Senior/Employee Relations Manager in Leeds

We are seeking an experienced Employee Relations Manager or Senior Employee Relations Manager to join our People Directorate and help foster a culture of trust, integrity, and high performance. In this role, you will be instrumental in supporting a positive employee experience, enabling individuals to thrive and contribute to organisational excellence.

You’ll be welcomed into a well-established and respected People team, where your expertise in Employee Relations will be valued and recognised. Working closely with HR Business Partners and HR Advisors, you will also lead and develop two direct reports.

You will provide expert guidance on a wide range of employee relations matters, ensuring cases are managed professionally, efficiently, and with a focus on minimising risk and promoting fair outcomes. Whether you come from a background in employment law or are a seasoned Employee Relations specialist, your deep knowledge and experience at a managerial level will be key. Experience in a regulated environment—such as legal or financial services is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the resolution of complex employee relation issues, such as discrimination, performance, capability, employee grievances, disciplinaries, flexible working, absence, and workplace concerns.
• Influence outcomes through strategic negotiation and collaboration, ensuring legal compliance and minimising risk.
• Provide expert guidance on dispute resolution, conciliation processes, and if required, employment tribunal preparation, while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships internally and externally.
• Conduct thorough and impartial employee relations investigations, providing expert coaching to Partners, Directors and line managers on appropriate behaviours, procedures, and best practices.
• Provide expert support on organisational change initiatives, including restructures, redundancies, TUPE transfers, and changes to terms and conditions of employment.
• Advise and support HR Business Partners in driving organisational performance, including the development and implementation of performance improvement plans with clear, measurable, and achievable objectives.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law, proactively communicating and presenting relevant legislative changes and policy developments to the People Directorate and wider business.
• Collaborate with Risk & Ethics colleagues to ensure the effective application of SRA rules, manage regulatory investigations, and design robust processes to meet regulatory obligations.
• Monitor and analyse employee relations activity, collate and interpret data to inform strategic decision-making at Director and Partner level, ensuring insights are aligned with organisational goals and compliance standards and identify trends for continuous improvement.
• Review, update, and interpret HR policies, procedures, and documentation, including HR Practice Notes and Line Manager Guidance, ensuring compliance with SRA regulations and UK employment legislation.
• Champion psychological safety in the workplace, fostering a culture of openness, trust, and accountability where colleagues feel safe to speak up without fear of retaliation.
• Work collaboratively across the People Directorate and Business Services teams, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery and effective communication with internal stakeholders.
• Coach, mentor, and develop direct report and HR Advisors, supporting their professional growth and capability in managing complex employee relations matters.
• Contribute to key People and ER-related projects, bringing subject matter expertise and a solutions-focused approach to cross-functional initiatives.
• Ensure accurate and secure maintenance of employee records, in full compliance with the Data Protection Act and internal data governance standards.

What are we looking for?

• Extensive and current knowledge of UK employment legislation and its practical application in a commercial environment, including awareness of relevant case law.
• Experience working at Manager level within Human Resources or Employee Relations.
• Experience in professional or financial services, ideally within a regulated environment.
• Desirable: Exposure to international HR practices and global employment law.
• Strong ability to listen actively, identify key issues, and provide pragmatic, solution-focused advice.
• Approachable and responsive, with the ability to manage high volumes of enquiries while maintaining a helpful and professional manner.
• Highly organised and methodical, with the ability to manage multiple complex cases simultaneously.
• Skilled in conflict resolution, investigations, and influencing stakeholders at all levels.
• Able to assess and communicate employment-related risk clearly and confidently when advising managers.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and experienced in using HR analytics tools and emerging technologies, including AI platforms.
• Capable of prioritising workload effectively and escalating or collaborating with colleagues when appropriate.
• Flexible and adaptable to meet evolving business needs, including occasional travel to other office locations.
• Demonstrates integrity, sound judgement, and a proactive approach to maintaining confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Builds trust and communicates effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including Partners, line managers, and employees.

Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to and usable by everyone. If you have a disability or long-term condition and would like to receive information in a different way, or need us to make any adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Talent Acquisition team.

Our approach to our people is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion and well-being. Our ambition is to build a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and talents, and a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.