THE ROLE
Responsible for shaping and implementing the firm's employee relations strategy at a strategic level, supporting business objectives and fostering a high-performance, inclusive culture. The role offers significant influence within a collaborative HR function, partnering with senior leadership to drive continuous improvement, operational excellence, and sustainable employee engagement.THE TEAM
Our HR team is based across London, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Dubai, Dublin and Warsaw our HR team supports the business globally. Sub-teams include:
• Learning and Development
• Reward
• Resourcing
• Early Careers Team
• HR Operations
• HR Business Partnering (HRBP)
• CSR and Diversity
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ROLE
This firmwide position is closely aligned with the HR Business Partnering team, working collaboratively with HR, key stakeholders, and business partners to provide guidance, support, and coaching. AG's commitment to continual improvement and innovation makes this role integral to driving firm performance, efficiency, and project delivery.
As a senior member of the team, you will work alongside HR Business Partners and management to provide expert advice on complex employee relations matters. You will empower managers with effective frameworks, oversee employee data and analytics, and champion the simplification of HR systems to maintain best practices and compliance. Additionally, you will provide oversight on sensitive HR initiatives, including restructures, TUPE transfers, and long-term wellbeing cases.
The ideal candidate …
• Will preferably be of graduate calibre; CIPD qualification a plus but not essential.
• Expert in UK Employment law, with practical experience.
• Skilled in complex cases (Tribunals, TUPE, organisational change); international law experience (Europe, Middle East, Asia) is a plus.
• Absolute discretion, confidentiality, and diplomacy.
• Able to analyse trends, question practices, and implement improvements.
• Prior experience at a similar level, ideally in professional services or a fast-paced environment.
• Works autonomously, builds trusted relationships, and influences senior stakeholders.
• Commercially minded and collaborative.
• Manages complex workloads flexibly, maintains confidentiality, and handles multiple deadlines with attention to detail.
• Computer literate and able to present concise information.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, supporting employee relations strategy and mitigating business risk.
• Lead workplace investigations (conduct, grievance, or whistleblowing).
• Partner with global HR and senior leaders to ensure consistent ER practices internationally.
• Manage long-term absence cases and advise on daily HR matters, maintaining accurate records.
• Continuously review and improve practices to address long-term issues.
• Oversee the firm's hybrid working strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and best practice.
• Support HRBPs and line managers through change programmes and restructures, minimising disruption.
• Liaise with Employment Legal on complex cases and tribunal claims.
• Lead ad hoc projects and support new HR initiatives as required.
Training
• Interpret changing UK and EMEA employment legislation, providing relevant updates to the HR team.
• Design and deliver leadership training to enhance managerial capabilities and foster a culture of accountability and high performance.
• Upskill the HRBP team on emerging legislation and broader employee relations topics (e.g., wellbeing, disability).
Policy Management
• Lead development, review, and implementation of employee relations policies and procedures, ensuring legal compliance and alignment with the firm's cultural values.
• Support D&I teams with new policy creation and driving initiatives (e.g., integrating ER and D&I training).
Systems and Data
• Drive evolution of the HR Case Management System, collaborating with stakeholders to identify enhancements and streamline processes for improved efficiency and user experience.
• Analyse employee relations trends and data, identify root causes of recurring issues, develop proactive interventions, and present insights to the HRBP and senior leadership teams.
Networking
• Build and maintain a strong external network within professional services to stay informed about emerging ER trends and best practices.
• Leverage insights to innovate and enhance the firm's ER strategies, ensuring competitiveness and alignment with industry standards.
OUR FIRM
Addleshaw Goddard is a place where you are valued, encouraged, and challenged to fulfil your potential in a supportive and collegiate environment. Our culture of improvement, growth and collaboration delivers results, drives innovation, and rewards ambition.
We not only provide technical excellence and experience but, crucially, demonstrate real insight into our clients and what really matters to them and as such we are natural choice for FTSE100 clients and their equivalents in other markets.
Our success has been built by people from the widest range of backgrounds, locations, and perspectives. We have a number of employee networks that provide space to discuss the differences that make us who we are and celebrate this at AG.
AG adopts a modern approach to work and offers excellent opportunities for learning, training, and career development.
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