HR Consultant - Industrial Relations in Reading

We’re recruiting an experienced HR Consultant (Industrial Relations) to partner with leaders and Trade Union representatives, connecting business priorities with our People strategy and strengthening our Trade Union Partnership. You’ll shape and deliver effective people interventions, using insight into our workforce and culture to help achieve business objectives. You’ll also ensure a consistent, fair and robust approach to union negotiations, consultations and queries. The role combines hands-on coordination with specialist advice and coaching for people managers, ensuring transparent, legally compliant union engagement. You’ll lead TU-focused projects and work closely with HR centres of expertise and HR partners. Strong technical knowledge of HR and industrial relations legislation and practice is essential. You’ll proactively build trusted relationships with key stakeholders to deliver positive, constructive outcomes.

What you will be doing as HR Consultant - Industrial Relations:

• Designing and delivering Trade Union related IR interventions and strategies.
• Leading on IR areas, providing a bespoke consultancy service to leaders and other HR departments.
• Handling escalated in-depth and complex queries.
• Analysing and interpreting research data to inform IR strategy and approach.
• Building trusted relationships, acting as a confidant and forming alliances with internal/external stakeholders.
• Ensuring business leaders understand and are engaged with IR activities.
• Working flexibly and collaboratively across business and HR functions to ensure effective planning and delivery.
• Identifying ways to work with resistance and complex problems.
• Leading timely and efficient delivery of planned IR programmes into the organisation by communicating programme intent and coaching business leaders to assure delivery/support outcomes.

What you should bring to the role:

• Proven hands-on experience of developing/deploying an industrial relations strategy which positively impacts the business and the way people work.
• Solid experience working with heavily unionised organisations.
• Expertise in IR policy and procedures including detailed and up-to-date knowledge of legislative requirements.
• Able to manage the employment legal system, and prepare for and manage cases/TU disputes.
• The ability to drive effective working relationships with the TU partnership through successful consultation and negotiation to drive positive change in the business.
• Be able to understand and speak the 'language of the business', be business ‘savvy’, and how to translate the organisation plan into an IR plan by being solutions focused.
• Excellent expertise of shaping and driving delivery of successful change and transformation processes.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary of up to £75,000 per annum.
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (Plus bank holidays)
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution.
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else, just let us know. We’re here to help and support.