Principal Employee Relations

The Principal, ER works with HR business partners and people managers across the organisation, building and maintaining strong relationships, as a trusted advisor coaching and supporting them in dealing with ER issues and ensuring their people are appropriately supported. The role contributes to the achievement of a better dynamic employee engagement across the organisation, promotes a positive employee relations culture to ensure fair employment practices and enforce corporate rules and culture.

Dependent on the nature of the case or project, the Principal ER manages business relationships with internal stakeholders at all levels of the organisation as well as with external stakeholders.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities:

• Deliver timely, consistent, and tailored specialist advice and day-to-day support to the business/ stakeholders without significant need for resource, preparation or referral elsewhere on all aspects of ER, health & wellbeing and, as applicable, performance management. Explain options and risk assessments ensuring that the business is aware of potential ways to manage and aim to resolve each situation, along with the associated risks.
• Advise on matters of policy and best practice to ensure thorough application of/adherence to applicable internal regulations with regards to disciplinary, grievance, voluntary severance cases, redundancy situations and performance management. To work with line managers to ensure they drive the process throughout to safeguard that a full, fair, and objective process is followed with necessary documents and communication produced as necessary.
• Identify and resolve potential and existing employee complaints; work with Client Management teams, line managers and employees to resolve disputes and minimise dissatisfaction; offer or facilitate additional training and development.
• Support the People Solutions and Advisory team in relation to the management of long-term sickness cases/medical absences; referrals to occupational health and other specialist medical advisors, and collaboration with the business to interpret advice and agree support, adjustments and action plans as required. As and when relevant, in conjunction with the PS&A team, liaise with Health, Safety and Security with regards to health and wellbeing of employees
• Providing ER input and analysis for the MDHROD in the matters under the internal dispute resolution processes. Produce timely and consistently high quality, written work and sign off documentation and advice from HRBPs, provide feedback, coach, and develop as appropriate.
• Provide stakeholders with timely and accurate information and reports pertaining to the ER activity within their areas of the business, as required.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with external providers to support implementation of the ER strategy. Such providers include the Bank’s medical advisors (for occupational health referrals), medical insurance provider (for Working Incapacity Benefit cases) and service providers for outplacement, mediation, and employee assistance.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualfications:

• Demonstrated track record as an ER practitioner, HR business partner, employment lawyer/lawyer (PQE 5+) with experience of international administrative law with well-rounded HR knowledge and expertise, including managing disciplinary and grievance issues from start to conclusion, managing caseloads, providing advice and guidance to the business and HR and supporting the organisation through change initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience of policy review and development.
• High standard of written documentation, and previous experience of producing professional and robust policy documents, memoranda and notes to be used in formal meetings; excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent knowledge, understanding and substantial practical application of internal dispute resolution processes and relevant procedures (including conduct and disciplinary matters, respectful and harassment-free workplace, administrative reviews and appeals processes).
• Ability to quickly gain understanding of the needs of the business in order to provide commercially robust solutions within internal policies.
• Clear credibility to be able to build, influence and maintain trusted relationships with key stakeholders within complex, multicultural and diverse business environment. Ability to consider each scenario from all perspectives i.e. the needs of the business as a whole versus the needs of the individual and be able to empathise with both sides.
• Strong positive team ethic, excellent relationship building, coaching, and consulting skills, with the ability and confidence and flexibility to liaise with stakeholders at all levels and deal with complex and difficult situations.
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, tact and cultural awareness.
• Strong problem solver, with the ability to anticipate issues before they happen, to make decisions quickly and to recommend innovative solutions.
• Well organised with ability to multi-task and proactively manage a variety of different cases to conclusion at any given time.
• Willing to take on additional responsibility and go the extra mile, including helping other areas of HR as required.

Source: https://jobs.ebrd.com/job/London-Principal,-Employee-Relations/1166998701/