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Employee Relations Lead

Reading, United Kingdom

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JOB DESCRIPTION

Job ID 143028BR

Job Status Employee - Permanent

Category People & Culture

Date posted May 20, 2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

Employee Relations Lead

Employee Relations Lead

Because we strive to put people first.
Culture, our way.

People & Culture at Primark
What’s a career at Primark all about? The positive impact you’re making, the experiences you’re having and the people you’re with. You’re our inspiration. Embrace what sets you apart, own your career and develop in ways you never expected. Leave your mark. And do it your way.

What You’ll Get
People are at the heart of what we do here, so it’s essential we provide you with the right environment to perform at your very best. Let’s talk lifestyle:

Let’s talk lifestyle: Healthcare, pension, and potential bonus. 27 days of leave, plus bank holidays and if you want, you can buy 5 more. Because Primark is all about tailoring to you, we offer Tax Saver Tickets, fitness centre, and a subsidised cafeteria.

What You’ll Do as an ER Lead
In your role, you’ll collaborate with different people across a range of skillsets. Here’s a flavour of your day-to-day:
  • Leadership: Co-design and lead the Employee Relations (ER) strategy for the organization, collaborating closely with the Head of Colleague Relations to ensure alignment with overall People & Culture objectives. This role focuses on developing and implementing consistent ER policies globally, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
  • Team Management: Lead and manage a team of ER advisors to oversee all Employee Relations activities across Great Britain (GB). Provide guidance, support, and development opportunities to the ER team, ensuring they deliver timely, efficient, and effective support to colleagues and managers.
  • Strategic Development: Develop and implement a comprehensive GB ER strategy aligned with P&C and GB business objectives. Ensure the strategy supports a positive and productive work environment, continuously monitoring and improving ER processes and policies.
  • Partnerships and Compliance: Build strong partnerships with local P&C and Retail Directors to agree on the ER Strategy, manage complex cases, and navigate changing legal environments. Ensure compliance with local labour laws and regulations through consultation with local experts.
  • Union Collaboration: Maintain collaborative relationships with Union (USDAW) representatives to ensure effective communication and compliance with the Partnership agreement. Proactively resolve issues and foster a cooperative working relationship.
  • Expert Guidance and Training: Provide expert advice and guidance to P&C Business Partners and line managers on ER matters, including disciplinary actions, grievances, performance management, and workplace investigations. Develop and deliver ER training programs to enhance management understanding of ER policies and best practices, while monitoring ER trends and making recommendations for continuous improvement.

What You’ll Bring
Here at Primark, we want everyone to feel valued – so please bring your authentic self to work, of course with some other key experience and abilities for this role in particular:
  • Extensive ER Experience: Proven track record in Employee Relations, including policy development, case management, and investigations.
  • Employment Law Knowledge: Strong understanding of employment law and regulations, both domestically and internationally.
  • Leadership and Team Management: Demonstrated leadership abilities with experience managing and developing a team of ER professionals.
  • Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Excellent communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
  • Analytical and Union Expertise: Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with expertise in handling union landscapes.
Does this sound like you? Great, because we can’t wait to see what you’ll bring. You’ll be supported within a team of equally capable people, celebrating who you are and aiding you reach your potential. At Primark, we’re excited about our future - and we’re excited to develop yours.

About Primark
At Primark, people matter. They’re the beating heart of our business and the reason we’ve grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to a £9bn+ turnover business and over 80,000 colleagues and over 440 stores in 17 countries today. Our values run through everything we do. In essence, we're Caring and always strive to put people first. We're also Dynamic, bravely pushing the boundaries to stay ahead. And finally, we succeed Together.

If you need any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request, during your recruitment journey, such as extended time or breaks between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, mobility access, or assistive technology please contact your talent acquisition specialist.

All offers of employment are subject to background checks, including right to work, reference education and for some roles criminal, and financial checks. If you have any concerns, please reach out to our talent acquisition team to discuss.

143028BR
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