Senior Employee Relations Manager

About the role

This is a new exciting role we're bringing into the business. You'll be required to establish and lead specialist employee relations (ER) support across Booker, ensuring complex, high-risk and sensitive ER matters are managed consistently, fairly and in line with employment law, company policy and business priorities.

The role will lead the ER Partner team (1 North, 1 South), act as a senior escalation point for complex ER cases, use ER data and insight to reduce risk and improve manager capability, and work closely with the Head of ER, Policy & Change to strengthen ER frameworks, policy application, case management and cultural progress.

Main Responsibilities

• Establish and manage specialist ER support within the business, working closely with the Head of ER, Policy & Change to shape the ER approach, service and ways of working.
• Lead, coach and develop ER Partners, ensuring clear priorities, strong technical capability and delivery of a high-quality ER service.
• Build effective relationships with Heads of People Partnering, People teams, managers and senior leaders to resolve ER issues effectively and support sound decision-making.
• Provide timely expert advice on complex ER matters, including conduct, capability, performance, absence, grievance, disciplinary and other workplace issues.
• Actively support managers and leaders with formal processes, including complex harassment, discrimination or sensitive cases involving senior managers and leaders.
• Provide constructive challenge to managers and leaders where decision-making, cultural impact, policy application or ER risk requires review.
• Launch, embed and support effective use of the new case management tool across the People team.
• Analyse ER data, case trends and risk indicators to identify themes, priorities and opportunities for targeted intervention.
• Use ER insight to improve manager capability, strengthen consistency, reduce repeat issues and lower ER risk across the business.
• Work closely with the People Manager - People Change & Policy to ensure policies remain compliant, practical, useful and aligned with business priorities.
• Provide ER assessments for business projects where there may be people-impacting change, identifying risks, mitigations and recommended actions.
• Oversee the relationship between Booker and external employment law advisers, ensuring advice is used appropriately and employment law budget activity is managed effectively.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex, high-risk and sensitive ER matters, providing guidance, recommendations and risk-based decision support. Further escalating significant ER, legal, reputational, colleague or business risks to the Head of ER, Policy & Change and People Leadership Team where required.

You will need

Technical / Professional 

• Strong ER experience, including complex case management, employment law application and formal ER processes.
• Experience leading or managing ER specialists, People colleagues or advisory teams.
• Strong understanding of UK employment law, ER risk, discrimination, harassment, absence, conduct, capability, performance and grievance processes.
• Experience advising on complex, high-risk or sensitive employee relations matters involving senior managers or leaders.
• Ability to provide clear, practical and risk-based advice to People teams, managers and senior leaders.
• Experience using mediation and conflict resolution skills to address issues outside of formal processes.
• Experience using ER data and case trends to identify risks, themes and capability needs.
• Ability to develop targeted interventions that improve manager capability and reduce ER risk.
• Strong understanding of policy application, policy improvement and the link between ER, culture and business priorities.
• Experience working with external employment law providers and managing a tribunal case load.
• Experience implementing or embedding ER case management tools would be beneficial.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear case summaries, recommendations, reports and stakeholder updates.
• Confident using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and Word.

Behavioural & Leadership 

• Able to influence senior stakeholders and provide clear direction.
• Fair, balanced and values-led, with a strong commitment to consistency, integrity and sound judgement.
• Calm and resilient when managing complex, sensitive or high-risk ER matters.
• Strong communicator, able to explain complex ER and employment law matters clearly and practically.
• Analytical and evidence-led, with the ability to use data, case insight and risk assessment to guide decisions.
• Constructive challenger, able to support better decision-making while maintaining trusted relationships.
• Collaborative, with the ability to work effectively across People, Policy, Legal, Operations and senior leadership teams.
• Improvement-focused, with willingness to strengthen ER processes, policy application, reporting and manager capability.
• Organised and disciplined, with strong follow-up, case governance and attention to detail.
• Professional and confidential when handling sensitive colleague, legal or business information.

What's in it for you

At Booker, along with being a great place to work and giving you an opportunity to get on in your career, we also offer the following fantastic package of benefits:

• A Booker colleague card with 10% off purchases at Booker and double discount events up to three times a year.
• After 3 months service, a Tesco colleague discount card with 10% increasing to 15% off most purchases at Tesco for a 4 day period after every four-weekly pay day, ie. thirteen times a year. In addition to 10% off at Tesco Cafe and 20% off all F&F purchases.
• 10% off pay monthly & SIM only deals with Tesco Mobile for yourself, along with further great deals through-out the year.
• Up to 30% off car, pet and home insurance at Tesco bank. Terms and conditions apply.
• Free eye test when you spend £50 or more. You can also save 30% when you spend £50 or more on glasses, prescription sunglasses and contact lenses.
• 50% off health checks at Tesco Pharmacy.
• Exclusive access to discounted RAC breakdown cover rates
• An exclusive deals and discounts website saving you money on everyday purchases including a cycle to work scheme.
• After 3 months service, you can join our annual Save As You Earn share scheme which allows you to buy Tesco shares in the future at a discount.
• Retirement savings plan (pension) - save up to 5% and Booker will match your contribution.
• Life Assurance - You are covered for death in service life cover of up to three times annual pay
• Health and Wellbeing support and resources including our 24/7, confidential Employee Assistance Programme and Virtual GP for you and your family.
• A great holiday package

Apply now >