Employee Relations Manager

An exciting opportunity to join Heriot Watt University as our Employee Relations Manager. This role will build on strong relationships with managers and employees and also with our recognised trade unions and representatives leading on employee relations.

Location: Based in Edinburgh

Salary: Grade 8 £47,389 - £58,225

Reward and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full time staff (part time workers pro rata their FTE). Use our total rewards calculator: to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot Watt University.

About our School/Directorate and Team

Covering all University Campuses internationally, the HR Directorate provides a range of strategic and operational HR support and guidance to the leaders, managers and employees of the University. The services cover the full employee cycle from the point of attracting staff as potential employees, through their recruitment and induction, career development and reward and recognition. There are HR colleagues based in Edinburgh, Dubai and Malaysia organised around six divisions: Talent Acquisition, Professional & Organisational Development, Reward & Wellbeing, People Partnering, Shared HR Operations and Payroll.

Context and Background

Leading the employee relations team, this role will continue to develop the strong work undertaken in managing the relationships and ensuring positive engagement with our recognised trade unions and representatives, during a period of considerable change and challenge at the university and sector in general. The University works with four trade unions: University and College Union (UCU), UNISON Unite and EIS.

The role will be a subject matter expert in employment law and practice and will have a key role in the continued development and management of advice given to line managers and employees in employee relations cases, as well as leading on more complex cases.

It will also provide assurance for the HR leadership team on current and changes in employment law and practice, providing direction and advice to HR colleagues on policy change and development.

Purpose of Role

• Lead on Employee Relations matters, including engagement with trade unions and the management of the formal consultation (and negotiation where appropriate).
• Take lead responsibility for assessing current and future employment legislation, keeping updated on best practice and higher education sector trends, providing guidance and recommendations as a subject matter expert.
• Be a subject matter expert in employee relations cases such as discipline, grievance and performance management.
• Provide overarching guidance and assurance of policy development work, ensuring that all policies are in line with good practice and employment legislation.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Actively develop the relationship with the trade unions in the UK, promoting positive partnership working and a culture of open, timely and meaningful consultation.
• In times of industrial action, lead on related processes including but not limited to accurate recording of strike activity / ASOS and management of related processes.
• In any large scale organisational change programmes, lead on the administration and technical requirements of such programmes.
• Provide advice on complex individual cases, ensuring that University policies are followed and managers and impacted staff are supported throughout.
• Support cases that could or do result in Employment Tribunal proceedings, providing a strategic approach to the management of claims, with guidance and support from the Head of HR Operations.
• Line manage and/or manage project work which may include project teams from across the University.
• Be an integral part of a review of how ER case work is managed, seeking to deliver an effective and efficient service and way of working.
• Collaborate within HR and with the trade unions (and other stakeholders) to improve the quality and coverage of HR policies, ensuring they are fit for purpose.
• Collaborate with the Employee Engagement team and other stakeholders around improving the staff experience.
• Assist in the devising and implementing of in house training for managers on relevant subjects.
• Assist in the devising and implementing of in house training for HR colleagues in specialist knowledge.
• Draft reports and prepare project updates.
• Aid in further developing key statistics and reports on ER activity.
• Manage Joint Union and Management meetings agendas, notes and actions.
• Manage Joint Policy Trade Union meeting agenda, notes and actions; lead on key ER projects.
• Manage the policy review plan, providing advice and guidance to policy owners.

Education, Qualifications & Experience

Essential

1. Educated to first degree level or equivalent or equivalent practical experience in the workplace.
2. Experience of working in a unionised environment with a track record of building effective partnership style relationships.
3. Ability to persuade, motivate and lead others; competent in the use of relevant IT packages - particularly confident in producing, manipulating and interpreting data.
4. Demonstrable substantial professional expertise in employee relations and relevant employment legislation and best practice.
5. People management experience, setting goals and standards, guiding and coaching colleagues, including ideally experience of operating in a matrix structure.
6. Strong written communication skills - ability to prepare papers and presentations.
7. Demonstrable excellent customer service.
8. Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment.
9. High level project management, planning and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment.
10. Employment law subject matter expertise, knowledge and practical experience.

Desirable

1. Experience of working on major organisational change programmes as either a senior business partner or ER lead.
2. Professional qualification or membership of a professional body (CIPD).
3. Experience of working in higher education or a similar public sector unionised environment.

Equality, diversity and flexible working

Heriot Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website and also our award winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot Watt University.