Head of People Advisory – Employee Relations

Starling Bank

. Lead the People Advisory and Employee Relations function across the Group .

Posted 10/3/2026contractCardiff • United KingdomLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in UK Employment Law and Financial Services Regulation, with a strong focus on Employee Relations and People Advisory functions. Proven ability to lead teams, develop people policies, and manage complex employee relations cases within a regulated banking environment.

Highest-signal resume keywords

UK Employment Law ExpertiseFinancial Services Regulation KnowledgeEmployee Relations LeadershipPeople Policy DevelopmentStakeholder Relationship Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Employee Relations Best PracticeCase Law KnowledgeComplex Case HandlingAnalytical Problem-SolvingPolicy Development

Soft Skills

LeadershipInfluencingNegotiationOrganizational SkillsResilience

Tools & Technologies

HR SystemsCase Management ToolsWorkday

Certifications & Qualifications

CIPD Qualification

Industry Keywords

FCAPRASMCRBanking ContextCultural Change

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the People Advisory and Employee Relations function across the Group
Act as the strategic architect of the Employee Relations framework
Provide expert leadership on complex employee relations matters
Shape people policies and ensure alignment with UK employment law and financial regulations, including FCA, PRA, and SMCR
Build a trusted, proactive People Advisory team that balances commercial needs with inclusion, accountability, and psychological safety
Report to the Director of People Solutions

Requirements

What you’ll need

In-depth knowledge of UK employment law, case law, and employee relations best practice
Strong understanding of financial services regulation, including FCA, PRA, and SMCR requirements as they relate to people management
Knowledge of people policies, procedures, and frameworks in a banking context
Awareness of HR strategy, organisational design, and cultural change within a regulated banking context
Familiarity with HR systems and case management tools, ideally Workday
Proven experience leading ER and People Advisory teams within financial services or a highly regulated environment
Proven track record handling complex, high-risk ER cases, including tribunal preparation and negotiation with external stakeholders
Experience building senior stakeholder relationships and influencing at executive/board level
Experience developing and applying people policies and procedures
Experience working collaboratively with legal, compliance, and risk teams
Excellent leadership, people management, influencing, and negotiation skills
Advanced problem-solving and analytical skills, applying employment law practically while balancing legal, commercial, and cultural factors
Highly organised, with attention to detail, governance, and ability to manage multiple priorities
Agile, adaptable, resilient, and composed under pressure
Proficiency in HR systems and case management tools
CIPD qualification or working towards is desirable

Benefits

Comp & perks

25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
16 hours paid volunteering time a year
Salary sacrifice
Company enhanced pension scheme
Life insurance at 4x your salary
Private Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care
Partner benefits including discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton
Generous family-friendly policies
Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work and Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships
Flexible working requests considered