Employee Relations Business Partner (m/w/d)

About the Role:

The Employee Relations Partner (ERP) will be responsible for all RELX companies in Austria, Emerging Countries, Germany, Poland and Spain. The ERP will provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, and support to management and colleagues regarding employee relations issues, performance behaviours, interpretations of employment laws, and policies and procedures. The ERP will review and ensure that actions and decisions are appropriate, equitable, and compliant with policy and legislation.

Responsibilities:

• Provide consultation, guidance, and coaching to People Leaders to address employee behaviour and performance concerns.
• Guide and assist with the development and delivery of appropriate feedback or corrective/disciplinary actions.
• Analyse information to identify the root causes of problems and propose realistic and practical solutions based on knowledge and understanding of the organization and its operating environment.
• Apply discretion and sound judgment while leading sophisticated processes, decisions, and handling sensitive information.
• Advise and influence all levels of management around complex employee relations decisions, such as performance management, business conduct, terminations, restructuring, and policies, guidelines, and practices.
• Maintain relevant documentation and records in line with legal and company requirements for each process, including intake and investigative notes, supporting documents, and final reports in a secure case management tool.
• Ensure that investigations are thorough and include an understanding of the allegations, appropriate interviews, analysis and documentation, and recommendations for conclusion and course of action.
• Provide training on Employee Relations topics.

Experience Required:

• Possess significant experience in an Employee Relations or similar role, with a strong understanding of relevant employment law, policies, and procedures for the geography.
• Demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with employees, managers, HR colleagues and stakeholders.
• Exhibit strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to manage complex employee relations cases.
• Work independently and as part of a team, with a proactive and positive approach to work. This is a full-time role.
• Hold a relevant HR degree or equivalent HR qualification.

Competencies/Attributes:

• Demonstrate excellent knowledge of current employment law and standard methodologies in Employee Relations policies, principles, and procedures.
• Advise a range of team members on Employee Relations issues, balancing legal compliance with business needs.
• Convey opinions and recommendations persuasively, both verbally and in writing.
• Remain tactful, calm, and persuasive in controversial and/or confrontational situations.
• Utilise effective analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to organize and analyse data.
• Exhibit exceptional coaching, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Maintain strong customer relationship skills with a customer service-centric approach.
• Communicate empathetically and diplomatically, demonstrating an understanding of each stakeholder’s specific situation and maintaining high integrity and confidentiality.
• Establish cross-functional relationships at all levels and geographies, establishing credibility with stakeholders.
• Manage and be accountable for multiple projects and caseloads within required SLAs or better, working independently.
• Language: successful candidate will be proficient in German and English. Other European languages would be a significant benefit including Polish and Spanish.