Employee Relations Partner / Specialist / (Employme

Employee Relations Partner / Specialist / (Employment Litigation)
Solihull (Hybrid*)

Full Time, Permanent 

* Serco offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different Serco sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

Here at Serco, we are seeking an experienced Employee Relations Partner to be responsible for advising on all aspects of employment law with focus on managing all Employment Tribunal activity, as cost effectively as possible. The role will also be expected to liaise professionally and effectively with external parties such as ACAS, unions, solicitors and barristers as part of the Tribunal case management process as well as internal stakeholders sharing feedback, lessons learnt and building effective collaborative relationships The Employee Relations Partner will play a key role in governing our ethical approach to ER related activity.

As part of this you'll:

• Reviewing claims and responding with grounds of resistance
• Devising case management and defence strategy per tribunal claim, including early identification of risk areas or jurisdictional defence
• Advising/influencing stakeholders on the prospects and risks of each claim, the proposed case management and defence strategy, and the value of the claim
• Preparing all documents for hearing including tribunal bundles, witness statements, counter schedules of loss, skeleton arguments and any other documents as required
• Preparing and submitting case management applications in accordance with the case management/defence strategy
• Preparing documentation for all types of hearing including case management preliminary hearings, substantive preliminary hearings, judicial mediation, and full merits hearings including remedy if necessary
• Carrying out Employment Tribunal advocacy, where appropriate
• Providing feedback and sharing lessons learnt to stakeholders at the conclusion of all claims and Tribunal hearings
• Liaising professionally and effectively with key internal stakeholders including line managers of all levels of seniority, witnesses, and Case Management team, with a view to building positive and collaborative working relationships
• Liaising professionally and effectively with external parties such as ACAS, unions, solicitors and barristers as part of the Tribunal case management process
• To advise line managers on settlement agreement process and settlement agreement terms
• Reviewing and re-drafting settlement agreements in line with Company guidelines
• Report progress to relevant stakeholders and the legal team
• Negotiating directly with employees' solicitors where appropriate with a view to ensuring exit as expediently and cost-effectively as possible
• Providing advice and guidance to Case Management and line managers on complex internal cases on an as required basis
• Providing advice and guidance to designated sectors on ad hoc projects
• Proactively identify themes and educate teams on best practice approaches to avoid ER cases
• Monitoring, measuring and reporting on ER issues, opportunities and development plans and achievements, through ER data analysis, to enable fact-based decision making
• Taking accountability for ensuring that decisions are accurately captured and processed
• Monitoring trends and taking appropriate action; enabling continuous improvement and adopting a lesson learnt approach
• Building on stakeholder relationships with other centres of expertise and the HR team overall
• Able to provide excellent stakeholder management and ensure positive client service experience.

What you'll need to do the role:
 

• Ideally gained CIPD qualification or equivalent experience  or
• Experience of employment tribunal procedures, rule and advocacy
• Strong oral and written presentation skills, able to communicate and influence at all levels of seniority internally and externally
• Dynamic and can-do, executes with pace and able to prioritise when needed
• Good attention to detail
• Good negotiating skills
• Innovative and adaptable, embraces change and comfortable with ambiguity
• Able to communicate complex advice and concepts in straightforward, non-ambiguous terms
• Strong commercial awareness driving process and operational improvements
• Management skills
• Knowledge and use of E-Billing and case management systems
• Responsible for approvals and payment of invoices in accordance with billing guidelines

Why Serco:

Meaningful and vital work: In this position, your work is vital to the business, in terms of decisions and growth. You will gain a world of opportunity working for a globally operating business delivering essential services across 5 vital sectors, personal growth, achievement and development won't be hard to find. You'll also work with great people. You'll find yourself working in a highly motivated, supportive environment where no two days are the same, with experienced colleagues who strive for excellence.
 

What we offer:

• Flexible working considered
• Pension - 6%
• Childcare vouchers
• Bike4Work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Chance to contribute to innovation in the public services
• A company passionate about diversity and inclusion
• Serco Benefits

About Serco
At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks - SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply
Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Silver Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.  For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.
 

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the 'Ban the Box' pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.