AVP, Employee Relations

Job Title

AVP, Employee Relations

We have an exciting, newly created role for an Employee Relations specialist at AVP level in our London team. We will look to you to provide expert Employee Relations support across the International region, to partner closely with People Experience (PX), Legal, and business leaders in managing complex and sensitive employee matters. As part of the Employee Relations Centre of Excellence, you will help design and embed a new service delivery framework to support employees and managers on ER related topics, ensuring the fair, consistent, and compliant handling of workplace issues.

You will also play a key part in establishing clear standards, strengthening ER practices, and implementing a focused approach to employee relations strategy and risk management – related topics, ensuring the fair, consistent, and compliant handling of workplace issues.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Enterprise Employee Relations (ER) framework by supporting governance standards and ensuring alignment with the broader PX strategy and regional employment regulations.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve ER standards, processes, and tools for Pacific Life Re, including templates and guidance for disciplinary actions, performance management processes, and involuntary separations, ensuring consistency with global ER practices.
• Independently lead complex workplace investigations and support higher risk matters (including harassment, discrimination, and regulatory or GDPR related concerns), partnering closely with HRBPs, Legal and People Experience Operations as required. This includes conducting interviews, gathering and assessing evidence, preparing investigation reports, and recommending appropriate outcomes or development actions.
• Provide expert ER advice and guidance to the Employee Relations Specialists within our Tiered PX Operations Model, HRBPs, Legal, and business leaders to proactively resolve issues, mitigate risk, and ensure fair, consistent handling of employee matters across regions.
• Provide oversight and guidance to our PX Operations Team, enabling high quality support for employee relations requests through our tiered support model and acting as a point of escalation, as required.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of ER programs and processes across the International region, contributing to reporting and insights aligned to Global ER success measures (e.g., case trends, risk indicators, and external counsel usage).
• Act as a trusted subject matter expert in relevant business and PX discussions, offering insight on workplace trends, emerging risks, and complex employee matters to support informed decision making.
• Support the design and delivery of ER related training for managers and employees across the International region, ensuring alignment with global standards and curriculum.
• Monitor and respond to regional legal and regulatory developments in partnership with the Country PX Leads to ensure policies, guidelines, and employment practices remain compliant with local requirements. Liaise with the Global ER team to ensure alignment in approach where appropriate.
• Collaborate closely with the Global ER team to ensure International ER processes remain aligned with global standards, sharing regional insights and contributing to continuous improvement initiatives.

• Degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, Employment Law, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years’ experience in Employee Relations roles, with exposure to complex ER matters across multiple jurisdictions.
• Proven experience independently leading investigations and advising senior leaders on sensitive and high risk issues, with the ability to facilitate difficult conversations and resolve disputes effectively.
• Strong analytical and problem solving capability, with the ability to assess complex ER situations and recommend pragmatic, risk aware solutions.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple ER cases and work streams simultaneously.
• Experience contributing to the design, implementation, or…