Global Employee Relations Specialist in England

Location: Fully Remote (Occasional onsite visits to London office)

Contract: 3-Month Contract with possibility of extension

Rate: £21 per hour via PAYE

Overview

The People Shared Services team provide operational and support services, with primary areas of focus being internal customer support services, core People and Payroll Administration, People Systems, People Data and Insights, Employee Relations and Facilities. The success of the People Service Team is critical to the overall effectiveness of the People function and the ability to ensure consistent employee and manager experiences.

This Global Employee Relations Specialist role requires a flexible and enthusiastic individual who can work within a fast-paced and changing environment. The business is currently going through significant organisational change, therefore they are looking for someone who can hit the ground running and provide continuity and support across Employee Relations activities.

The role is an integral part of the People Shared Services team and plays a key role in delivering high-quality Employee Relations support to the business, managers, and employees, while ensuring commercial needs are balanced alongside organisational values and employment legislation. The successful candidate will work largely with Support Centre colleagues while also collaborating with global ER teams on policies, frameworks, and best practices across international markets. Retail experience would be advantageous; however, strong Employee Relations experience and exposure are considered more important. Qualifications are beneficial but not essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide case management and advisory support to line managers and People Partners on ER related matters including performance, capability, absence, grievances, redundancies, settlement agreements, and organisational change.
• Support managers in handling Employee Relations matters confidently while ensuring compliance with employment legislation and company policies.
• Build strong working relationships with key internal stakeholders and provide responsive, business-focused ER support.
• Provide specialist ER guidance on complex matters including TUPE, restructures, outsourcing, wellbeing, and organisational change initiatives.
• Draft and process settlement agreements and exit plans, liaising with solicitors where required.
• Support global ER teams through reporting, analytics, and compliance activities.
• Assist with the development and implementation of global ER policies and frameworks.
• Support Employee Relations matters across global markets, including regions with limited People team presence.
• Coach and guide line managers on disciplinary, grievance, occupational health, and general HR matters.
• Maintain and update ER toolkits, employee handbooks, trackers, standard letters, policies, guidance documents, and knowledge base content.
• Conduct note-taking during formal meetings where required.
• Ensure all potentially high-risk or sensitive ER cases are escalated appropriately.

Key Skills & Experience

Essential

• Strong Employee Relations experience including case management and organisational change.
• Up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law and HR processes.
• Experience working within a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to manage highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Experience coaching and advising line managers on ER matters.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and manage priorities effectively.
• Strong Microsoft Office 365 skills.

Desirable

• Knowledge of global employment law.
• Experience within a retail or multi-site environment.
• HR / ER qualification.
• Experience supporting organisational change, consultation processes, TUPE, and restructuring activities.

Measures of Success

• Delivery of high-quality Employee Relations support to managers and employees.
• Managers feel supported and confident handling ER matters.
• Compliance with current and future employment legislation.
• Effective management and tracking of disciplinary and potential discrimination cases.
• Positive stakeholder feedback and colleague satisfaction.
• Continuous improvement of ER processes, policies, and support services.