Summary
- Salary
- Competitive
- Team
- People
- Location
- Germany - Cologne Office
About us
At Dyson we are encouraged to think differently, challenge convention and be unafraid to make mistakes. We’re creative, collaborative, practical and enthusiastic.
About the role
The Employee Relations Manager plays a pivotal role in shaping and driving the Employee Relations (ER) and Industrial Relations (IR) agenda across our European operations. This role will shape the ER and IR strategy regionwide, ensuring alignment with business goals, embedding best in class ER processes, guiding cultural change, and enabling high performance teams.
Reporting to the Senior ER Manager, UK & Europe, you will act as the regional authority on ER and IR matters—setting standards, navigating complexity, and inspiring best practice across our markets, particularly the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, Germany, and France.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic ER & IR Leadership
Define, shape, and deliver the regional ER and IR strategy, ensuring consistent adoption across all markets and functions.
Serve as the regional expert for complex ER and IR issues, leading high risk and high profile cases, balancing commercial priorities with employee advocacy.
Act as the strategic lead for all Industrial Relations activity, ensuring a cohesive and forward looking IR approach that aligns with business objectives and local labour frameworks.
Lead, design, and contribute to the development of global IR strategies, with a particular emphasis on Europe supporting in the development of a global blueprint.
Provide expert insight into the strategic use of ER and IR structures to support organisational growth, transformation, and cultural evolution.
Works Councils, Trade Unions & Collective Representation
Serve as the regional specialist and escalation point for engagement with Works Councils and Trade Unions.
Shape and implement the company’s strategic approach to collective bargaining and consultation processes.
Represent the organisation in high stakes negotiations, ensuring constructive and consistent industrial relations across markets.
Coach HR teams and senior leaders on managing IR dynamics, including dispute resolution, consultation planning, negotiations, and communication strategy.
Ensure compliance with country specific collective frameworks while driving consistent global standards.
Change Management & Transformation
Champion ER and IR transformation projects, streamlining processes and embedding new ways of working.
Influence and challenge senior business leaders to ensure ER considerations are incorporated into strategic decisions.
Lead ER elements of organisational change initiatives—including advising on restructures, redundancies, site changes, and strategic workforce planning.
Governance, Compliance & Risk Management
Own the integrity of ER case and IR engagement documentation, ensuring accurate, compliant reporting to senior leadership.
Partner closely with Employment Legal and HR Operations to mitigate risk, anticipate legal exposure, and ensure compliance with European employment and industrial relations laws.
Lead regional audits, monitor ER/IR trends through data analytics, and provide insights to shape strategic decision-making.
Capability Development & People Leadership
Build ER and IR capability across HR teams and people managers.
Design and deliver training on ER fundamentals, IR frameworks, negotiation skills, and working effectively with employee representative bodies.
Establish and energise a regional network of ER and HR professionals to share insight, harmonise practice, and drive a consistent approach.
Act as a trusted advisor and role model, fostering positive working relationships between HR, leaders, and employees.
Project Leadership
Lead and execute critical ER and IR projects, including policy redesign, process rollouts, and initiatives responding to legal or cultural developments.
Oversee planning and delivery of change programmes with significant ER/IR implications, ensuring high quality, compliant, and employee centred execution.
Track and report on project outcomes, risks, and learnings to leadership teams.
Market & Policy Expertise
Stay ahead of ER and IR developments, proactively advising the business on legislative changes, labour trends, and workforce implications.
Drive continuous improvement in ER and IR practice, using data and insight to shape policy, enhance outcomes, and strengthen organisational culture.
About You
Degree qualified (or equivalent) with a specialism in employment law, HR, or related discipline.
Extensive multi country ER experience at a strategic level, ideally including Turkey, France, the Netherlands, Poland, and Germany.
A proven track record in industrial relations within a multinational environment, including leading negotiations with Works Councils and Trade Unions.
Strong knowledge of European labour laws, collective bargaining frameworks, and consultation requirements.
Resilient negotiator with strong communication, diplomacy, and conflict management skills.
Experienced in shaping global or regional ER/IR strategies and leading largescale transformation projects.
Skilled at coaching leaders, influencing senior stakeholders, and building credibility quickly.
Highly data literate, proactive, collaborative, and culturally aware.
Experienced facilitator of HR learning programmes and interventions.
Comfortable operating in ambiguity and driving meaningful, lasting change.
This is your opportunity to shape the future of Employee Relations at a regional scale, driving positive, lasting change across our European teams.
Benefits
At Dyson, Reward goes beyond just salary and bonuses. Through a comprehensive package of Financial, Lifestyle, and Health Benefits, we provide support tailored to every stage of life and the moments that matter most.
Working policy
At Dyson, our vibrant campus culture is built on in-person collaboration, creativity, and shared learning. Working side by side not only fuels our innovation, but also creates a strong sense of belonging. To nurture this dynamic and inclusive environment, we do not offer a regular hybrid working arrangement.
Dyson is an equal opportunity employer. We know that great minds don’t think alike, and it takes all kinds of minds to make our technology so unique. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and employment decisions are made without regard to race, colour, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other any other dimension of diversity.
