UK & Ireland Employee Relations Associate Director in London

We are seeking a UK & Ireland Employee Relations Associate Director – a senior, strategic leader and subject matter expert responsible for shaping and delivering employee relations strategy across the UK and Ireland. Operating as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, this role owns end–to–end ER processes, anticipates emerging workforce risks, and develops innovative, compliant solutions aligned to business objectives. The role delivers impact at functional, market, and business–unit level and is sought out for expertise on complex, high–risk, or precedent–setting ER matters.

Role Overview

• Extensive Employee Relations experience within the UK and Ireland, including strong expertise in local employment law and practice.
• Proven track record of managing complex, high–risk ER cases and leading ER strategy in large or matrixed organisations.
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders.
• Strong experience leading complex projects and driving organisational change.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Business Impact
  • Serve as a company thought leader and functional SME for Employee Relations across the UK and Ireland.
  • Partner with senior leaders to influence and shape business, workforce, and people strategies.
  • Participate in the development of market–level and site–level business strategy, translating ER insights into actionable plans.
  • Develop and manage ER business plans aligned to organisational and operational objectives.
  • Lead large, complex, and high–impact initiatives with segment–wide or market–wide influence.
• Employee Relations & Risk Management
  • Own end–to–end ER processes, ensuring consistency, scalability, and compliance with UK and Irish employment legislation.
  • Act as the primary escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high–risk ER issues.
  • Anticipate employee and organisational needs and proactively develop solutions to mitigate risk and improve outcomes.
  • Authorise deviations from ER standards and frameworks where business needs require expert judgement.
  • Identify and resolve technical, operational, and organisational challenges beyond immediate teams or functions.
• Innovation & Thought Leadership
  • Develop pioneering and innovative approaches to emerging employee relations trends and challenges.
  • Predict emerging employee and stakeholder needs and design forward–looking solutions.
  • Perform complex conceptual and analytical assessments to inform ER strategy, policy, and practice.
  • Translate highly complex concepts into clear, actionable guidance for leaders at all levels.
• Influence & Stakeholder Management
  • Influence senior leadership to adopt new ideas, practices, and approaches in employee relations.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor on organisational change, conflict resolution, and compliance issues.
  • Provide expert input on decisions impacting entire functions, sites, or internal customer groups.
• Leadership, Governance & Capability Building
  • Provide leadership to and accountability for managers and/or senior professional staff, where applicable.
  • Review the work of others, providing strategic challenge and recommendations for improvement.
  • Mentor and develop ER professionals, building capability and bench strength.
  • Forecast and plan resource requirements to meet current and future ER demand.
  • Lead cross–functional, functional, or segment–wide teams or projects as required.

Scope & Impact

Impact is typically at operational, local market, or business–unit level, with potential for segment–wide influence. Decisions and recommendations may significantly affect entire functions, sites, or internal customer groups and are delivered with a high degree of autonomy.