Senior Manager - Employee Relations

Job Description

The Role

The Freshworks People team shapes experiences that maximize the potential of our people. Based in London, this Senior Manager, Employee Relations role is a key member of our global ER leadership team, owning the employee relations agenda across Europe and the United States.

You will co-create ER strategy alongside our global ER leadership, bringing a European lens and deep cross-cultural fluency to how we build a high-trust, high-performance culture. French language fluency is required for this role, given the scope of our European footprint.

We are re-imagining Employee Relations for today’s world — how we handle workplace conflicts, how we take a more proactive, data-driven approach to organisational health, and how we teach employees to share diverse points of view with respect. At Freshworks, we believe we are stronger together.

Qualifications

What You’ll Bring

• BS/BA degree required; JD or advanced HR qualification a plus. 7+ years of relevant experience in employee relations, workplace conflict, and performance management, with meaningful exposure to both European and US employment environments.

• Proven experience operating as an ER practitioner at a senior level, with the ability to execute independently while contributing to broader global strategy.

• Demonstrated ability to attract, develop, and inspire talent; experience managing or mentoring ER team members or HR colleagues.

• Fresh, innovative, and data-driven thinking applied to complex, long-standing ER challenges — with a growth mindset and a track record of high-impact outcomes.

• Strong business and people acumen, with excellent consulting, conflict resolution, and facilitation skills across diverse cultural contexts.

• In-depth understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues and their application to employee relations practice.

• In-depth knowledge of UK and European employment law (including but not limited to GDPR, works council obligations, and country-specific labour laws across the EU). Solid grounding in US employment law (ADA, ADEA, FMLA) also required. Knowledge of additional markets (Canada, India, Israel, Australia) is an advantage.

• European language skills are a plus, especially French

• Collaborative, influential, and decisive — able to lead and partner at all levels of the organisation while keeping stakeholders informed.

• Comfort with HR technology and case management tools (e.g. Salesforce, ServiceNow, Smartsheet); operational rigour in everything you do.

Additional Information

How You Will Lead

• Co-create ER strategy with the global ER leadership team, contributing a Europe-first perspective while ensuring alignment and consistency across the US and other regions.

• Own the day-to-day ER agenda for Europe and the United States — from complex case management to coaching managers and HR Business Partners on handling workplace issues with confidence and consistency.

• Build capability across the broader People organisation on conflict resolution, mediation, restorative justice, and bias-aware decision-making.

• Partner with the global ER team to re-imagine how we address performance concerns, involuntary exits, and organisational changes — grounded in principle, designed for people, and executed with operational excellence.

• Serve as a trusted expert on organisational health issues: gaps in belonging and trust, manager-employee conflicts, and behaviours that do not align to Freshworks’ values or DEI commitments.

• Ensure governance and compliance with employment policies and practices across European jurisdictions and the US, including interpretation and application of relevant laws, regulations, and corporate policy.

• Work closely with HR Business Partners, Talent Development, Total Rewards, and Legal to deliver coordinated, seamless support on ER matters.

• Drive accountability through strong case management practices, meaningful metrics, and a continuous improvement mindset.

• Navigate works councils, trade unions, and local consultation requirements in European markets with confidence and cultural fluency.

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.