Employee Relations Manager

About HIVED 📦

At HIVED, we’re steamrolling forward as one of Europe’s fastest growing startups, and our momentum shows no signs of slowing.

Based in London, we are a climate and logistics start-up building the first sustainable parcel delivery network at scale, powered by a 100% electric fleet. In an ever-growing industry where unreliable service has long been the norm, HIVED has been built from the ground-up to meet the demands of modern consumers and disrupt parcel delivery.

A tech company at heart, our talent and technology is laser-focused on delivering the best possible delivery experience for end-customers and meeting the needs of our retail partners. From our drivers to our data engineers, we are constantly working to improve this customer experience that makes us deliver better.

Already trusted by leading international brands such as Zara, Uniqlo, ASOS, Nespresso, and more, we are solidifying our position as the leaders in Europe to tackle this growing market.

Our tight-knit team is made up of ex-Revolut, Bain, HelloFresh, ASOS, Apple and Google employees, and we are backed by some of Europe’s leading investors and VCs in climate-tech, logistics and mobility including Planet A Ventures , Maersk Growth , Pale Blue Dot VC , Eka Ventures and the British government. We’re passionate about driving innovation and redefining the future of delivery.

Role Overview 📝

We’re looking for a hands-on Employee Relations Manager to join our People team. You’ll play a critical role in shaping the employee experience for our team (120+ FTEs across different depots, growing to 170+ by year-end) and supporting our depot and HQ teams with expert advice on employee relations (ER) matters.

This is a role for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, operational environment and is comfortable working across different sites in London. You'll be the first point of contact for ER issues on the ground, partnering with managers to foster a positive, compliant, and fair workplace culture. You’ll also take the lead on investigations, policy development, training, and case tracking.

Responsibilities

Employee Relations Case Management

• Lead on all ER matters within, including disciplinary, grievance, attendance, and performance-related cases
• Conduct thorough investigations into misconduct, complaints, and absence issues, ensuring fair outcomes and documentation
• Act as a key point of contact for operational employees seeking support on ER concerns
• Partner with legal advisors and senior leadership on complex or high-risk cases
• Provide pragmatic, legally compliant advice to managers to ensure consistent ER practices across all sites

Compliance & Policy Enforcement

• Ensure full compliance with UK employment law, company policies, and ethical standards across the company
• Maintain and update ER-related policies, processes, and toolkits in collaboration with the People team and legal partners
• Monitor ER case trends and identify systemic issues, making recommendations for proactive interventions or policy changes
• Lead formal ER procedures, ensuring procedural fairness and legal robustness at every step

Manager Support & Training

• Act as a trusted advisor to managers, providing coaching on performance management, conflict resolution, and managing conduct issues
• Deliver engaging training sessions on ER topics such as managing investigations, handling difficult conversations, and absence management
• Build manager confidence and capability in handling day-to-day ER matters effectively and empathetically

Operational HR Support

• Advise on operational HR practices absence tracking, and probation management to support fair and efficient workforce planning
• Develop and oversee structured processes for probation periods, helping managers set clear expectations and make informed decisions
• Support change initiatives across depot operations, ensuring ER practices align with HIVED's people strategy and values
• Collaborate with the wider People team to share insights from the field and align on continuous improvements in policy, process, and communication

Case Tracking & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of all ER casework using internal tracking tools
• Analyse data and produce regular reporting for senior leadership, highlighting trends, risks, and improvement areas
• Share insights across teams to drive accountability and culture improvements

  Requirements 

• Proven experience in an Employee Relations or People Advisory role, ideally within a logistics, warehousing, or operational environment
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law, especially in disciplinary, grievance, and absence management processes
• Experience conducting investigations and resolving complex ER cases with a fair, consistent, and legally sound approach
• Confident coaching and advising managers at all levels, particularly in high-pressure, fast-paced environments
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, build trust, and work cross-functionally
• Strong analytical and reporting skills to identify ER trends and support continuous improvement
• Comfortable working independently, across multiple sites, and occasionally outside of standard office hours to support shift-based teams
• Experience mentoring junior HR colleagues is a plus

How we reward our team 🎁

• Dynamic working environment with a diverse and driven team
• Huge opportunity for learning in a high growth environment, with progression opportunities based on success in the role
• 25 days of holiday allowance plus public holidays
• Subsidised Private Medical Insurance including dental and vision
• Weekly team lunch and regular company socials
• MacBook Air or Windows Laptop (depending on your preference)
• Hybrid working set-up with in-person time expected at both our Shoreditch office and North Woolwich based depot
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption policy
• Cycle to work scheme
• Dog friendly office