About Canada Life UK

Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment, and protection needs of individuals, families, and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries, and our employees by operating as a modern, agile, and welcoming organisation.

Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.

Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third-party customers.

Employee Relations Specialist

People Services | Watford

Project Role - Fixed Term Contract, 6-12 months

Help shape how we manage, support, and engage our people at Canada Life UK. We are looking for an experienced Employee Relations Specialist to join our People Services division in Watford. You will be a trusted expert for ER casework and change activity, helping leaders and HR colleagues to manage employee relations matters confidently, fairly, and in line with our policies and regulatory responsibilities.

The Opportunity

In this role you will:

• Provide specialist ER advice on day-to-day case management, including grievance, disciplinary, absence, performance, and change management matters.
• Support People Relations Partners and operational leaders across Canada Life UK, acting as the first point of escalation for BAU ER issues.
• Help support our evolving People Services operating model to build ER expertise in the function and people management capability in the business.
• Contribute to People Leader training initiatives that promote confident, independent management of absence, performance, and conflict management.
• Work on defined caseloads and action plans that address areas of concern, helping to drive improved outcomes for colleagues and the business.
• Escalate more complex or higher-risk matters to the Employee Relations Partner in a timely and well-judged way.
• You will be seen as an SME and trusted adviser, taking a calm, measured, and commercial approach to ER activity and fostering a collaborative, supportive culture.

Your Key Responsibilities

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Building strong relationships within the ER and People Relations Partners community and across People Services, earning credibility as a subject matter expert.
• Acting as an escalation point for People Relations Partners on ER cases, ensuring objectives are clear, deadlines are met, and developmental support is provided.
• Maintaining and supporting the improving ER processes and supporting legislative compliance, including input to policy updates and process improvements.
• Supporting change programs across Canada Life UK, working with ER and PRP colleagues on CL and PS change projects, including organizational change activity.
• Ensuring accurate ER data capture in the ER case tracker, supporting regulatory and internal reporting, and helping to identify trends and themes that require action.
• Supporting external relationships with providers such as occupational health and outplacement services to support internal processes.
• Collaborating with Learning to deliver refresher training on People Policies and to build management confidence in handling ER matters.
• You will also help ensure that ER activity is controlled, monitored, and reported in line with our risk management programs and regulatory requirements.