Employee Relations Lead - Sortation Centres

Relay is fundamentally reshaping how goods move in an online era. Backed by Europe’s largest-ever logistics Series A ($35M) led by deep-tech investors Plural, and a recently closed Series B ($95M), Relay is scaling faster than 99% of venture-backed startups. We're assembling the most talent-dense team the logistics industry has ever seen

Relay’s Mission is to free commerce from friction. Today, high delivery costs act as a hidden tax on e-commerce, quietly shaping what can be sold online and limiting who can participate. We envision a world where more goods move more freely between more people, making the online shopping experience seamless and accessible to everyone.

THE TEAM

• ~160 people, around half in engineering, product and data
• 45+ advanced degrees across computer science, mathematics and operations research
• Thousands of data points captured, calculated, analysed and predicted for every single parcel we handle
• An intellectually vibrant culture of first-principles thinking, tight feedback loops and relentless experimentation

The role

As Employee Relations Lead, you'll be the person our sortation centre teams turn to when something goes wrong on site: a complaint, a grievance, a conduct or performance issue. You'll get to the bottom of what happened, handle the individual case fairly and thoroughly, and then step back and ask the bigger question: how do we reduce the risk or stop this from happening again?

You'll be based at our London HQ, with occasional visits to our sortation centres to maintain a visible on-site presence and stay connected with operational teams, build relationships with site leadership, and handle cases in person where it matters. This is a hands-on role. You'll run your own caseload from end to end, while also building the systems, policies and training that turn individual incidents into lasting process improvements.

What you'll do

• Own complex ER cases end to end, including grievances, disciplinary and conduct matters, ensuring fair investigations, clear outcomes and strong case records.

• Partner with sortation leadership, Be the end-to-end point of contact for people matters across the network, bring a clear view of people risk and priorities to leadership conversations, and turn then into operational plans

• Advise and coach site managers so they can confidently handle lower-level employee relations issues themselves.

• Manage legal risk, including early conciliation, tribunal preparation and external employment counsel where required.

• Build and improve ER processes, using case data and recurring themes to strengthen policies, escalation routes, training and early-warning indicators.

• Create a scalable ER framework that can be applied consistently across existing and new sites and stays aligned with employment law changes.

• Be highly visible on site, building trust with operatives and managers and helping sites prepare proactively for peak periods and increased case volumes.

Who Will Thrive in This Role?

• Strong end-to-end ER case management experience across grievances, disciplinary and conduct matters

• Good working knowledge of UK employment law, including early conciliation and tribunal preparation

• Experience in high-volume, multi-site operational environments

• Strong, calm communication skills, particularly in sensitive or conflict situations

• Experience improving ER processes and using case data to identify and communicate risk

• Comfortable travelling to sortation centres around 1-2 days per week

Desirable

• Experience supporting flexible, agency, contractor or platform-based workforces

• CIPD Level 5+ or equivalent employment law expertise

Who Thrives at Relay?

• Aim with Precision: You define problems clearly and measure your impact meticulously.

• Play to Win: You chase bold bets, tackle the hard stuff, and view constraints as fuel, not friction.

• 1% Better Every Day: You believe that small, consistent improvements lead to exponential growth. You move quickly, deliver results, and learn from every experience.

• All In, All the Time: You show up and step up. You take ownership from start to finish and do what it takes to deliver when it counts.

• People-Powered Greatness: You invest in your teammates. You give and receive feedback with care and candour. You build trust through high standards and shared success.

• Grow the Whole Pie: You seek out win-win solutions for merchants, couriers, and our customers, because when they thrive, so do we. If these resonate, and you combine strong technical fundamentals with entrepreneurial drive, let’s connect.

Relay is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity, inclusion, and fostering a workplace where everyone thrives.