Interim Employee Relations Specialist – (6-12 Month FTC)
Department: People Team
Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract
Location: London, England, United Kingdom; Birmingham, England, United Kingdom; Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Reporting To: Chief People Officer
Description
Contract type: 6-12 Month Fixed Term Contract
Hours: 37.5 per week
Salary: Up to £82,000 depending on experience
Location: Birmingham, Leeds, or London
Work pattern: Hybrid – 2 days per week in the office
Flexible working: Options such as compressed 9‑day fortnight, subject to line manager approval
Reports to: Chief People Officer
Note: We may close the advert early if we receive a high volume of applications.
Role Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled Employee Relations specialist to transform and professionalise ER practice across our organisation. This role is essential in establishing a consistent, high‑quality ER case management framework, reducing the volume and complexity of live cases, and strengthening our capability across the People team and wider management population.
Operating at a senior level, you will lead the development of ER processes, guidance, informal resolution approaches, and reporting. You will not be acting as an HR Generalist or leading large‑scale consultations (e.g. TUPE or redundancy). Instead, this is a specialist ER leadership role, focused on building systems, capability, and standards.
The role provides functional leadership on ER standards and uplift, without direct line management responsibility for the HRBP team.
Key Responsibilities
ER Strategy, Frameworks & Case Management
* Lead the design and implementation of a robust, professionalised ER case management framework, including governance, risk controls, documentation standards, and quality assurance.
* Introduce and embed effective informal and early‑resolution approaches to reduce case volumes and support constructive conflict resolution.
* Develop and maintain standardised ER toolkits, templates, guidance, and manager training to drive consistency, compliance, and high‑quality decision‑making.
* Oversee and monitor all ER casework, ensuring timely progress and effective escalation routes.
Capability Building & Leadership
* Provide functional (dotted‑line) leadership to HR Business Partners on ER best practice and professional standards.
* Train, coach, and mentor HR colleagues and line managers to build capability, confidence, and improved judgement in handling ER matters.
* Drive a culture of continuous improvement in ER practice, service standards, and manager accountability.
ER Insights & Reporting
* Establish and deliver clear ER data dashboards and trend reporting to identify risks, emerging themes, and opportunities for early intervention.
* Use data to inform strategic recommendations and preventative action plans.
HR Transformation Support
* Collaborate closely with the People Operations team on defining ER and workflow requirements for our new HRIS.
* Support vendor evaluation and process design (experience of payroll transformation or outsourced payroll provision is helpful but not essential).
* Contribute to strengthening core HR operational standards and “brilliant basics,” including policy clarity, data quality, and case tracking.
Skills Knowledge and Expertise
Essential
* Advanced, specialist ER expertise, with a track record of managing high‑risk, sensitive, and complex ER matters.
* Proven experience designing and implementing ER case management frameworks, governance, and quality assurance standards.
* Strong coaching skills, with the ability to uplift ER capability across a dispersed People team and management population.
* Excellent judgement with the ability to balance legal, cultural, operational, and reputational considerations.
* Strong understanding of informal resolution practices and modern approaches to early intervention.
* Highly data‑literate, capable of interpreting ER trends and using insights to drive action.
* Experience working at or alongside HRBP level within a complex organisation.
* CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent experience).
Desirable
* Experience contributing to HRIS selection, workflow design, or implementation.
* Exposure to payroll transformation or outsourced payroll provision.
* Previous line management experience.
Employee Benefits
As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. Key benefits that may be available depending on the role include:
* Annual performance based bonus, up to 10%
* 25 days annual leave, plus eight bank holidays
* Up to 8% pension contribution
* Financial support and time off for study relevant to your role, plus a professional membership subscription
* Employee referral scheme (up to £1500), and colleague recognition scheme
* Family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity leave and shared parental leave
* Free, confidential employee assistance, including financial management, family care, mental health, and on‑call GP service
* Three paid volunteering days a year
* Season ticket loan and cycle to work schemes
* Family savings on days out and English Heritage, gym discounts, cash back and discounts at selected retailers
* Employee resource groups
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