Employee Relations Consultant in Reading

Position Overview

As an Employee Relations Consultant based in Reading, you will support managers by delivering a professional advisory service for all employee relations cases.

This full‑time, six‑month fixed‑term contract offers a competitive salary up to £54,000 per annum, depending on experience.

Your focus will be on resolving matters consistently and effectively, achieving optimal outcomes for both the business and its people.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide professional advice to managers for all employee relations queries, including absence, discipline, capability, redundancy, appeals, probation, flexible working, settlements and employment law.
• Review investigation reports and complex letters or communications.
• Identify, assess, manage and resolve risks, escalating as appropriate.
• Ensure employee relations cases are managed and resolved efficiently, effectively and in line with team KPIs.
• Partner with business areas to build and respond to employee‑relations insights using monthly dashboards.
• Attend monthly meetings with business areas to bring employee‑relations concerns to discussion, insight and resolution.
• Collaborate with HR Consultants and HR Partners to build an ongoing culture of continuous improvement.
• Develop and work within a case‑management system, using reporting tools to improve efficient case management.
• Maintain case‑management records in clear, concise, GDPR‑compliant format.
• Case‑manage and make recommendations in relation to employment‑law claims.
• Share best practice with team members to ensure cases are managed effectively, with integrity and in compliance with company standards and statutory requirements.
• Provide professional advice to managers in accordance with policy, standards, guidance and employment legislation in order to drive improvement in employee effectiveness and performance.
• Develop the skills and professional knowledge of managers via individual live‑case coaching, support and challenge.
• Act as subject‑matter expert for policy training and policy‑based service delivery.
• Keep employment‑law knowledge up to date through internal and external sources, identifying best practice and case‑law relevant to the organization.
• Collaborate with the People Services team to deliver the function’s objectives and provide recommendations for employee‑relations standards and process improvements.
• Lead and participate in project or continuous‑improvement work as required.
• Maintain positive relationships with wider business functions including HR Partners, HR Consultants, Occupational Health, Health & Safety, Business Integrity, Data Protection, Trade Unions and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with external lawyers to provide best‑practice advice and guidance to managers and support responses to ACAS/ET claims.

Qualifications

• Accomplished HR employment‑law and advisory skills with strong experience coaching managers on difficult employee matters.
• Up‑to‑date, in‑depth knowledge of employment law, tribunal process, ACAS and HR best practice, including practical application of policy to absence, discipline, workplace resolution, conduct, capability, medical capability, flexible working, probation and settlement agreements.
• Highly organised, responsive and able to prioritise work to meet tight deadlines.
• Confident and tenacious, taking ownership of issues to resolution in a timely manner.
• Experience managing challenging stakeholders.
• Resilient and flexible to changing demands while remaining approachable.
• Trustworthy with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent communication skills, able to adapt and build rapport and provide advice to all levels.
• An active listener, naturally inquisitive and able to coach people to reach a solution.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues across the business.
• CIPD qualification desirable.

Benefits

• Competitive salary up to £54,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous pension scheme through AON.
• Health & Safety benefits: annual health MOTs, physiotherapy and counselling, cycle‑to‑work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.
• Access to extensive wellbeing and financial support programmes.
• Hybrid working pattern: 36 hours per week from Reading.
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