Employee Relations Manager at Airtel

The Employee Relations Manager will be responsible for implementing and managing employee relations strategies and policies; promoting a positive workplace culture and driving the right values and behaviours by identifying and resolving potentially volatile employee relations issues/workplace conflicts effectively. This role will ensure compliance with Airtel Policies, its code of conduct and Labour Laws.  He or she will also support management in driving employee engagement, retention, and productivity and drive all employee relations and fair employment practices for both full-term employees (FTEs) and non-full-term employment (NFTEs) within the Airtel Organization. 

Responsibilities

Employee Relations & Conflict Resolution

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations issues across the business.
• Manage employee grievances, disciplinary actions, and workplace investigations with fairness, consistency, and in line with company policies and labor regulations.
• Advise managers and leaders on grievance procedures, conflict resolution and best practices for handling workplace challenges. 
• Prepare necessary documentation to support the Legal Team in court cases against the organization relating to employee litigations.

Policy & Compliance

• Develop, review, and implement HR and employee relations policies to ensure compliance with labor laws, industry standards, and organizational values.
• Ensure all employee relations practices align with local regulatory requirements and internal governance frameworks.

Engagement & Culture

• Drive initiatives to enhance employee engagement, morale, and workplace satisfaction.
• Support management programs and cultural transformation initiatives to align with employee relations best practices and business strategy.

Employee Relations

• Provide apt advice and counsel to Line on talent management, performance management, conflict resolution and other areas of employee relations.
• Facilitate and guide various stakeholders on corrective actions,   grievances, conflicts and disciplinary procedures.
• Ensure resolution of all staff welfare issues within agreed timelines.

Stakeholders Management

• Facilitate appropriate negotiation and consultation with external stakeholders in labour such as the Ministry of Labour & Productivity, Nigeria Employee Consultative (NECA) Forum, Chartered Institute of Personal Management etc.
• Monitor and ensure organization’s compliance with government regulations in labour matters.
• Monitor to ensure that employee related quarterly engagements are effective at the Regional level.
• Carry out periodic reviews of expectations of external stakeholders with respect to labour issues.
• Relationship management with all Function Heads and employees within the organization.

Performance & Capability Support

• Partner with managers and third-party service providers to address performance management concerns and support performance related conflict resolution efforts. 
• Provide coaching and training to managers on effective people management and employee relations.
• Interface and work in partnership with the HRBPs and Line Managers to escalate appropriate problems to Management to avoid any disruptions to business operations.

HR data and insights

• Track and analyze employee relations trends, grievances, and disciplinary cases, providing insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Prepare regular reports and updates on ER metrics, risks, and interventions. 
• Conduct trends and report analysis on various HR indices.
• Provide employee relations reports and information as required by HR support functions, internal and external audit.
• Ensure accuracy and management of employee relations records for all disciplinary hearings.

Educational Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, or related field.
• Master’s degree an added advantage. 
• A professional qualification of CIPMN, CIPD, SHRM is desirable

Relevant Experience & &Functional / Technical Skills 

• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3-5 years in employee relations within a large organization (telecommunications, FMCG, Financial services or technology industry experience preferred).
• General Human Resources practice with a strong knowledge of labor laws, employee relations practices, and regulatory frameworks is required.
• Proven experience managing workplace investigations and resolving complex employee relations issues.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and build trust across all levels.
• Strong problem-solving, negotiation, and conflict-resolution abilities.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic, and highly regulated industry.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to use data to drive decisions.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Demonstrating Integrity
• Grievance and Discipline Management
• Labour Law/Agreement Management
• Negotiation
• Human Psychology
• Service Level Agreement Management