Head of Employee Relations

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Head of Employee Relations based in France.

The Head of Employee Relations will define and lead a global approach to employee relations and performance management across a rapidly growing international organization. You will establish practical frameworks, policies, and governance that enable employee matters to be handled consistently, fairly, and in line with applicable employment laws. The role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on oversight of complex, sensitive, and high-risk employee relations cases. You will build constructive relationships with works councils, employee representatives, and other workforce bodies across multiple jurisdictions. Working closely with senior leaders, People teams, and employment counsel, you will balance legal considerations, employee experience, organizational values, and business priorities. You will also strengthen manager capability through guidance, coaching, training, and practical tools for managing employee matters effectively. This is an international leadership opportunity in a fast-moving environment where strong judgment, collaboration, and meaningful organizational impact are highly valued.

Accountabilities

• Define and implement the global employee relations and performance management strategy, principles, governance framework, and operating model.

• Establish a consistent approach to performance management, including the effective and fair management of underperformance.

• Develop practical policies, processes, templates, and guidance covering performance concerns, grievances, disciplinary matters, investigations, and other employee relations cases.

• Provide senior-level oversight and advice on complex, sensitive, or high-risk employee relations matters.

• Support managers in addressing employee concerns early, establishing clear expectations, and reaching fair and proportionate outcomes.

• Ensure employee relations practices are applied consistently while appropriately reflecting local employment law and regulatory requirements.

• Identify recurring employee relations themes and recommend preventative measures or organization-wide improvements.

• Partner with relevant People teams to align employee relations and performance practices with broader talent, reward, and people strategies.

• Build and maintain constructive relationships with works councils, employee forums, trade unions, and other employee representative bodies.

• Establish effective approaches for engaging, informing, consulting, and negotiating with employee representatives.

• Advise senior leaders on consultation requirements, timelines, communications, and employee engagement during organizational change.

• Support consultation and negotiation processes and ensure agreed actions are implemented effectively.

• Build internal capability so leaders and People teams can engage with employee representative bodies confidently and consistently.

• Partner with internal and external employment lawyers to ensure employee relations processes and decisions operate within applicable legal requirements.

• Translate legal advice into clear, practical, and commercially appropriate recommendations for leaders and People teams.

• Monitor relevant employment law developments and update policies, processes, and practices where necessary.

• Identify and manage legal, financial, employee, and reputational risks associated with employee relations matters.

• Establish effective case-management, governance, documentation, and reporting standards.

• Use employee relations case data and workforce insights to identify trends, emerging risks, and opportunities for improvement.

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, People partners, and Legal on complex employee relations and performance matters.

• Strengthen organizational capability through manager guidance, training, coaching, and practical resources.

• Lead a team or specialist employee relations function where applicable.

Requirements

• Significant senior‑level experience in employee relations, employment law, HR, or a closely related discipline.

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing an employee relations strategy, framework, or operating model.

• Strong knowledge of performance management, investigations, disciplinary and grievance processes, organizational change, and dispute resolution.

• Experience working with works councils, employee representatives, trade unions, or similar employee bodies, ideally across multiple jurisdictio