Oakleaf is partnering with a growing international law firm on a newly created Employee Relations Manager role. This is a key role within a sizeable HR function, responsible for leading complex employee relations activity, supporting senior stakeholders, and ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant outcomes across the organisation. Working closely with HR Business Partners, managers and leadership teams, you'll provide expert guidance on a broad range of ER matters while helping to strengthen manager capability and minimise organisational risk. You will handle a small yet complex caseload, and support the HR teams handling lower-level ER queries. This role offers a fantastic opportunity to partner directly with the most senior leadership in the firm and set up frameworks and ways of working that support the ongoing evolution of the HR team.
Key responsibilities
- Advise managers and leaders on disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence and performance matters
- Manage complex employee relations cases from initial assessment through to resolution
- Lead and support sensitive workplace investigations
- Coach managers on best practice and risk management, whilst maintaining a commercial and pragmatic outlook
- Partner with HR colleagues and senior stakeholders on escalated ER matters
- Support employment tribunal preparation, ACAS matters and external legal proceedings where required
- Analyse ER trends and identify opportunities to improve processes, policies and manager capability
- Develop & produce regular reporting and insights on case volumes, outcomes and key risk areas
- Contribute to policy development and continuous improvement initiatives
- Design and deliver ER training and practical guidance
About you
- Experience within professional services, legal, financial services or another complex corporate environment
- Significant experience managing complex employee relations casework
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment law
- Proven experience advising senior stakeholders in a fast-paced environment
- Comfortable handling sensitive investigations and high-risk employee matters
- Excellent judgement, resilience and attention to detail
- Strong relationship-building and coaching skills
- Able to balance commercial considerations with employee experience and risk management
