manager and People-team capability through clear guidance, training and coaching.
• Establish appropriate case-management, governance and reporting standards.
• Use case data and employee insights to identify trends, risks and areas for improvement. 

What you bring

• Significant senior-level experience in employee relations, employment law, HR or a related discipline.
• Experience defining and implementing an employee relations strategy or operating model.
• Strong knowledge of performance management, investigations, disciplinary and grievance processes, organisational change and dispute resolution.
• Experience working with works councils, employee representatives or trade unions, ideally across multiple jurisdictions.
• Strong employment law knowledge and experience working with internal or external legal counsel.
• Sound judgement and the ability to balance legal risk, employee experience, organisational values and commercial priorities.
• Strong influencing, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Comfortable working both strategically and hands-on with complex cases.
• Experience leading a team or specialist function is desirable. 

What success looks like

• Employee relations and performance matters are handled consistently, fairly and efficiently.
• Managers and People teams have clear, practical guidance and tools.
• Works council and employee representative relationships are constructive and well managed.
• Legal and organisational risks are identified early and managed appropriately.
• Employee relations insights lead to meaningful improvements across the organisation. 

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