Senior HR Employee Relations Business Partner in Newport, Wales

About Network Rail

Join Network Rail - Where People and Connections Matter. At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team - you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway.

We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process.

If you're ready to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you!

Vacancy Details

• Duration: Permanent
• Location: This role can be based in either Cardiff, Swansea or Newport. This role is a full-time post, flexible working patterns will be considered.
• Band & Salary: Band 3C £55,596 - £65,966

About the role

A Senior HR Employee Relations and Industrial Relations Business Partner serves as a strategic advisor to the business, leading on complex and high risk employee relations cases through to employment tribunal where required. The role combines deep expertise in employment law, internal policy, and organisational processes to provide pragmatic, commercially focused guidance to senior leaders.

With a strong emphasis on industrial relations, they act as the organisation's lead expert on union engagement, collective bargaining, and workforce strategy, proactively managing relationships with trade unions and employee representatives to maintain a stable and constructive industrial climate. They provide strategic oversight and hands on leadership during collective disputes, including ballots, negotiations, and potential industrial action, ensuring risks are anticipated, mitigated, and managed in line with legal and reputational considerations.

What does the average day look like?

The role involves analysing ER and IR data to identify emerging trends, hotspots, and systemic risks, translating insight into targeted interventions that strengthen organisational resilience and employee experience. They advise on and shape IR strategies aligned to business objectives, including organisational change, restructures, and transformation programmes, ensuring effective consultation and compliance with statutory obligations.

Acting as a trusted partner, they coach and influence senior leaders on complex people matters, balancing commercial priorities with legal risk and employee impact. Through deep knowledge of internal processes and governance, they ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant practices while driving continuous improvement in how the organisation manages complex employee and industrial relations challenges.

• Working closely with the supported business area/s to develop, drive and implement the HR Strategy/People Plan to include; talent, succession planning and change management, in order to support the delivery of business objectives and drive a high performance culture.
• Act as an integral member of the business leadership team, building strong relationships with senior business leaders and other relevant stakeholders. Coach, advise and challenge thinking in addition to co-development, design and execution of integrated medium to long term people initiatives to meet current and future business needs.
• Act as a change agent; lead, support and contribute to change programmes, driving and championing the implementation of HR solutions within the supported business area, gaining acceptance from key stakeholders.
• Proactively manage trade union relationships, working with the Employee Relations team, appropriate HR Business Partners and managers across the business.
• Reinforce and support the ownership of people management by the business and line managers and the HR Business Partner model.
• Influence the centres of expertise development of strategy and policy through sharing business/functional requirements and inputting into development and execution planning.
• Work in collaboration with; Centres of Expertise, HR Shared Services, HR Direct and HR Business Partner teams to proactively identify and influence changes that improve HR service.
• Liaise with HR Business Partners in other areas of the business in order to work collaboratively on cross business/geographical issues.

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrates strong business/commercial approach and understanding of business needs.
• Proven experience of working in partnership with senior business leaders in order to improve people management.
• Passionate about customer service with ability to articulate previous achievements through business deliverables.
• Knowledge and experience of implementing best practice HR solutions to drive a high performance culture.
• Ability to establish professional credibility quickly.
• Experience of coaching, influencing and building strong working relationships with senior business leaders.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to negotiate and influence effectively with all levels of an organisation.
• Experience of working with senior leaders to identify, develop and retain talent.
• Excellent technical HR Knowledge - CIPD qualified or relevant experience to demonstrate level of competence.
• Proven track record of operating in a complex working environment.
• Broad experience of managing organisation change programmes e.g. TUPE, Organisation re-design, redundancy programmes, etc.
• Graduate calibre.
• Experience of working within a highly unionised environment (Essential for roles supporting Maintenance & Operations Functions).
• Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety within your application.

Desirable Criteria

• MCIPD/post-graduate human resources qualification.
• Understanding of project management principles and experience of managing complex projects to successful conclusion.
• Experience of working within a unionised environment.

How to apply

Contact: If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments, please contact us.

Closing date: 18th August 2026. On occasions, we may need to close the advert early based upon application volumes. Late applications may not be accepted.

Next Steps: Interviews will be held W/C 24th August, depending on business requirements.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our Safety Vision.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of our great benefits:

• Flexible/hybrid working arrangements considered.
• Generous annual leave (28 days plus statutory days), with the option to buy/sell days.
• Discounts at stations with your Network Rail pass.
• Defined benefit pension scheme.
• 75% subsidy on train tickets.
• Interest-free travel loan for train and car park season tickets.
• Volunteer leave to make a positive impact.