Employee Relations Operations Consultant in Sheldon

We are seeking a dedicated and professional Employee Relations Operations Consultant to join our client's team, supporting manufacturing facilities across the West Midlands. This role focuses on delivering exceptional HR support, with a primary emphasis on Absence Management. The ideal candidate will embody core values of Customer Love, Unity, Integrity, Growth, and Impact, and will be eager to learn and develop within the field of Employee Relations.

This is a contract role, Inside IR35, with an initial requirement of 5 days in the office during the learning phase, transitioning to a hybrid model of 3 days in the office and 2 days remote thereafter.

• Lead the coordination and delivery of Employee Relations support, focusing on resolving manufacturing-related absence cases to improve attendance and operational performance.
• Provide timely and effective support for short- and long-term absence matters, including complex cases and restricted worker cases.
• Support line managers in conducting absence-related disciplinary investigations and hearings, ensuring consistent and professional processes.
• Identify cases for early intervention and implement tailored support measures to reduce absence duration and improve employee outcomes.
• Develop and deliver absence management training to stakeholders, equipping them with the skills to manage attendance effectively.
• Collaborate with Employee Relations Consultants to standardise best practices and refine absence management policies.
• Partner with Occupational Health services to ensure timely interventions and effective support plans.
• Promote and encourage the use of well-being resources to strengthen employee support and reduce absence frequency and duration.
• Apply sound judgement and balanced risk analysis to recommend appropriate case outcomes in line with company policies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support accurate data reporting and trend analysis related to manufacturing absence.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within the Employee Relations team.

• Essential: Experience in supporting absence, ill-health, restricted workers, and disciplinary casework in a manufacturing environment.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage a varied workload.
• Effective coaching and advisory skills to support managers at all levels.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to high-quality HR support.
• Ability to work autonomously and meet challenging deadlines.
• Proven ability to deliver consistent results in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Desirable: Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Proficiency in using HR systems, technologies, and digital tools.
• Strong critical thinking and data analysis skills to inform decision-making.

• Engage with senior and middle line managers, trade union representatives, and HR teams to provide effective Employee Relations support.
• Manage absence cases, including disciplinary investigations and hearings.
• Deliver training sessions on absence management to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Occupational Health and well-being resources to support employees.
• Analyse data and trends to inform decision-making and improve processes.
• Contribute to team initiatives and continuous improvement projects.

• Opportunity to work in a dynamic and fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Hybrid working model after the initial learning phase.
• Be part of a team that values collaboration, growth, and impactful contributions.

This role is on a contract basis and is Inside IR35. Initially, the role requires 5 days in the office during the learning phase, transitioning to a hybrid model of 3 days in the office and 2 days remote thereafter, with no fixed days.