Employee Relations Advisor - FTC

About the Role: We are seeking an experienced Employee Relations Advisor to join our People team on a 6-month Fixed Term Contract, to help us through a particularly busy period of change. Working closely with our Global ER Lead, this role will provide support to our Global People Director and the HR Business Partner (People Partner) community, with complex ER casework and the impacts of organisational change. This is a pivotal role, where you will be responsible for providing expert ER support across the organisation, with a strong focus on managing organisational change, as well as broader employee relations matters. Our business is global, and you’ll be expected to work with stakeholders all over the world, but you will work predominantly to support our UK-based businesses. You will manage your own ER caseload, and you will be required to manage a plan of ER activity, producing high quality documentation to support the work including, but not limited to, creating slides, meeting notes, letters and legal documentation. This is a hybrid role. 3 days a week in our UK Head Office is based in Soho, Central London and there is no significant travel expected.

Key Responsibilities

• Change Management Support: Support the People team in driving organisational change, such as cultural transformation or structural reorganisation. Providing employee relations support during periods of change, ensuring that employees are informed, consulted, and supported throughout the process.
• Redundancies & Restructures: Lead on advising and managing the end-to-end redundancy process, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and best practices. Providing managers with guidance and coaching on selection criteria and consultation processes, ensuring the mitigation of any potential risks.
• TUPE Transfers: Lead on TUPE processes, advising and supporting managers on transferring employees smoothly, while ensuring legal obligations are met.
• Employee Relations Support: Offer counsel, coaching and support to line managers on a variety of employee relations issues.
• Employment Law Guidance and Risk Mitigation: Provide legal and practical advice to management on employee relations issues, ensuring that all decisions are legally sound and minimise the risk of tribunal claims.

About You: You will have proven experience as an Employee Relations Advisor or similar HR role, preferably within a similar professional services environment (or other high-volume or complex ER environment). You will have in-depth knowledge of UK employment law and practical experience applying it to real world scenarios and you’ll be asked to demonstrate this in our assessment process. Our business has a complex structure but is non-hierarchical, so you should be used to dealing with complexity and senior stakeholders. You will have strong expertise in managing complex employee relations cases, including organisational redesigns, redundancies and TUPE. You will have strong organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple cases simultaneously. You will be experienced in advising managers at all levels on employee relations issues, providing pragmatic and solutions-focused guidance. You will have excellent communication skills and high emotional intelligence, with the ability to manage sensitive situations and maintain positive relationships with employees and management. You will be comfortable working effectively as part of a team and supporting colleagues across different departments, as well as being comfortable working autonomously when necessary. You'll have experience of working within advertising, marketing or similar industries.

What You’ll Get: We will offer a competitive salary and 27 days’ annual holiday, pro-rated. We also offer a host of benefits that support wellbeing including subsided gym membership, whilst our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sees us offer learning opportunities around DE&I, targeted mentoring programmes and the opportunity to participate in Employee-Led Networks and associated events.

About M&C Saatchi Group: M&C Saatchi Group was founded in 1995 and is now the biggest Independent creative agency group in the World. Founded on one core principle, Brutal Simplicity. We are a marketing services company that connects specialist expertise, fuelled by data, technology and culture, to help clients navigate, create, and lead meaningful change. Headquartered in London, operations span 23 countries with major hubs in the UK, Europe, US, Middle East & Africa, Asia. M&C Saatchi Group UK has pledged its commitment to create a company that values difference, with an inclusive culture brought to life through equity. As part of this M&C Saatchi Group continues to be an Equal Opportunity Employer which does not and shall not discriminate, celebrates diversity and bases all hiring and promotion decisions solely on merit, without regard for any personal characteristics. All employee information is kept confidential according to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).