Head of People Relations

Sullivan Brown HR Recruitment are recruiting exclusively for Newcastle University to recruit an exciting role of
Head of People Relations & Policy.

Newcastle University

In line with our Vision and Strategy, Newcastle University is committed to placing people at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to foster a working environment where our colleagues can flourish, underpinned by our guiding principles of working together, visibly leading, enabling freedom and opportunity to succeed, and responding to current and future challenges.

Overview

We are seeking to appoint a Head of People Relations and Policy, a critically important leadership role responsible for shaping aspirational, forward-thinking, and inclusive people policies and practices that attract, develop, reward, and retain a highly motivated and diverse workforce.

You will join a thriving People Services community of around 95 colleagues who work collaboratively to drive cultural change, support the University's strategic priorities, and deliver exceptional lifecycle services to our academic and professional colleagues.

As the strategic lead for People Relations and Policy, you will be instrumental in developing and enabling our employment framework that supports the University's ambitions. You will lead on the creation and implementation of people-centred policies, build constructive relationships with our recognised trade unions, and provide senior-level expertise and guidance across all aspects of employee relations and policy development.

In line with our Vision and Strategy, the University has made clear its commitment to put people at the centre of all that it does. We aim to provide an environment that enables our people to flourish. Having people centred policies and procedures is important in providing an enabling employment infrastructure that promotes the University's guiding principles which are: working together; visibly leading; freedom and opportunity to succeed; responding to current and future challenges.

This role is a critically important role in shaping aspirational and innovative long-term people policies and practices that attract, develop, reward and retain a highly motivated and diverse workforce. We are a community of 95 People Services colleagues who strive for a positive and values led culture and working environment. We drive and influence change initiatives, define talent and development opportunities and deliver quality lifecycle services that support our academic and professional services colleagues to succeed.

To be successful in this role you will have extensive experience of leading and developing initiatives that drive cultural change and will help deliver our vision and strategy You will excel at building strong working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels and through excellent partnering you will develop and maintain people centric policies and procedures that enable our people to support the delivery of our Vision and Strategy. You will lead on positive partnership working with our trade unions managing university level initiatives to support a strong people relations environment.

You will lead on new or refreshed policies and provide guidance and support to policy holders ensuring positive engagement. The role will report to a member of the People Services Leadership Team.

Key Accountabilities will include:

Employee relations (ER):

• Lead our ER service by enabling the business partners to provide advice and intervention on complex ER matters and ensuring their knowledge is up to date with the latest developments in employee legislation and working practices.
• Build and maintain constructive relationships with recognised trade unions to promote partnership working across the organisation, leading on complex negotiations and disputes.
• To be responsible for the long-term agenda planning for Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC's) for all campus trade unions.
• Plan effectively for the future, establishing policies to optimise and enable the University's success.
• Oversee case work to provide University level statistics and ensure consistency across all people policies, identifying any emerging themes from case work.
• Liaise with University solicitors on matters relating to Tribunals, other employment-related claims, and legal claims.
• Development and refreshment of training and support for managers involved in investigating/hearing cases. Partner with leadership teams to support and guide them with the development of positive employee relations.
• Responsibility for the management of periods of Industrial Action ensuring a clear framework is available for senior leaders and managers.
• Key point of contact for Higher Education organisations such as UCEA in responding to requests for information and proactively connecting on behalf of the University

Horizon scanning

• Anticipate changing internal and external trends both in HE and the wider business community and lead change within your portfolio.
• Keep up to date with forthcoming changes and potential future developments in employment legislation identifying implications for people policy development or revision.
• Provide guidance and support on current policy approaches both in the HEI sector and beyond to ensure new and emerging approaches are utilised.

Policy Development and Implementation

• Partner with policy owners to create inclusive, empowering policies that reflect University values and comply with employment legislation.
• Work with key stakeholders to develop communication and education strategies for the implementation of new or revised people policies.
• To manage the single table JNC for People Services policies.

Stakeholder Management

• Build trusted relationships across the University and be viewed as a trusted advisor.
• Provide expert guidance complex and high-risk ER matters.
• Support development and delivery of training for managers especially for those new to people management responsibilities.
• Establish senior-level relationships within HE and other professional networking groups across the Higher Education sector, collaborating on key institutional challenges.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Proven experience of leading and delivering high quality ER activity
• Excellent demonstrable knowledge of current employment legislation and policy development
• Strategic thinker with operational agility
• Previous experience of working in a large complex unionised organisation.
• Established track record of effective and sustainable partnerships with trade unions.
• Significant demonstrable experience of advising on a broad range of complex employee relations issues, including balancing legal compliance with business needs.

Attitude and behaviours

• Inclusive, resilient and solution focused.
• High drive and initiative, able to demonstrate professional resilience.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication and influencing/negotiating skills.
• Collaborative and proactive in driving change

Qualifications

• Chartered Member of the CIPD (MCIPD)

Salary for this role is from £58,225 to £67,468, the role is hybrid and will require circa 3 days presence onsite in Newcastle each week.

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

All direct applications will be forwarded to Sullivan Brown HR Recruitment.

Closing Date: 23 November 2025