Employee Relations Manager - 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Role purpose

To be part of a successful Human Resources Business Partnering (HRBP) team,  collectively delivering an excellent level of operational client service to the Firm. The role-holder will be working alongside the London Talent and Risk teams, responsible for providing the firm with commercial employee relations advice whilst effectively managing risk for the firm, and supporting delivery of the Firm's strategic people priorities. The individual will provide a responsive, commercial, and solutions-focused approach.

The London HR Talent team comprises the Director of Talent Management, two Senior HRBPs, 3.4 HRBPs, 2.6 HR Officers, and two HR Coordinators. The role-holder will work collaboratively with Talent team colleagues, the wider People team, Partners and line managers.

Main responsibilities

• Act as a trusted adviser, working with Partners, managers and HR Business Partners across the London office to provide strategic advice and solutions, enabling the firm to navigate sensitive and business critical employment issues, including complaints and grievances, misconduct and other disciplinary matters, restructures, negotiated employee exits and settlement agreements, complex performance/capability issues and absence management
• Advise on general employment law queries including (but not limited to) contractual issues, equality legislation, and employment status issues
• Support the London People and Risk teams, managing any employment-related litigation and liaising with external employment counsel where required
• Lead on the case management of formal grievances and disciplinary processes in the London office; conduct or support investigations where required, providing strategic advice to Partners/managers and members of the London Talent team
• Collaborate with the General Counsel & Risk team about the Firm's regulatory reporting obligations. 
• Alongside the London Talent, Risk and Reward teams, develop and implement people policies, guidelines and processes, partnering with internal stakeholders where appropriate, and proactively reviewing these policies in line with ongoing changes and market trends; Advise on the application of policies across the business, ensuring a fair and consistent approach
• Develop and deliver employment and policy-related training for the Talent function (and wider firm, where appropriate)
• Provide support on various local, regional and global people projects/initiatives
• Draft and update contracts and other key templates as required
• Maintain a record of budget expenditure concerning any external legal advisers
• Collaborate and share knowledge across the People team (locally and regionally) and coaching, mentoring, and motivating more junior members of the Talent team
• Lead or assist with ad hoc project work

Travel requirements: None

About the team

Function

The Firm’s People function has responsibility for recruiting, supporting, and developing all of the Firm’s people, including our Partners, Associates, and Business Professionals, working closely with the Firm’s leadership to design and deliver the Firm’s people strategy, building on the Firm’s core commitments to collaboration, excellence, and inclusivity. The function includes:

• Talent Management
• Recruitment & Mobility
• Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
• Leadership & Learning
• Careers & Performance
• Partner Services
• Total Rewards

You will report to: Director of Talent Management

Your direct reports, if any: N/A

Key relationships:

• The HRBP team and wider People Team, including the Graduate Recruitment and Development, ID&E, Leadership & Learning teams
• General Counsel and Risk team
• Partners and line managers

About the candidate

Technical skills, qualifications and experience

• Experienced employee relations specialist operating at Manager Level. Alternatively, a qualified lawyer with at least two years’ post qualification experience, specialising in employment law, previous in-house experience preferred but not required
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Able to inspire trust and respect whilst able to influence and challenge
• Methodical and thorough with a strong attention to detail. Able to balance pragmatism, empathy, risk and compliance with your advice
• Able to identify the real issue, and to anticipate requirements and potential consequences. Can distil a range of possibilities by thinking in a considered, prudent manner
• Can positively impact those around them, and develop themselves both personally and professionally. Have a strong client service ethos and delivery focus
• Will act as a subject matter expert in their field
• Can bring perspective and a constructive approach to high-pressure situations and directs attention to solutions
• Able to make sound commercial decisions based on a clear understanding of the business
• A catalyst and leader of change
• Have a flexible approach to adapt the role to meet current and future business needs
• A strategic thinker 
• Excellent influencing and presentation skills to establish senior-level credibility
• Strong client relationship skills, able to manage the diversity of multiple leader relationships and serve their needs without compromising service levels
• Able to build rapport at all levels. A motivator and developer of people
• In-depth working knowledge and understanding of HR legislation, principles, policies and procedures
• Able to develop solutions to a wide range of highly complex problems, requiring creativity and innovation
• Strong diagnostic and analytic skills, and able to exercise good judgment 
• Have a collaborative approach, effectively working with others to achieve team success

Personal qualities

These personal qualities represent the shared characteristics of high performers across Baker McKenzie, regardless of job level and location.

