Senior Employee Relations Specialist

b Overview /b p In this role you will lead and support a team within the Employee Relations function, building strong relationships with HR colleagues and business managers to deliver high-value ER service. You’ll act as a key contact to guide and coach the team, handling more experienced responsibilities and deputising as needed. You’ll manage end-to-end, high-volume dispute resolution while contributing to policy improvements and resource planning. The position starts in Northampton with an induction in the office, moving to a hybrid pattern. You’ll work to enable an efficient, commercially aware ER service aligned with the business goals. /p b Pay / Benefits /b ul li Competitive salary /li li Performance bonus /li li Save-as-you-earn scheme /li li Buy-as-you-earn scheme /li li Contributory pension scheme /li li Colleague discounts across Group businesses /li /ul b Responsibilities /b ul li Support the Employee Relations Manager with caseloads and projects, deputising when appropriate /li li Provide advice and guidance to ER Specialists to ensure consistent, impartial, commercial guidance /li li Manage end-to-end high-volume dispute resolution (disciplinaries, appeals, grievances) and attend complex hearings when required /li li Contribute to legislative updates and continuous improvement of ER policies, guidelines and letters /li li Plan resource needs, monitor service levels, and manage workload distribution for efficient service delivery /li li Coach and develop the ER team; support Head of HR and ER Manager with workload and ad-hoc requests /li li Deputise for the Manager in daily team management, recruitment, workload allocation and service level monitoring /li /ul b Key requirements /b ul li Strong ER background with 2+ years in a similar role within a large multi-site organisation /li li Experience case-managing difficult and complex grievance, appeal, and long-term sickness cases /li li Excellent communication skills and ability to work under pressure /li li Collaborative work style within the HR team /li li Resilient with the ability to overcome obstacles /li li Up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation /li li Good understanding of data protection principles /li /ul ul li Communication /li li Collaboration /li li Resilience /li li Employment legislation knowledge /li li Data protection principles /li li Case management of ER cases /li /ul