Employee Relations Manager; Sizewell C

Payroll, Pensions & Reward Manager

Sizewell C

Location: Ipswich, Suffolk preferred or London

Hybrid: 3 days per week onsite

Salary: £70,000 - £75,000 + 5% bonus

Holiday: 28 days + bank holidays (rising to 30 after 5 years)

Pension: Up to 15% employer contribution

Closing Date: Thursday 19 March 2026

The Employee Relations Manager will lead and oversee all aspects of Employee Relations across Sizewell C, ensuring ER cases are managed promptly, fairly, and in full compliance with UK employment law and the organisation’s values.

As a trusted advisor to HR Business Partners and senior leaders, you will play a critical role in creating a transparent and consistent approach to conflict resolution, workplace investigations, policy governance, and union engagement. Your expertise will help shape a positive employee experience, strengthen organisational integrity, and support Sizewell C in delivering one of the UK’s most significant energy infrastructure projects-contributing to long‑term energy security and net‑zero ambitions.

This is a rare opportunity to shape and define the ER function from the ground up within a highly complex, high‑profile environment.

• Lead the management of complex grievances, disputes, and disciplinary matters.
• Establish and oversee consistent conflict resolution approaches.

• Ensure robust processes are in place for sensitive investigations (e.g., misconduct, harassment, discrimination).
• Oversee preparation of formal findings and ensure compliance with legal standards.

• Design, review, and implement HR policies aligned with legislation and company values.
• Act as Policy Owner, leading the Sizewell C Policy Governance Group.

• Act as the organisation’s subject matter expert on employment law.
• Advise on the Employment Rights Act, ACAS Codes, consultation duties, and other key regulations.
• Mitigate legal risks through proactive guidance and case oversight.

• Maintain strong working relationships with Trade Unions.
• Support collective conversations and attend the Partnership Organisation Group (POG).
• Provide expert support on union‑involved cases.

• Train and advise managers on performance management, communication, and ER best practice.
• Provide guidance to HRBPs throughout the ER lifecycle.

• Use data from pulse surveys, ER metrics, and exit interviews to inform improvement initiatives.
• Identify trends and drive positive workplace initiatives.

• Own the relationship between Sizewell C and external legal advisors.
• Manage the annual legal budget (c. £100k), ensuring appropriate and timely use of advice.

• Lead the mapping and continuous improvement of the end‑to‑end ER process.
• Provide structured guidance to HR Business Partners on best practice workflows.

• Capture ER trends and deliver Management Information to senior leadership for visibility and action.

• Permanent employees
• Contingent workers
• Third‑party contractors
• Workers based overseas
• Multi‑partner ecosystems within a major national infrastructure project

• Degree‑level qualification (or equivalent) in HR, Employee Relations, Industrial Relations, or Employment Law.
• Strong, demonstrable experience in Employee Relations within a complex corporate or industrial environment.
• Deep applied knowledge of UK employment legislation.
• Experience working with Trade Unions on ER cases and consultations.
• Experience mapping ER processes and improving ER frameworks.
• Ability to manage complex ER cases independently and confidently.
• Industry experience in construction, infrastructure, engineering, or manufacturing.
• Experience working on large‑scale projects with mixed work forces (employees, contractors, contingent labour).
• Strong interpersonal skills: empathy, neutrality, resilience, and calm under pressure.
• Analytical capability with experience using HRIS / SAP and case management tools.
• Experience leading or conducting workplace investigations.

• Shape a new ER function and influence organisational culture from day one.
• Work in a highly complex, dynamic environment that will accelerate your ER career.
• Contribute to the UK’s long‑term energy security and net‑zero commitments.
• Enjoy excellent development opportunities and the chance to work with industry‑leading experts.

For this role you must have evidence of right to work in the UK. As a project, we do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.