Senior Employee Relations Manager

Who are we

Founded in 1896, Knight Frank was registered as Knight Frank LLP a Limited Liability Partnership, on 3 November 2003, registered in England & Wales at 55 Baker Street, London, W1U 8AN with the registered number of OC305934. Headquartered in London, UK, Knight Frank is one of the world's leading independent real estate consultancies. We work responsibly in partnership to enhance people's lives and environments in over 50 Markets, 600+ Offices, 20,000+ People, 1 Global Network.

At the heart of all we do are our Clients. A relationship built on trust is vital. As trusted partners in property, we act with integrity and care, understanding our clients’ unique needs and consistently thinking about the bigger picture to provide personalised, clear and considered advice across all areas of property. Through our deep understanding of key markets and sectors – both emerging and established – we are dedicated to meeting and exceeding their property goals.

A true partnership is a balanced one, and our People are passionate about, and committed to, making our business inclusive and diverse. We give every individual the space and opportunity to perform at their best and be recognised for the immense value they bring. We empower everyone to have autonomy in their role and encourage them to use their voice in how we can make a positive impact as a firm and shape the future of real estate, the built environment and the impact on the communities we serve. Our collaborative and engaged teams provide excellent and dedicated client service. In our workplace, opinions are respected, everyone is invited to contribute to the success of our business and innovation, and new ideas are celebrated.

In 2021 we celebrated our 125th anniversary and set out Our Desired Future, cemented in three pillars: People Potential, Client Centricity and always Creating our Future, together. Learn more about what sets us apart here.

About The Role

Knight Frank is seeking an Associate, Senior Employee Relations Manager to join their Head Office in 55 Baker Street.

The Senior Employee Relations Manager is responsible for the provision of employee relations support across the UK business, and all service lines. The role acts as a deputy for the Head of Employee Relations, providing excellent advice and guidance on all levels of ER cases, with a predominant focus on matters which are more complex, high-risk and sensitive in nature. The role also provides first-line technical support and guidance to a team of ER advisors, working collaboratively to elevate the profile and reputation of the Employee Relations function at Knight Frank. Supporting the Head of Employee Relations, this role will also work closely with other parts of the People function at Knight Frank, including HR Business Partnering.

Key Responsibilities:

ER Case Management

•  Manage and advise on complex employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance, sickness absence, flexible working, redundancy, restructuring, TUPE and settlement-related matters.

•  Provide clear, practical and commercially balanced advice to managers and HR colleagues, ensuring that employee relations matters are handled fairly, consistently and in line with employment law, policy and best practice.

•  Support the preparation and review of key case documentation, including investigation terms of reference, invite letters, outcome letters, scripts, settlement documentation and case summaries.

•  Attend and support formal meetings where required, including complex investigation meetings, disciplinary hearings, grievances, consultation meetings and appeal meetings.

•  Identify risk and escalation points in employee relations cases, ensuring that matters are escalated to the Head of Employee Relations where appropriate.

•  Act as the first point of technical escalation for ER Advisors on day-to-day casework queries, including reviewing and providing feedback on draft correspondence, case strategy and proposed next steps, ensuring consistency and quality across ER casework.

•  Lead on the development and sharing of learning from complex cases to build knowledge and consistency across the ER team.

Quality, Consistency and Risk Management

•  Support the development of consistent ER practice across the business, ensuring advice is aligned with policy, employment law, commercial context and organisational values.

•  Leading on the identification of recurring case themes, risks and learning points from casework and share these with the Head of Employee Relations.

•  Lead of the development and delivery of training interventions, both within People Teams and within our management populations linked to key ER considerations and trends

•  Maintain accurate and timely case records

•  Lead of the development and production of ER data and insight where required.

•  Contribute to the continuous improvement of ER templates, guidance notes and case management approaches, under the leadership of the Head of Employee Relations.

Stakeholder Management

• Build effective relationships with managers, leaders, HR Business Partners and Centre of Excellence, acting as a credible and trusted ER specialist.

Policy, Projects and Employment Law

•  Support the Head of Employee Relations with policy reviews, employment law updates, ER projects and wider people initiatives as required.

•  Develop practical ER insights to policy and process development, drawing on casework trends and operational experience.

•  Keep up to date with developments in employment law, best practice and internal policy updates, ensuring advice remains current and legally sound.

•  Leading business change activity, including redundancy and restructuring processes, under the leadership of the Head of Employee Relations.

Required Experience:

• CIPD qualification preferred, ideally Level 5 or above, or equivalent relevant experience.

• Significant experience in an employee relations specialist role, including managing complex, sensitive and higher-risk ER cases, in a fast-faced and commercially focused organisation.

• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and employee relations best practice.

• Experience supporting or coaching colleagues on ER casework, ideally in a specialist ER team environment.

• Confident advising managers and senior stakeholders on complex people matters.

• Strong written communication skills, with experience drafting and reviewing high-quality ER correspondence and case documentation.

• Strong judgement and risk assessment skills, with the ability to identify when matters should be escalated.

• Ability to work at pace, manage competing priorities and maintain high standards of accuracy and confidentiality.

• Collaborative and pragmatic approach, with the ability to balance legal risk, commercial context and employee experience.

Competitive salary

Please note: this is a Direct Search led by Knight Frank. Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs, even if provided by PSL agencies.