<p><strong>Employee Relations Partner, based Waltham Abbey (Hybrid role). Salary up to £60k p.a. + many benefits.</strong><br>An exciting time to join&nbsp;an award-winning pet-specialist retailer in a phase of growth, in a newly created role within our People team. You’ll provide expert advice to support our managers and colleagues with all ER matters, helping us keep things fair, consistent and fully compliant. It’s a great time to embark on your People team career with Jollyes! &nbsp;</p><p><br><strong>The Benefits</strong><br><br>At Jollyes, we’re as passionate about our people as we are about our pets! We think our tail-wagging benefits package reflects our appreciation for all that our colleagues do and provides support where it’s needed most.</p><ul><li>Competitive salary £55-60k p.a. (depending on experience)</li><li>Company bonus scheme based on achieving objectives</li><li>iTrent financial wellbeing package, powered by Stream, enabling access to earnings before pay day plus lots more discounts and savings benefits.</li><li>Retail Trust membership – counselling, wellbeing and financial support for the retail industry</li><li>Colleague ‘Treats’ – numerous discounts on up to 800 high street retailers and online service providers from groceries to holidays and cinema trips</li><li>Colleague ‘We Care’ wellbeing &amp; medical support services – online GP, mental health support, get fit programme and much more (including ‘Tooth Fairy’ dentist on demand).</li><li>30% off Jollyes branded products (and 20% off other brands in store for your pet’s needs!) with discounts for our groomers and pet clinics too.</li><li>Additional paid leave for your wedding, new pet coming home and your birthday off!</li><li>Enhanced maternity / paternity leave</li><li>Discounted membership for David Lloyd Clubs - access to gym, pool, spa, classes, racquet sports, kids clubs and more&nbsp;</li></ul><p>Further benefits on completion of probationary period (Critical illness, life assurance, PMI, enhanced pension).<br><br>This is a full time, hybrid role involving a minimum of 3 x office days per week at our <em>pet-friendly</em> support office in Waltham Abbey (Essex) and up to 2 x days per week from home (or other Jollyes location as preferred). 37.5 hours per week.</p><p><br><strong>The Role – Employee Relations Partner &nbsp;</strong><br><br>This new role sits within our People team who deliver strategic and operational support across the full employee life cycle, driving a high performing and inclusive culture that reflects our values and supports the achievement of business goals.<br><br>This role matters because you’ll play a key part in ensuring colleagues feel supported at every step, improving manager capability and reducing risk. Your work directly contributes to our positive culture, fair outcomes and confident managers — helping Jollyes be a workplace our colleagues are proud of.</p><p>Reporting to the Head of People Services, you’ll be our go-to expert for all things employee relations — helping us keep things fair, consistent and fully compliant, while supporting a happy, healthy workplace where our colleagues truly thrive. You’ll be the calm, confident guide when things get a little… <em>ruff</em>. From complex casework to coaching managers, you’ll help resolve issues early, reduce risk and boost capability across our growing pack.</p><p>A full JD is available on request, but to summarise your key responsibilities:</p><ul><li>Providing expert advice on disciplinary, grievance, absence, performance and capability cases.</li><li>Leading fair, thorough investigations and supporting early resolution through coaching and mediation.</li><li>Helping managers build confidence and skills in handling people matters.</li><li>Spotting trends, analysing ER data and recommending proactive improvements.</li><li>Ensuring everything we do aligns with employment law, best practice and our Jollyes values.</li><li>Supporting organisational change such as restructures, redundancies and TUPE.</li><li>Playing a key role in creating a consistent, positive colleague experience across our multi-site business.</li></ul><p>Success measures for this role include early resolution rate, reduction in long term absence costs and tribunal claims, policy adherence and cases resolved within agreed timescales. Also, improved manager capability and confidence handling ER issues (reduction in escalated ER cases), and positive feedback from managers and colleagues on the ER support provided.</p><p>&nbsp;<br><strong>The Skills – Employee Relations Partner </strong><br><br>To be successful in this role, you’ll need the following skills, experience and qualities:</p><ul><li>Strong knowledge of UK employment law and experience managing complex ER cases.</li><li>CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent experience) and experience supporting change and delivering manager training.</li><li>Proven experience in a similar fast-paced, multi-site or retail/operational environment.</li><li>Skilled communicator who can coach, influence and appropriately challenge — always fairly, always kindly.</li><li>Great judgement, highly organised and able to handle a busy caseload with care and confidentiality.</li><li>A genuine passion for fairness, inclusion and values-led ways of working — because we don’t just talk the talk; we walk the walkies!&nbsp;</li><li>Share our values of being: Wise, Focused, Genuine, Eager, Together</li></ul><p><br><strong>About Jollyes Pets</strong></p><p>Jollyes are an award-winning UK pet retailer with over 100 stores and over 50 years of pet expertise between our paws. Winners of the Retail Week award for ‘Best Retailer 2024’ (under £250m t/o), and listed in the Sunday Times ‘Best Places to Work’ you really can be sure you’re joining a great brand and employer, trusted by our customers and our colleagues. Accredited by 'Rest Less' as an age-inclusive employer we welcome applications of all ages (16+), and with our accreditation to the Pet Sustainability Coalition, we're friendly to pets people and the planet too!<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><em>To Apply:</em></strong></p><p>If you’re looking for a career with a company who will truly value you and recognise your contribution with some fantastic rewards and benefits, where you can really make a difference, click to apply today!</p><p><strong><em>Respectfully no agencies please</em></strong></p>