Employee Relations Manager in Burton upon Trent

Role Purpose

In this role you will shape and lead employee relations across Hobbycraft. You’ll develop a modern, proactive approach that focuses on early resolution, confident managers and fair, consistent decision making. As our ER expert, you’ll lead on complex and sensitive cases, evolve our people policies and governance, and turn insights from ER activity into practical improvements. You’ll balance colleague experience with commercial judgement, helping us create a workplace where we tackle issues early, make things simpler and do the right thing for our colleagues and our business.

Key Accountabilities / Responsibilities

ER Culture, Prevention & Framework

• Shape a proactive ER culture in which managers address attendance, conduct, performance and workplace concerns promptly, fairly and constructively, using informal resolution, mediation or formal action as appropriate.
• Lead the development, review and implementation of relevant people policies and the wider ER framework, working with stakeholders to translate employment law, ACAS guidance and good practice into clear, inclusive and proportionate processes, guidance and practical tools.
• Partner with People team colleagues and leaders to identify underlying organisational issues, agree preventative action and ensure fair, consistent and legally compliant practice.

Complex Cases, Litigation & Collective Relations

• Lead, advise on and provide quality assurance for complex, sensitive and high risk cases, ensuring investigations are appropriately scoped, evidence led, timely and supported by clear, proportionate recommendations.
• Lead Employment Tribunal preparation with internal stakeholders and external legal advisers where required, including early conciliation, disclosure, witness preparation and chronology.
• Support with colleague consultation, including the potential for future trade union relationships, advising on recognition, consultation, collective bargaining and the early resolution of collective concerns.

Governance, Risk & Case Assurance

• Establish clear case governance, escalation criteria, service standards and decision making responsibilities across managers and the People Team.
• Maintain oversight of the ER case portfolio and risk register, using regular review and quality assurance to challenge delay, inconsistency, procedural gaps and unmanaged legal, financial, cultural, wellbeing or reputational risk.

Insight, Learning & Continuous Improvement

• Use case data to identify trends, repeat issues and opportunities for earlier intervention, reporting meaningful measures without encouraging inappropriate case decisions.
• Monitor employment law developments and lead learning from significant cases, audits and reviews, ensuring agreed actions and improvements are owned, tracked and embedded.

Manager & People Team Capability

• Design and deliver practical training, coaching and resources that build manager confidence in early conversations, investigations, decision making, record keeping and fair application of policy.

Required Skills & Experience

• CIPD Level 7 qualification, or equivalent depth of professional employee relations and employment law expertise.
• Evidence of continuing professional development in UK employment law and employee relations practice.
• Accredited workplace mediator, investigation qualification or relevant legal qualification is desirable.
• Significant experience in a specialist employee relations or senior People role, managing complex cases across a multi-site organisation, ideally in retail, distribution or a similarly fast-paced environment.
• Strong practical knowledge of UK employment law and ACAS guidance, with the judgement to translate complex issues into clear, proportionate advice that balances fairness, colleague experience and business needs.
• Proven experience leading sensitive investigations and advising on disciplinary, grievance, absence, capability and appeal cases, alongside Employment Tribunal preparation and working with external legal advisers.
• Skilled in early resolution, constructive challenge and sensitive conversations, building trust and influencing stakeholders at all levels while maintaining confidentiality and professional integrity.
• Proven experience shaping, developing and implementing people policies, including stakeholder consultation, impact assessment, governance, communication and practical support to embed consistent application across a multi-site organisation.
• Strong analytical and organisational skills, using case data and insight to identify trends, prioritise risk, improve practice and manage competing demands without compromising quality.
• Experience supporting organisational change and colleague consultation; experience of constructive trade union relationships, recognition arrangements or collective bargaining is desirable.

Salary & Benefits

In addition to the advertised salary, here are some of our key benefits:

• Jobs need company car
• 33 days holiday including bank holidays pro rata, which grows with you during your time with us. You will also get a day off to celebrate your birthday
• Access to a personal pension scheme (4% contribution matched by us)
• Option to join Hobbycraft pension scheme offering x2 life insurance
• Up to 40% colleague discount
• Employee Assistance Programme, for overall wellbeing for you and your family including financial advice and up to 6 counselling sessions
• Long service awards to thank you for your time spent with us
• Cycle2Work scheme
• Discounted gym membership
• Fundraising events for our charity partners and an annual charity volunteer day
• Vouchers for free eye tests for VDU users
• Access to a range of high street discounts
• Access to a Health Cash Plan
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption pay
• Access to learning and development opportunities to help you grow

This is a full-time role, working 37.5 hours per week. Our core business hours are Monday to Friday – 10am to 3pm with a flexible approach to start and finish times.

Whilst advertised at our Head Office in Bournemouth, the role can also be based from our Distribution Centre in Burton upon Trent.

Our hybrid working model is 3 days in the office, 2 days working from home.

We pride ourselves on an inclusive and creative working environment, so you can truly be you and enjoy your time at work. We also prioritise wellbeing, offering a range of support and initiatives designed to help you feel and perform at your best.

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