Employee Relations and Reward Manager

Employee Relations and Reward Manager

Location: Central London (Hybrid – minimum 2 days/week in office)

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: Up to £48,000 pa, with excellent public sector pension and benefits

Are you ready to shape the future of employee experience in one of the UK’s most respected public sector organisations? We’re seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead on Employee Relations, Reward and Policy—driving fairness, inclusion and innovation across the workforce.

About the Role

This is a pivotal opportunity to join the Pay, Policy and People Relations team, where you’ll help foster a collaborative and positive employee relations environment. You’ll work closely with trade unions and key stakeholders, lead negotiations, and manage complex ER cases with confidence and diplomacy.

A key focus of the role will be supporting the design and implementation of a refreshed suite of People Policies—ensuring they reflect best practice, legislative updates, and a commitment to equity and accessibility.

You’ll also play a central role in delivering reward projects, including annual salary reviews, real living wage updates, and gender pay gap reporting. Your expertise will guide managers and employees alike, ensuring the reward and policy frameworks are robust, transparent, and future-ready.

Key Responsibilities:

Employee Relations

• Champion positive ER practices and strong Trade Union partnerships
• Provide expert advice across Directorates on ER matters
• Maintain accurate documentation and support resolution of complex ER issues

Policy Development

• Support the review and improvement of people policies
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and statutory changes
• Advise business areas on policy updates and publication

Reward Strategy

• Support the implementation of a total rewards review
• Advise on pay strategy, benchmarking, job evaluation (ideally JEGS), and benefits
• Ensure alignment with sector best practices and government regulations

Essential Requirements:

• Proven experience in Trade Union relations and complex ER case management
• Strong knowledge of employment law and pay legislation
• Demonstrated success in policy development and change management
• Experience in gender pay gap reporting and reward systems implementation
• CIPD qualification (or equivalent)
• Excellent written communication and diagnostic skills
• Advanced Word and Excel proficiency, with strong numeracy and attention to detail
• Public sector experience and people management capabilities