Location: London & South East (Hybrid – 2–3 days on site)
Contract: Fixed‑term – 18 months
Salary: £70,000
Sector: Higher Education
Your new companyYou’ll be joining a large, complex Higher Education institution at a pivotal point in its people strategy. The organisation is undertaking a significant programme to strengthen performance management capability, improve accountability, and ensure long-term workforce sustainability within an academic environment.This is a well‑resourced, senior level initiative with clear executive sponsorship and a strong emphasis on doing things properly, sensitively and fairly.
Your new roleAs Senior Employee Relations & Workforce Change Lead, you will play a critical role in leading the people-related elements of this programme. The focus of the role is firmly on complex ER within a Higher Education setting, particularly supporting aca demic leaders.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading and personally managing complex and sensitive ER cases involving academic staff, including performance and capability matters.
- Advising Heads of Department and senior academic leaders on difficult conversations.
- Providing expert guidance on academic statutes, consultation requirements, employment law and risk mitigation.
- Ensuring consistency, fairness and legal robustness across all ER activity.
- Working closely with executive stakeholders on workforce planning, people‑related business cases and sustainability options.
- Building performance management confidence and capability across academic leadership groups.
- As the programme progresses, contributing to the design of longer‑term workforce initiatives such as flexible retirement options, career breaks and other sustainable staffing models.
What you’ll need to succeed
- Significant Employee Relations experience within Higher Education.
- Proven track record of handling complex academic performance and capability cases.
- Strong understanding of academic structures and unionised environments.
- Credibility and confidence to operate at senior leadership and executive level.
- A pragmatic, resilient approach with strong judgement and influencing skills.
What you’ll get in return
- A high‑impact, highly visible role within a major Higher Education organisation.
- Strong executive sponsorship and clear mandate.
- Opportunity to shape both immediate outcomes and long‑term people capability.
- Hybrid working and a defined 18-month programme with clear objectives.
- The chance to make a meaningful and lasting difference in a complex academic environment.
If you are an experienced Higher Education ER specialist looking for a senior, impactful fixed‑term opportunity, I would like to hear from you. Apply now or contact me to discuss the role confidentially.
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