Employee Relations Specialist

Location: Flexible – UK based, with travel to key sites as required

We have an exciting opportunity for an Employee Relations Specialist to join our People Team at Finsbury Food Group. Finsbury Food Group is a leading speciality bakery manufacturer. We constantly raise quality and efficiency standards while building long-term relationships with major multiple retailers and the foodservice channel.

We’re looking for an Employee Relations Specialist who is passionate about fair, consistent, and pragmatic people practices — someone who thrives on supporting managers, reducing risk, and strengthening capability across the business. This is a key specialist role within our People function, acting as a trusted advisor on employee relations, employment law, and policy governance. You’ll work closely with People Partners and operational leaders to ensure ER matters are handled confidently, consistently, and in line with our values.

What You’ll Do

• Lead ER case management: Triage and manage a wide range of employee relations cases, ensuring they are handled efficiently, fairly, and in line with legislation, internal policy, and best practice.
• Provide expert ER advice: Support and guide managers on disciplinary, grievance, attendance, performance, and conduct matters — balancing legal compliance with practical business needs.
• Manage risk and escalation: Coordinate complex and high-risk cases, including tribunal preparation and liaison with ACAS and external advisors, ensuring business risk is minimised.
• Strengthen policy and governance: Review, update, and improve HR policies, templates, and processes, keeping pace with employment law changes and emerging best practice.
• Build manager capability: Design and deliver ER-focused training, workshops, and practical toolkits that build confidence and reduce reliance on HR for low-risk cases.
• Coach through real situations: Work alongside managers during live cases to develop their skills and judgement, promoting a proactive and preventative ER culture.
• Use insight to drive improvement: Identify trends and root causes from ER data, contributing to dashboards, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with the business: Collaborate closely with People Partners and leaders to anticipate people risks, challenge constructively, and support effective decision-making.

About You

You’re a people professional with a strong foundation in employee relations and employment law, and the curiosity and confidence to keep learning. You enjoy building relationships, coaching others, and supporting managers through complex people situations. You believe effective employee relations is about more than risk management — it’s about fairness, consistency, and building the confidence of leaders to make good decisions.

Core Behaviours

• Professional Courage & Influence – Confidently challenge and support managers to reach balanced, fair outcomes.
• Coaching Mindset – Build confidence and capability through guidance, feedback, and real-time support.
• Commercial Awareness – Balance legal requirements with operational and business realities.
• Evidence-Based Practice – Use data and insight to inform decisions and improve outcomes.
• Ethical Practice – Act with integrity, fairness, and consistency in all situations.
• Collaborative Approach – Work in partnership across People and the wider business to deliver joined-up solutions.

Functional Expertise

• Employee relations case management
• UK employment law and policy governance
• Manager coaching and ER training delivery
• Risk management and tribunal support
• ER data, metrics, and reporting
• Continuous improvement of people processes

What’s in it for you?

• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave
• Enhanced Pension Scheme
• Free Employee Assistance Programme (for you and your family)
• Retail discounts via our Benefits Hub
• Company shop at sites (heavily discounted — and very tasty!)
• Refer a Friend Scheme (up to £300 per referral, T&Cs apply)
• Employee Recognition Awards
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities (including sponsored professional memberships)
• The opportunity to be part of a growing, people-focused organisation

At Finsbury Food Group, we’re proud of what we make — and even prouder of the people who make it possible. In this role, you’ll play a vital part in shaping fair, consistent, and confident people practices across the business. If you’re driven by employee relations, coaching managers, and creating value through people — we’d love to hear from you.