Role: Senior Employee Relations Manager
Salary: Circa £90K
Band: 4
Position type: TfL Permanent
Location: Palestra (Southwark – London)/Hybrid
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements
Role Overview
This role is accountable for supporting the Head of Employee Relations to implement the TfL Employee Relations Strategy, ensuring that the collective relationships between the organisation and its employees and representatives are managed appropriately within a clear framework.
This role is accountable for leading the provision of advice and guidance to Business Partnering teams and other stakeholders on collective relations between the organisation and its employees and representatives. Advice and guidance should meet business objectives and be managed appropriately within a clear framework underpinned by business and people strategies, practices, policies and employment law.
Key accountabilities
- Lead the implementation of the Employee Relations strategy that delivers and supports the TfL's objectives (taking ownership of collective bargaining arrangements, securing business performance and employee engagement while meeting legal requirements)
- Monitor the impact of the Employee Relations strategy and plans on relations between the TfL and employees and make changes as required
- Promote the strategy through constructively challenging the TfL and Trade Unions to modernise collective bargaining arrangements
- Partner with relevant stakeholders in developing negotiation and consultation plans in relation to pay and other matters
- Ensure collective agreements deliver the best interests of TfL and our people and ensure a clearly defined governance process is in place
- Support the Business Partnering teams with dispute management, ensuring compliance with all processes and procedures and engagement with appropriate stakeholders e.g. Legal
- Work with the Business Partnering teams to ensure we work with our Trade Unions by engaging them at the right time and the right level to jointly add value and ensure we are delivering against the Employee Relations strategy
- Responsible for ensuring TfL meets its obligations to inform, negotiate and consult with Trade Unions as set out in its company and local agreements through effective governance across the Business Partnering teams
Skills, Knowledge and Experience
Knowledge
- Links between Business strategy and HR strategy
- HR developments and best practice
- How collective Employee Relations needs to be managed in a large, complex and highly unionised environment
- Design, development and operation of machineries, framework agreements, employee terms and conditions and the underlying Legal framework
- Broad knowledge of external developments and emerging best practice in Employee Relations/HR policy (UK and European)
Skills
- Lead the negotiation and consultation process for pan-TfL items in partnership with senior stakeholders ensuring the right resolution is achieved for the organisation
- Lead on governance approach to all employee relations matters, including machinery
- Knows how to gather data from a variety of sources and provide effective insight and analysis to inform credible conclusions and influence business units and the Employee Relations Strategy
- Knows how to combine leading-edge ER and business insights to provide highly impactful advice and challenge to business partnering teams and senior leaders
- Knows how to skilfully balance risks and innovations in trialling new ideas or translating insights into action
- Communication skills - highly effective written and presentation skills at all levels
Experience
- Experience as a business focused industrial relations specialist at a senior level within a complex, highly unionised organisation
- Experience of implementing ER strategies and developing plans to deliver business objectives
- Experience of developing and implementing employee and Trade Unions engagement plans
- Experience of change Management, actively promoting and articulating change
- Experience of managing and developing ER professionals
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs and cover letters to make the process fair.
Application Process
Please apply using your 2-page CV
Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV. PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 17th June 2026 @ 23:59
Interviews will be held w/c 6th July 2026
All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right‑to‑work checks. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Vetting Process
At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect and clear communication throughout.
Benefits
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:
- Final salary pension scheme
• Free travel for you on the TfL network
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home or 75% reimbursement on a 28-day flexi ticket
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
• TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow.
• Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)
• Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
• Retail, health, leisure and travel offers
• Discounted Eurostar travel
