Senior HR Employee Relations Business Partner

Job Description About Network Rail Join Network Rail - Where People and Connections Matter At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team - you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway.

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We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. To discover more about our ED&I commitments [2] . We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process. You can visit [3] Even breaks Career Hive for advice on accessibility support.

If you're ready to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you!

Vacancy Details Duration:
Permanent

Location:

This role can be based in either Cardiff, Swansea or Newport. This role is a full-time post, flexible working patterns will be considered.

Band & Salary:
Band 3C £55,596 - £65,966

Brief Description Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a Senior HR Employee Relations and Industrial Relations Business Partner to join the business

About the roleA Senior HR Employee Relations and Industrial Relations Business Partner serves as a strategic advisor to the business, leading on complex and high risk employee relations cases through to employment tribunal where required. The role combines deep expertise in employment law, internal policy, and organisational processes to provide pragmatic, commercially focused guidance to senior leaders. With a strong emphasis on industrial relations, they act as the organisation's lead expert on union engagement, collective bargaining, and workforce strategy, proactively managing relationships with trade unions and employee representatives to maintain a stable and constructive industrial climate.

They provide strategic oversight and hands on leadership during collective disputes, including ballots, negotiations, and potential industrial action, ensuring risks are anticipated, mitigated, and managed in line with legal and reputational considerations.

What does the average day look like?

The role involves analysing ER and IR data to identify emerging trends, hotspots, and systemic risks, translating insight into targeted interventions that strengthen organisational resilience and employee experience. They advise on and shape IR strategies aligned to business objectives, including organisational change, restructures, and transformation programmes, ensuring effective consultation and compliance with statutory obligations. Acting as a trusted partner, they coach and influence senior leaders on complex people matters, balancing commercial priorities with legal risk and employee impact.

Through deep knowledge of internal processes and governance, they ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant practices while driving continuous improvement in how the organisation manages complex employee and industrial relations challenges.

Working closely with the supported business area/s to develop, drive and implement the HR Strategy/People Plan to include; talent, succession planning and change management, in order to support the delivery of business objectives and drive a high performance culture.

Act as an integral member of the business leadership team, building strong relationships with senior business leaders and other relevant stakeholders. Coach, advise and challenging thinking in addition to co-development, design and execution of integrated medium to long term people initiatives to meet current and future business needs.

Act as a change agent; lead, support and contribute to change programmes, driving and championing the implementation of HR solutions within the supported business area, gaining acceptance from key stakeholders.

Proactively manage trade union relationships, working with the Employee Relations team, appropriate HR Business Partners and managers across the business.

Reinforce and support the ownership of people management by the business and line managers and the HR Business Partner model.

Influence the centres of expertise development of strategy and policy through sharing business/functional requirements and inputting into development and execution planning.

Work in collaboration with;
Centres of Expertise, HR Shared Services, HR Direct and HR Business Partner teams to proactively identify and influence changes that improve HR service.

Liaise with HR Business Partners in other areas of the business in order to work collaboratively on cross business/geographical issues.

To help you find out more about the role we have created a candidate pack, linked below, which gives you an insight into what it’s like to work at Network Rail including our purpose, our culture and values, pay and…