Head of Workforce and Industrial Relations

Job title: Head of Workforce and Industrial Relations
Job Type: Permanent
Start date: ASAP
Rate: Market Led
Location: Cumbria or Warrington
Hours of work: 40 Hours Per Week

The Role:
The Construction Workforce Lead is responsible for ensuring the right trades, in the right numbers, are deployed to the right work fronts, maintaining a productive, stable and compliant workforce to support successful project delivery.

The workforce is central to contract performance, with effective planning, supervision and management essential to maintaining productivity, safety and continuity. Gaps in skills, inductions, permits or industrial relations can quickly disrupt delivery.

The role must manage different contractual and industrial relations arrangements, including NAECI, NJC-based terms and applicable site agreements, ensuring compliance and consistency across the workforce.

The workforce includes directly employed, TUPE-transferred, subcontracted and locally sourced personnel. The Construction Workforce Lead must balance industrial relations, strategic resourcing and productivity while supporting the growth of the local supply chain.

Assignments will include nuclear infrastructure projects, EPCM delivery contracts and decommissioning programmes.

Working closely with Construction leadership, project teams, commercial teams and clients, the role will support the safe and efficient delivery of complex nuclear projects and help establish the organisation as a trusted delivery partner within the UK nuclear sector.

Roles and Responsibilities:
1. Lead the organisation, planning and deployment of the blue-collar workforce, ensuring the right trades, skills and supervision are in place to meet project demands.

2. Develop and manage workforce structures, headcount, grading, shift patterns and resource levels throughout mobilisation, delivery and demobilisation.

3. Lead industrial relations, maintaining effective relationships with trade unions, employee representatives and site leadership, managing negotiations, consultation, grievances and disputes.

4. Ensure the correct application of NAECI, NJC-based arrangements and relevant site agreements, maintaining compliance with employment terms, working rules, allowances and legislation.

5. Drive workforce productivity and performance through effective resource planning, performance monitoring, labour efficiency and continuous improvement.

6. Lead recruitment, workforce planning and subcontractor labour arrangements, ensuring sufficient skilled resources are available to support programme requirements and local employment commitments.

7. Oversee workforce mobilisation, TUPE transfers, onboarding and demobilisation, ensuring smooth transitions and effective integration of employees.

8. Develop workforce capability through apprenticeships, training, upskilling and supervisory development, ensuring competence and skills requirements are maintained.

9. Work closely with Construction, Commercial, HR, SHEQ and Project Controls teams to ensure workforce arrangements support safe, compliant and efficient project delivery.

10. Build and lead an effective workforce management function, developing team capability, succession planning and strong working relationships across the organisation.

Candidates Essential Experience/Qualifications Requirements:
* 15+ years' senior experience in workforce management or construction operations on major construction or engineering projects, with direct responsibility for large, unionised blue-collar workforces.

* Extensive practical knowledge of NAECI, including grading, working rules, allowances, travel and subsistence, and dispute procedures.

* Working knowledge of NJC-based arrangements and site agreements, with experience managing workforces operating under multiple employment agreements.

* Proven experience managing trade union relationships, negotiating local agreements and resolving complex industrial relations issues.

* Experience leading workforce planning and mobilisation for major projects, including recruitment, TUPE transfers, onboarding, induction and deployment.

* Demonstrable success in improving workforce productivity, resource utilisation and supervisory performance.

* Strong site-based leadership skills, with the credibility and confidence to build effective relationships with construction teams, supervisors, trade union representatives and senior stakeholders.

* Experience working within nuclear or other highly regulated environments, including security clearance, radiological controls and permit-to-work requirements.

* Knowledge of the West Cumbria and wider North West labour market, including regional skills availability, recruitment challenges and local supply chain capability.

Please note for this role Security Vetting will be required, all candidates MUST be eligible to obtain or ideally already hold.

Interested in this position? please click "apply now"
We try to respond to all applicants, but sometimes this is not possible due to high volumes of applications; if you have not heard from us within 14 days, regrettably it means you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Company information:
This is a Permanent vacancy and is being advertised by Rullion Ltd
Since 1978, Rullion has been securing exceptional candidates for a range of clients; from large well-known brands, to SMEs and start-ups. As a family-owned business, Rullion's approach is credible and honest, focused on building long-lasting relationships with both clients and candidates.

Rullion is a forward-thinking recruitment company that specialises in providing a wide range of talent consultancy services to a diverse client base; from small start-ups to large household names.
We celebrate and support diversity and are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for both employees and applicants.