Employee Relations Partner
About this role
Employee Relations Partner
Macclesfield UK
.
Competitive salary and benefits
At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then
you’re
our kind of person.
The E
mployee
R
elation
team’s purpose is to build a positive and safe work environment for employees through
implementing
global policies and processes in partnership with Legal, Compliance, HR colleagues and employee representative groups such
as
the
European Consultation
Committee, Works Councils and
Trade
Unions.
As
an
ER
Partner
,
you will
be
part of a
small
team
who
work in
collaboration
with
business leaders and
HR Business Partners
to drive UK ER
strategy,
policy
and solution design
;
help
ing
them achieve their
business goals and people plans
.
A key part of the role will be to s
hare
ER
best practice and optimise data insights to influence the strategic direction
of our ER policy
,
whilst
managing a
portfolio of
change programmes within unionised and non-unionised environments
in line with relevant policies and associated
UK
legislation.
Responsibilities
- Support AstraZeneca’s Industrial Relations strategy and support and manage relationships with AstraZeneca’s recognised trade unions.
- L
- ead on a range of
- business change projects
- ,
- ensuring that all ER considerations have been understood and devise
- appropriate approaches
- to discharge all legal responsibilities.
- Manage own complex ER caseload providing
- high quality
- consistent
- advice
- to stakeholders
- in relation to formal hearings
- and
- diagnosing areas of improvement for future organisational learning
- .
- Devising and implementing case strategy with a risk-based and commercial mindset.
- Apply a process improvement mindset, drawing on experience and skills in AI to streamline and improve the efficiency of ER and business processes.
- Undertake
- formal
- investigations
- in support of the Lead Investigator in the UK
- .
- Set
- appropriate expectations
- for governance,
- escalation
- and communication of ER risk
- by
- taking a commercial and pragmatic approach
- .
- Ensure ER provides the highest level of customer service to stakeholders, regularly seeking feedback to drive continuous improvement
- .
- Design and deliver
- a range of training to managers on peopl
- e
- management issues
- , ER
- policy
- and processes
- .
Requirements
- Degree
- or equivalent
- H
- R/ER related qualification and
- previous
- experience in Employee Relations, Legal or Compliance departments
- Extensive experience of UK Industrial Relations and working with trade unions and other consultative bodies, including pay and other negotiations
- Extensive experience of UK and Global business change projects
- Excellent understanding of employment law and good practice and understanding of how to advise managers
- and leaders
- on the application
- Experience of technology developments relevant to the field of ER and
- a track record
- of harnessing AI solutions to drive efficiency
- A
- bility to work
- collaboratively while managing key stakeholders
- Able to influence decisions by persuasion, negotiation, facilitatio
- n
- Well
- developed written and verbal communication skills to communicate effectively with staff
- and leaders
- at all levels
- Flexibility to meet changing business demands and manage
- evolving priorities
- Independent approach to leading own workload, acting decisively and using
- appropriate judgement
- relating to
- the application of
- policy and
- local
- employment la
- w
- Comfortable with ambiguity and able to develop innovative approaches to achieve a resolution
- An understanding of human behaviour
- and handling difficult conversations
- Developing
- others in employment relations
- matters
- Desirable requirements:
- Law degree
- Pharmaceutical Industry experience
- Accreditation in mediation techniques
- At AstraZeneca,
- we're
- dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and ignite your entrepreneurial spirit.
- There’s
- no better place to make a difference to medicine,
- patients
- and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning,
- growth
- and development.
- We’re
- on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare!
- .
- Where can I find out more?
- Follow AstraZeneca on
- Follow AstraZeneca on
- Follow AstraZeneca on
- When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working give us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge
- perceptions
- .
- That’s
- why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that
- doesn’t
- mean
- we’re
- not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.
- Join a talented global team that's powering AstraZeneca to better serve patients, every day. The fuel
- behind our evolving, rapidly growing enterprise,
- we're
- here to help unlock the power of what science can do and
- ultimately have
- a big impact
- on patients' lives.
- Are you ready to make a difference? Apply today!
- Date Posted
- 20-Aug-2026
- Closing Date
- 26-Aug-2026
- Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.