Employee Relations Manager

Employee Relations Manager (Hybrid, mostly remote with the expectation to attend Group HR meetings. The typical meeting locations for this role are Nottingham and Milton Keynes so the successful candidate must be willing to travel to these locations)

Lithia UK

Basic salary up to £50,000 with bonus, car allowance, family PMI, pension, life assurance, 33 days holiday (including bank holidays), exclusive company discounts on used car purchases and aftersales services 

At Lithia UK, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As we continue to grow and evolve, we’re looking for an experienced and people-focused Employee Relations Manager to lead our Employee Relations team and help deliver an exceptional colleague experience across the business.

This is an exciting opportunity to step into a highly visible role where you’ll influence decision-making, support leaders across the business, and play a key part in creating fair, consistent and commercially focused people practices.

If you’re passionate about employee relations, enjoy solving complex challenges, and thrive in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same, this could be the perfect next step in your career.

What you’ll be doing

As Employee Relations Manager, you’ll lead a team of ER Advisors while acting as a trusted expert to managers, People Partners and senior stakeholders across the business. You’ll combine strong employment law knowledge with a pragmatic, people-first approach to help drive the right outcomes for both our colleagues and the business.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead, coach and develop a team of Employee Relations Advisors, creating a supportive and high-performing environment
• Oversee the management of a wide range of employee relations cases, including absence management, disciplinary, grievance, performance, probation and appeals
• Provide expert, commercially focused ER advice to managers and stakeholders across the business
• Manage and resolve complex and high-risk ER matters, balancing legal compliance with business objectives
• Handle Employment Tribunal cases from initial stages through to resolution, working closely with external legal partners
• Act as a subject matter expert on organisational change activity, including restructures, redundancies, TUPE and changes to terms and conditions
• Identify trends, risks and capability gaps through ER metrics and case insight, providing recommendations to People Partners and senior leaders
• Oversee the ER case management system (Zendesk), ensuring accurate case tracking, reporting and data integrity
• Build strong relationships with external employment law solicitors and manage those partnerships effectively
• Support sponsorship and visa-related processes where required
• Review, update and create policies, procedures, handbooks and manager guidance in line with legislation and best practice
• Deliver workshops, coaching and training sessions to upskill managers and improve confidence in handling people matters
• Support wider People & Culture projects and initiatives that enhance colleague experience and operational effectiveness

Are You Ready to Embrace the Challenge? What we’re looking for someone who has:

• Strong and up-to-date Employee Relations knowledge, with proven experience managing complex ER cases and confidently applying UK employment law in a practical, business-focused way
• Previous experience leading, coaching and developing a team, creating a positive and high-performing culture where people feel supported and empowered
• Excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risk, challenge constructively and make balanced, fair and commercially sound recommendations
• A proactive, positive and adaptable “can do” attitude, with the confidence to take ownership, drive solutions and thrive in a fast-moving environment
• Exceptional organisation skills and attention to detail, able to manage multiple priorities, maintain accuracy and meet deadlines under pressure
• Experience using ticketing systems or case management platforms (such as Zendesk), ensuring cases, updates and reporting are consistently accurate and well managed
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credibility quickly and influence managers at all levels of the business
• High levels of confidentiality, professionalism and integrity, with experience handling sensitive people matters with discretion and care
• Confidence creating policies, guidance and manager resources, as well as supporting workshops and training initiatives to improve consistency across the business
• Must hold a full UK Driving Licence 

What we can offer you: 

• Enjoy 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays), giving you more time to relax, recharge, and do what you love 
• Celebrate your special day with an extra day off on your birthday 
• Our industry-leading Family Leave Policies ensure you’re supported when it matters most 
• Access a new car through our Salary Sacrifice scheme and enjoy a smarter way to drive
• Take a paid day to volunteer and give back to a cause close to your heart 
• We believe in recognising dedication and loyalty, that’s why we celebrate long service milestone anniversaries 
• Unlock your potential with tailored training and endless career growth opportunities 
• Commute for less with our cycle to work scheme 
• Access high street discounts to make the everyday a little more rewarding 
• Know someone perfect for Lithia UK? Earn rewards through our internal referral scheme 

At Lithia UK, our growth is powered by our people: 

As one of the largest automotive retailers globally, we’re passionate about transforming the future of personal transportation and setting new standards for exceptional customer experiences. Our values—Earn Customers for Life, Improve Constantly, Take Personal Ownership, and Have Fun!—fuel everything we do. Join us, and you’ll be part of a team that embraces innovation, champions personal growth, and celebrates success together. If you’re ready to make an impact in an environment that empowers you to drive change, we’d love to have you with us on this journey. 

Lithia UK are an equal opportunities employer, and we are proud members of Automotive 30% Club, Diversity in Retail and Inclusive Companies. We welcome all applications regardless of age, race, religion, disability, gender or sexual identity, marital status, socio-economic background or Veteran status. We will also consider qualified applicants with prior criminal convictions, in accordance with the law.

We want your recruitment journey to be unique to you and as accessible as possible. If you need any additional support with your application or have specific requirements at any stage, please let us know via email: UK_resourcing@lithia.com. Our team will be happy to support you throughout every stage of the process.