Employee Relations Specialist in Manchester

Employee Relations Specialist

FTC: 4th August 2025 – 5th October 2026 (this may be extended)

Manchester: £46,358 – £53,980

Smart Hybrid Working – 2 days a week in the office

Can you shape a workplace where people thrive?
Imagine influencing the employee experience at a national education charity by guiding leaders through complex employee relations with confidence and empathy. At AQA, we\’re looking for an Employee Relations Specialist who combines expert knowledge with a pragmatic approach to deliver fair, consistent, and values-led outcomes. If you thrive on problem-solving and empowering others this role is for you.

Make a meaningful impact, every day.
At AQA, we don\’t just handle employee relations we influence culture, enhance management capability, and ensure our people are treated fairly and consistently. As an ER Specialist, you\’ll support high-stakes, complex ER matters while coaching managers, refining policy, and shaping a healthy ER climate. Join a collaborative, purpose-led People Group that supports over 1,000 employees with compassion and professionalism.

What\’s in it for you?

• Enjoy a flexible work environment with a 35-hour week and extensive opportunities for professional and personal development.
• Access to an enhanced contributory pension scheme which could you see you paying in 7% and AQA contributing 11.5% (Other options are available)
• Receive 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas office closure.

What you\’ll be doing and what you\’ll need to succeed:
You\’ll work closely with managers, legal partners, and employee reps to solve complex ER challenges, manage Employment Tribunal cases, and help shape policy and training. Your knowledge of UK employment law and passion for delivering fair outcomes will shine in this fast-paced, values-driven environment.

You\’ll need to bring:

• Deep ER expertise and strong employment law knowledge
• MCIPD or equivalent experience
• Proven ability to manage sensitive ER cases with discretion and confidence
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Experience working with unions or employee forums would be beneficial

How do I apply?

Click the apply link on our careers site and submit your CV along with a covering letter that includes an example of the most complex employee relations case you have managed. This should highlight your approach, the outcome, and how you balanced risk, values, and business needs. We look forward to hearing from you!

Closing date for applications will be Thursday 12th June. First stage interviews will be held by MS Teams on Wednesday 18th June. Second stage interviews will be F2F at our Manchester office on Tuesday 24th June.

AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

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