ER Specialist (Oxford)

Employee Relations Specialist

Location: Oxford - Hybrid

Work Pattern: Full time / 6 months' Fixed-term Contract

Salary: £40,000 - £42,000

Reports to: Head of People Services

Key Objectives of the Role

Yugo is the trusted name for student housing, globally. Every day we connect young people to opportunities and students to spaces. Here at Yugo, we like to do things differently. It’s about people, planet, and passion. Our People Team is an integral part of ensuring all of our Yugoers, present and future are looked after. You will be responsible for delivering timely and effective operational and commercial advice to the business and supporting the People Partner in ensuring that the short, medium and long-term objectives of the People function are achieved.

The Employee Relations Specialist plays a key role within the People team, supporting the delivery of a full range of people related services designed to build credibility, trust and confidence with both stakeholders and employees. Working in line with Company policies, procedures and values, the role helps to ensure consistent, fair and legally compliant people practices while effectively managing and mitigating risk to the business.

Reporting to the Head of People Services, the Employee Relations Specialist will work closely with employees, managers and senior stakeholders to provide pragmatic, people-first employee relations advice that balances employee experience, legal requirements and commercial needs. The role offers broad exposure to People projects and initiatives, supporting the Company’s growth ambitions and wider business plan, while contributing to the continuous improvement of employee relations practices across the organisation.

Responsibilities

• Core ER Case Management
  • Manage a varied and high-volume ER caseload, including grievances, disciplinary cases, performance management, absence management, investigations, flexible working requests and appeals.
  • Provide clear, practical and legally compliant employee relations advice to managers, supporting them to confidently manage sensitive and complex people issues.
  • Act as a first-line point of contact for employees and managers on ER queries, providing timely guidance and signposting to relevant policies, processes and next steps.
  • Provide note-taking support in formal employee relations meetings where required, accurately capturing key discussion points, outcomes and follow-up actions.
  • Manage short- and long-term attendance matters, including occupational health referrals and capability processes, in line with the Equality Act.
  • Prioritise and manage competing caseload demands effectively to ensure timely and proportionate resolution of cases.
• Legal, Compliance and Risk
  • Support internal and external employee transfers in line with TUPE legislation, ensuring accurate administration, legal compliance and timely coordination with relevant stakeholders.
  • Support compliance-related activities such as right-to-work and visa processes where required.
  • Manage personal and sensitive employee data in line with GDPR requirements, escalating any concerns.
  • Stay up to date with changes in employment legislation, case law and industry best practice, making recommendations for updates or improvements where required.
  • Support the preparation of documentation for employment tribunals or other legal proceedings, liaising with external advisors where required.
  • Maintain accurate and contemporaneous ER case records to support consistency, reporting and future precedent.
• Policy, Process and Continuous Improvement
  • Support the drafting, review and implementation of new and updated policies, ensuring changes in employment legislation and best practice are effectively translated into practical, workable guidance for the business.
  • Proactively identify gaps in ER processes and recommend practical improvements.
  • Use ER reporting and metrics to identify trends, support continuous improvement in ER practices, enhance engagement and mitigate risk.
• Manager Capability and Support
  • Support and develop line managers at all levels to manage employee relations matters fairly and consistently, including the creation and delivery of engaging ER learning bursts and guidance materials.
  • Support informal resolution of workplace disputes, facilitating structured conversations between employees and managers where appropriate.
• Wider Contribution P&CC
  • Capture and document key learnings and process improvements to support effective process of ER.
  • Contribute to wider People team projects, initiatives and priorities as required.
  • Act as an ambassador for the business by promoting a positive, inclusive and professional workplace culture.

Qualifications

Key Skills & Capabilities

• Strong communication and organisational skills
• Ability to build effective working relationships quickly
• Ability to adapt and show flexibility
• Friendly and approachable manner
• Able to act with discretion and sensitivity
• Team player with the ability to work autonomously
• Skilled multi-tasker, with the ability to prioritise workload
• Enthusiasm for continued self-learning and development

Experience and Knowledge

Essential:

• CIPD Level 5 qualification
• Experience of providing Generalist HR support within a multi-site environment, large matrix organization.
• Strong working knowledge of relevant policies, codes of practice, and employment legislation
• At least 6 years’ experience in a generalist or ER specialist role.
• Essential TUPE experience
• Desire to keep abreast of legislative changes and to ensure that policies and procedures reflect these.
• Experience of working in both corporate and operational environments
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Full working knowledge of Microsoft Office and HR systems
• Ability to liaise with people at all levels
• Excellent time management with the ability to prioritise workload

Desirable:

• Experience of working within an international business
• Experience of the student accommodation or hospitality sector
• Exposure to the European market
• Ability to communicate in a European language

The Yugo team is a force for good, our mission is to harness this passion to deliver an extraordinary living experience that supports the transition to and from student life.