We’re looking for an experienced and proactive Employee Relations (ER) Lead to join our UK Hub team in Basingstoke.

Reporting to the Employee Relations Senior Manager, you’ll be the first point of contact for complex ER matters, providing expert guidance and ensuring consistency across the entire organisation.

You’ll go together with ER Executives, the ER Senior Manager, UK Hub colleagues/teams, People Business Partners, Centre of Excellence colleagues, and Line Managers to lead the end-to-end management of a portfolio of complex and high-risk ER matters.

Serving as a trusted advisor to people managers at all levels, you’ll own your craft in building people leader capability through proactive coaching, tailored advice, and facilitation of ER-related training and workshops.

Reporting to the People Operations Senior Manager, you’ll play a crucial role in managing day-to-day operations, ensuring excellent service delivery, and driving continuous improvement across HR support services.

What you’ll do

• Partner with senior leaders and HR Business Partners to navigate and resolve complex or sensitive ER matters, ensuring consistent application of policy and best practice.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to people managers at all levels, delivering expert guidance across a broad spectrum of ER matters.
• Lead manager support through formal processes, advising on procedural compliance, documentation standards, and outcome management.
• Develop and implement scalable training resources and toolkits to drive consistent and confident ER practices across the organisation.
• Participate in internal case reviews and continuous improvement activities, using insights to influence policy evolution, risk mitigation strategies, and process enhancements.
• Contribute to the review, development, and implementations of ER policies, procedures, and toolkits that are user-friendly, legally compliant, and aligned to Merlin’s values.

• Proven experience in an Employee Relations or Senior Employee Relations role, preferably in a shared service or matrix environment.

• Demonstrable experience managing a high volume of complex ER cases, including ACAS conciliation and tribunal preparation.

• Experience of writing policies, developing training materials and delivering manager upskilling is essential.

• Experience using HR systems and case management tools (e.g. ServiceNow) is desirable. • CIPD qualification is advantageous (Level 5 desirable).

• Union experience would be advantageous.

We’re growing fast and alongside a fun and friendly environment, we offer a fabulous package and amazing prospects – ideal if you’re already fantastic and want to become even better (our magic can help here). Benefits include Pension, Life Assurance, discretionary company bonus, 33 days’ holiday including bank holidays, a Merlin Magic Pass which gives you and your friends and family free admission to all of our attractions worldwide, an Enjoy the Ride pass which entitles you and 5 loved ones unlimited entry into your regional attractions, 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants and 40% discount on LEGO, plus lots more!