Employee Relations Specialist

This job is with Canada Life UK, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation. Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903.

We are looking for an experienced Employee Relations Specialist to join our People Services division in Watford. You will be a trusted expert for ER casework and change activity, helping leaders and HR colleagues to manage employee relations matters confidently, fairly and in line with our policies and regulatory responsibilities.

The opportunity

• Provide specialist ER advice on day-to-day case management, including grievance, disciplinary, absence and performance and change management matters.
• Support People Relations Partners and operational leaders across Canada Life UK, acting as the first point of escalation for BAU ER issues.
• Help support our evolving People Services operating model to build ER expertise in the function and people management capability in the business.
• Contribute to People Leader training initiatives that promote confident, independent management of absence, performance and conflict management.
• Work on defined caseloads and action plans that address areas of concern, helping to drive improved outcomes for colleagues and the business.
• Escalate more complex or higher risk matters to the Employee Relations Partner in a timely and well-judged way.
• You will be seen as an SME and trusted adviser, taking a calm, measured and commercial approach to ER activity and fostering a collaborative, supportive culture.

What you'll do

• Build strong relationships within the ER and People Relations Partners community and across People Services, earning credibility as a subject matter expert.
• Act as an escalation point for People Relations Partners on ER cases, ensuring objectives are clear, deadlines are met and developmental support is provided.
• Maintain and support the improving ER processes and supporting legislative compliance, including input to policy updates and process improvements.
• Support change programmes across Canada Life UK, working with ER and PRP colleagues on CL and PS change projects, including organisational change activity.
• Ensure accurate ER data capture in the ER case tracker, supporting regulatory and internal reporting and helping to identify trends and themes that require action.
• Support external relationships with providers such as occupational health and outplacement services to support internal processes.
• Collaborate with Learning to deliver refresher training on People Policies and to build management confidence in handling ER matters.
• Help ensure that ER activity is controlled, monitored and reported in line with our risk management programmes and regulatory requirements.

What you'll bring to the role

• Experience in an operational HR Generalist / Adviser role with a strong ER focus, or in a dedicated ER Specialist role.
• Proven background managing ER casework, including grievance, disciplinary, absence and performance management.
• Experience supporting organisational change projects, particularly redundancy processes end to end.
• Experience working within an HR / ER team in a financial services or professional services environment would be desirable.
• A commercial, pragmatic approach to ER, engaging confidently with People Leaders and helping to find creative, fair solutions to people matters.

Qualifications

• Essential: Educated to degree level.
• Desirable: Workplace Mediation OCN accreditation.
• Desirable: CIPD qualified.

Your skills and behaviours

• Build strong, cross functional relationships and collaborate effectively.
• Communicate clearly and logically, adapting your style to different audiences.
• Show sound judgement in problem solving and decision making, especially in complex situations.
• Plan and organise effectively, managing a variety of assignments and prioritising key issues.
• Maintain a mature, constructive and professional presence, even in challenging circumstances.
• Demonstrate operational excellence, continuously improving processes and ways of working.
• Understand risk and regulatory requirements and take them into account in all ER activity.

Please apply with your CV and a short summary of your relevant ER / HR experience and qualifications.

Benefits of working at Canada Life

We believe in recognising and rewarding our people, so we offer a competitive salary and benefits package that's regularly reviewed. As a Canada Life UK colleague, you'll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including a generous pension and bonus scheme, along with income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance. We have a fantastic number of other benefits and support services as well as regular personal and professional development.

How we work at Canada Life

Our culture is unique and incredibly important to us. We care about doing the right thing for our people, customers and community and helping others to build better futures. Our blueprint behaviours shape and influence how we work, and are central to the relationships we have with others. Every day we are encouraged to be more curious, own the outcome, face into things together and find a way forward. We want colleagues to have rewarding careers with us so we invest in the development of our people, technology and workplaces. That's why we offer a range of training, flexible working and opportunities to grow and develop.

Diversity and inclusion

Building an inclusive workplace with a diverse workforce where everyone can feel they belong and achieve their potential regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other characteristic is a key commitment for us. We are proud of the progress we're making in DEI, and we continue for it to be a significant focus.

We appreciate that everyone has different work and life responsibilities. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements, including part time, for any of our roles should this be a requirement for you.