Employee Relations Manager - Partnership in Manchester

KPMG in the UK is part of a global network of firms that offers Audit, Legal, Tax and Advisory services. Through the talent of over 16,000 colleagues we bring our creativity, insight and experience to solve our clients' and communities' biggest problems. We've been doing this for more than 150 years.

Group Corporate Services (GCS) is the home for all internal support services that support the combined firm. Working with our Capability-led matrix and throughout the whole firm, GCS executes on our Group's strategic goals by enabling growth, protecting the firm and running operations effectively and efficiently, resulting in improved profitability. We do this using a 'We are Group' mindset.

The People and Resourcing domain's purpose is to enable the Group's business strategy through its people. We maintain our position as an employer of choice by fostering a Values-led culture, enabling our people to thrive, and delivering a positive experience through the employee lifecycle. We are a strategic HR function that leverages digitisation, automation, and data-driven insights to enhance decision-making and productivity.

Summary of Role Purpose

Reporting to the Head of Employee Relations, with a dotted reporting line into the HR Director in the Partnership Office, the ER Manager-Partnership is accountable for managing end-to-end Employee Relations activity relating to Partners (salaried and in some instances Equity), providing expert, commercially pragmatic ER support and risk-based advice.

The role will involve high-sensitivity casework from initial issue identification and risk assessment through to outcome, working closely with senior stakeholders and specialist teams (including the Partnership Office, HR Directors and the Employment Law Advisory Team). The ER Manager-Partnership will ensure fair, consistent and compliant outcomes, with high standards of confidentiality, judgment and documentation.

What will you be doing?

• Be responsible for complex, sensitive and high-risk ER cases, providing clear advice, direction, challenge and support.
• Coach and advise partner reviewers on performance management approaches, ensuring appropriate documentation and guidance is provided.
• Support partners to manage complex sickness absence and health related capability matters, including advising on complex OH referrals and workplace adjustments.
• Support the ethics champion and whistleblowing process involving Partners, including conducting initial fact-finding, engaging relevant stakeholders and consulting on appropriate resolution or escalation to formal investigation where required.
• Drive consistent risk and values-based decision making, aligning legal compliance, employee experience and commercial outcomes.
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy and professional judgement.
• Take a proactive, consultative and pragmatic approach to managing quality and risk in collaboration with senior stakeholders.
• Build strong and credible stakeholder partnerships across the business and HR, acting as a trusted advisor and SME.
• Ensure accurate and timely case recording and data quality to satisfy our internal governance and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Maintain strong external stakeholder relationships (e.g. Occupational Health and other specialist advisors).
• Undertake proactive and regular review of key ER themes and trends across the partnership.

What will you need to do it?

• Extensive experience in Employee Relations including with senior level individuals.
• Deep knowledge of ER and employment law, with the ability to apply judgement pragmatically.
• Proven credibility advising and influencing at a senior level.
• Ability to interpret Employment Law and apply commercial decision making to drive outcomes.
• Strategic and analytical thinker, with the ability to translate data, insight and trends into clear recommendations and actions.
• Experience of working within regulated organisations is desirable.
• Experience of working within partnerships is desirable.
• Experience of informal dispute resolution and mediation is desirable.

To discuss this or wider Central Services roles with our recruitment team, all you need to do is apply, create a profile, upload your CV and begin to make your mark with KPMG.

Our Locations:

We are open to talk to talent across the country but our core Central Service hubs for this role are: Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Watford.