Know how

• Demonstrates the ability to identify the real issue, and to anticipate requirements and potential consequences; distills a range of possibilities by thinking in a considered, prudent manner
• Has the capacity to take on new ideas and develop knowledge and think holistically about business and address media, analyst, employee, and client audiences
• Able to move through a variety of tasks requiring different approaches, knowledge, and expertise, with the agility of mind and capacity for analysis and synthesis
  

• Driven by a strong personal sense of integrity and upholds exemplary quality standards
• Prepares thoroughly, takes responsibility, uses initiative and is self reliant to ensure work progresses to the fullest extent possible
• Hardworking and diligent with a keen understanding of client demands
• Demonstrates composure when dealing with difficult situations

Personal Impact

• Uses complex, coordinated influencing/negotiation strategies, adapted to people, organizations, and/or the situation, e.g. networks
• Leverages direct reports to facilitate increased collaboration across the organization
• Builds partnerships based on a common agreement that acknowledges individual differences but creates a new commonality beyond root belief large-scale
• Creates a positive impression at all times; develops relationships through collaboration and reciprocity
• Negotiates to achieve mutually satisfactory outcomes; shows good judgment on when to stand strong and when to compromise
• Invests in, nurtures, and builds a network of productive relationships

Humanity

• Respectful to others, regardless of their position, and earns the respect of others by being transparent
• Has care and concern for others and a genuine interest in others as people
• Treats delicate or confidential issues with grace and discretion

Why Join Us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world's most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In London you will be part of a 1,000 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country's most high-profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, friendly and supportive.

The strength of the firm and our culture is evidenced by a number of recent awards, including:

• Thomson Reuters (formerly Acritas' Sharplegal) Global Elite Law Firm Brand Index, 2010- 2022 - ranked 1st
• The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2021-2022: currently ranked 52nd
• Thomson Reuters ranked the Firm No. 1 for cross-border deals for the last 12 years. More than 70% of our deals are cross-border.
• For the 14th consecutive year, the Firm was ranked first for deals with emerging market involvement, by both number of announced and completed deals.
• Law360 ranked the Firm as one of the 400 Largest US Law Firms in in its annual survey in 2020.
• Identified as one of the Hall of Fame for best law firms for women by Working Mother magazine, 2011-2021.
• Received a a Gold Award in Stonewall's Global Workplace Equality Index of Top Global Employers for LGBTQ+ Inclusion.
• Ranked as one of the Top 20 Employers in the 2023 Social Mobility Employer Index.
• Received Double Certification for earning top marks in the 2022 Corporate Equality Index and Equidad MX of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
• Winner of the Europe Mentorship Programme - International Firm award in the Euromoney Women in Business Law Europe Awards 2021
• Winner of the Gender Diversity International Firm, Talent Management International Firm, and Work-Life Balance International Firm awards in the Euromoney
• Women in Business Law Asia Awards 2021

Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!

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Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity

As the first truly global law firm, diversity and inclusion are foundational to our culture and strategic vision. We are a Firm of individuals from across the globe with different backgrounds, ideas, and points of view who collegially work together to solve complex problems and design practical solutions for our clients. Our multiple perspectives come from many sources, including the diverse ethnicity, culture, gender, nationality, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, parental status, education, social background and life experience of our people.

Our global strategy is focused on our people, our culture, our clients and the communities where we operate. In 2019 we enacted ambitious new targets related to gender, racial and ethnic diversity at the Firm. These targets are viewed as a floor, not a ceiling, to advancing underrepresented groups, and they are backed by a variety of strategic initiatives aimed at achieving our goals. Our strategic vision is supported in London by six active employee led networks which champion diversity, lead on a number of internal campaigns and deliver a range of activity to celebrate differences in identity, inclusion, and key dates throughout the year including: LGBT+ History Month, International Women's Day, International Trans Day of Visibility, Mental Health Awareness Week, Pride, Black History Month, Social Mobility Week, International Day of Disabled Persons and many more!

Baker McKenzie London has been accredited by Disability Confident, joining over 18,000 organisations that have signed up to help change behaviours and cultures in businesses, networks and communities and reap the benefits of inclusive recruitment practices.