Director of Dispute Resolution

The Director of Dispute Resolution (DR) leads over 550 colleagues across Great Britain working on over 150,000 individual cases and c.400 collective cases each year. The purpose of the DR Directorate is to be the leading experts and practitioners in workplace dispute resolution making a real difference to our customers and the British economy. The Director is accountable for our performance as Britains foremost provider of workplace dispute resolution services. This is a challenging leadership role to deliver a quality service under pressure we handled a 27% increase in individual dispute casework in 2025-6 with 12.5% more staff while still hitting our performance targets. We expect similar caseload increases this and next year while overall Acas faces diminishing resources in real terms. We are trialing a range of digital and AI-enabled tools to improve productivity and the Director is responsible for modernising our service while maintaining and improving quality of outcomes.

In this role you will also further raise Acass profile, influencing and developing our reputation as trusted experts in the field of conflict management, dispute resolution and employment relations. You will lead the successful delivery of the Acas collective dispute resolution services and will advise and support the CEO on key sensitive or high-profile collective disputes. You will work closely with Executive Board colleagues to support wider policy thinking in this field and support the Chair in her work raising Acass profile.

This vacancy arises at a time of significant change in workplace rights and employment relations. The Government is implementing the Employment Rights Act 2025 and this role involves frequent dialogue with Whitehall Departments looking at whole system reform across conciliation, employment rights and the Employment Tribunal service.

You will be experienced and knowledgeable in employment relations, and/or you will have the skills which characterise conflict resolution i.e. able to listen, reason and persuade where needed. You will be confident in consulting and collaborating with trade unions and employer stakeholders, understanding how to create successful outcomes for parties in dispute, and understanding how to guide and support high profile cases. The post holder will be resilient under pressure of high workloads and able to operate under scrutiny. Strong leadership is vital to this role, setting a clear direction and conveying a persuasive vision. You will engage people at all levels in the organisation and build capability and future sustainability.

As a member of the Acas Executive Board (six Directors and the CEO), you will influence Acass strategic direction and provide corporate leadership to the whole organisation. You will promote Acass reputation and increase its influence through engagement with key stakeholders, representing the organisation in a range of external forums. You will role model Acas behaviors, including the Acas Leadership Way, leading by example in supporting a positive workplace culture, collaboration and innovation.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction, performance and transformation of Acass individual dispute resolution services, ensuring the organistion remains the leading authority in workplace dispute resolution. Drive service modernisation, digital innovation and productivity at scale whilst delivering against our 5-year strategy.
• Lead Acass Collective Dispute Resolution function shaping individual relationships with key national stakeholders, including employer bodies, trade unions, government departments and others. Ensure Acas is positioned at the centre of emerging industrial relations issues, leveraging insights from collective disputes to inform policy, strengthen organisational influence and enhance our reputation as the trusted authority on workplace conflict resolution.
• Be a Thought Leader in demonstrating that Acas walks the talk on good workplace relations and the productivity benefits best practice brings. This will include active participation in the development of Government policy looking at whole system change to Employment Law enforcement and best practice adoption.
• Lead a diverse workforce through change at pace working closely with our Trade Unions and colleagues across Acas
• Promote a culture of inclusion and equal opportunity, enabling colleagues to feel empowered to innovate and grow, whilst promoting constructive feedback and challenge without fear of censure.
• Influence Acas strategic direction and provide corporate leadership as a member of the Acas Executive Board.
• Promote Acass reputation, credibility and influence through engagement with key stakeholders and represent the organisation in a range of external fora.
• Report to the Acas Council on DR service delivery.
• Senior Responsible Owner of Ambition 3: Resolve of the Acas 2025-30 strategy including sustaining our record high settlement rates of above 70% for individual and 90% for collective conciliation and reduce the average cost per individual dispute resolution case by 20%.