University of Southampton
Employee Relations Manager
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Two posts available
- 1 x 0.8FTE (28 hours per week) until 31/12/2027
- 1 x 1FTE (35 hours per week) until 31/05/2027
About The Role
We are seeking an experienced Employee Relations Manager to join our Employee Relations (ER) team, providing specialist expertise and support across a wide range of complex people matters. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates with substantial employee relations experience, although we also welcome applications from individuals who have gained significant experience leading complex people management processes and resolving workplace issues within operational or management roles.
Reporting to the Employee Relations Team Manager, you will support high-risk and sensitive casework, provide authoritative advice to managers and stakeholders, and contribute to the development of Employee Relations practice across the University. This is an exciting opportunity to influence organisational outcomes, support management capability, and help shape a positive employee experience.
What You'll Be Doing
- Provide expert advice and guidance on complex Employee Relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence, organisational change, and redundancy processes.
- Work closely with managers, employees, HR colleagues, and Trade Union representatives to help resolve challenging issues while balancing legal, organisational, and reputational considerations.
- Support formal hearings and appeals, identify and mitigate risk, and act as an escalation point for complex ER enquiries.
- Contribute to ER process development, analyse casework trends, and management information, using these insights to promote consistency and continuous improvement across the University.
- Help build management capability through coaching, guidance, and training, while contributing Employee Relations expertise to organisational projects and change initiatives.
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About You
- Experienced Employee Relations professional with substantial experience of managing complex ER casework and advising managers in a large or complex organisation, or an experienced manager with extensive experience of managing complex ER situations.
- Strong knowledge of employment law, excellent communication and influencing skills, and the ability to handle sensitive and challenging situations with confidence and professionalism.
- Skilled at assessing risk, applying sound judgement, and building effective relationships with a range of stakeholders.
- A Level 5 or Level 6 qualification (or equivalent experience) is essential. CIPD membership, experience of working with Trade Unions, and knowledge of the Higher Education sector would be advantageous.
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Why Join Us?
- An excellent opportunity to join a collaborative HR team and play a key role in delivering a high-quality Employee Relations service.
- Based at our Highfield Campus, working across all our campuses, the role offers flexible hybrid working, combining campus and home working.
- We provide an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, bank holidays, and University closure days, alongside access to a range of sports, arts, cultural, and employee discount benefits.
- We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and are proud to promote equality, diversity, and respect in everything we do.
Interested?
If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Tara Crawley, Employee Relations Team Manager, at T.Crawley@soton.ac.uk.
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