Assistant Employee Relations Advisor

Pennine Care; Ashton-under-Lyne; Remote; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for an Employee Relations role (Band 4) based in Ashton-under-Lyne. The post targets a proactive ER service to support modernisation and workforce performance, with flexible working options including home or remote working.

The role requires CIPD Level 3 and HR/ER experience. You will work with managers, staff and representatives to deliver absence management, policy interpretation and HR investigations as needed.

Qualifications

• HR experience and knowledge of Employee Relations best practices.
• Experience advising managers on HR matters and policy interpretation.
• Ability to work with staff side and accredited representatives.
• Willingness to progress to CIPD Level 5.

Responsibilities

• Support the wider ER team with all aspects of Employee Relations activities.
• Establish positive relationships with managers and staff and deliver tailored interventions.
• Provide robust support in absence management, policy interpretation and HR investigations as required.
• Monitor compliance with ER policies and analyse workforce data to identify trends.

Skills

HR experience

Employee relations

Communication

Education

CIPD level 3

Job description

Main area Employee Relations - Human Resources Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (Secondment opportunity) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working
• Home or remote working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 311-H1062-26

Site Trust HQ Town Ashton Under Lyne Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 13/10/2026 23:59

If you are Kind, Fair, Ingenious and Determined then we want you to come and join our #PennineCarePeople

The postholder would fulfill a newly created role in the Employee Relations team to support the wider Employee Relations team in the provision of a professional, and proactive Employee Relations service, which supports the forward planning, modernisation and transformation, engagement and performance of the workforce.

Main duties of the job

To support the wider ER team with all aspects of Employee Relations activity.

Establishing positive relationships with managers and staff and delivering tailored interventions. To support the provision of Employee Relations support building strong working relationships with managers, employees, and employee representatives.

To provide robust support to absence management & policy interpretation and provided assisted supervised support to other investigation processes as required. To provide key support in the monitoring and analysis of compliance with policy across the Employee Relations service.

Working for our organisation

We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We’re really proud of our #PennineCarePeopleand do everything we can to make sure we’re a great place to work.

All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.

If you come and work for us we will offer a range of benefits and opportunities, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
• Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance
• Access to Continued Professional Development
• Involvement in improvement and research activities
• Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service
• Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Employee Relations

• To work with the wider ER team to ensure that all people aspects of absence management support are well managed and communicated.
• Provide focused support to the monitoring of compliance with ER policy and process through data analysis and reporting
• Provide advice and support to managers in developing attendance management strategies utilising workforce data to proactively monitor ‘hotspots’ and target areas for improvement; supporting managers to implement relevant initiatives to achieve increased attendance levels so that local and national targets can be met.
• Support the Senior ER advisor to identify trends from data to support proactive development of people practices
• Provide supported and guided advice and support to managers at all stages of attendance management meetings
• Advise/support on Conduct, Early Resolution, and Dignity at Work matters to an appropriate level determined by the Senior ER Advisor/ER Business Partner
• With the Employee Relations Team, develop a positive approach to the management of employee relations, building strong working relationships with managers, clinicians, staff and their representatives.
• Provide effective support and advice to managers and staff relating to HR queries seeking advice and guidance from the senior ER team as appropriate. This includes the application of Trust Policies and Procedures, NHS terms and conditions of employment and employment legislation
• Assist the team in ensuring HR Policies comply with employment legislation & NHS Employers guidance
• Continuously seek improvements to HR processes, procedures and administration. Identify opportunities for enhancements to the HR service provided or approaches to increase effectiveness and / or efficiency of the HR department in relation to the organisations goals. Implement improvements where agreed.
• With support from a more senior member of the team, participate in the delivery of informal and formal training to managers to increase management capability.
• Contribute to the design of training material for managers to support a better understanding of policy and terms and conditions.
• To keep and maintain accurate records to demonstrate advice given.
• To deputise for the Employee Relations Advisors as required and where appropriate with support
• To work within a triage system to be a first point of contact to managers and staff in employment related issues, providing advice on how to deal with a range of issues, including the interpretation of terms and conditions, the implementation of policies, and general day to day line management advice
• With guidance, engage with Staff Side and accredited representatives and contribute to a proactive and stable employee relations environment.
• Provide, receive and process complex, sensitive and contentious information with support and guidance.
• To support managers in hearings and appeals by providing advice, coordination, and presentation of reports
• Provide informal individual coaching to managers on appropriate people management issues to develop confidence and competence in the management of people.
• Support with the wider team the design and delivery of tailored Human Resource Management learning and development programmes on key topics.
• Liaise with networks, external agencies, solicitors as required with support and guidance.

Person specification

qualication

• CIPD level 3
• experience of working on human resources
• experience of working in Employee Relations
• experience of providing advice on HR matters
• experience of building relationships with staff side colleagues
• working towards or willing towards level 5 CIPD

Sponsorship Information - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

After You Apply - Once your application is submitted, you’ll receive updates via email. Shortlisting is based on how well you meet the criteria outlined in the person specification. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, and invitations will be sent by email.

If You're Offered the Role - If successful, the hiring manager will contact you directly with a verbal offer. They will then notify the Recruitment Team and submit the necessary paperwork. You’ll receive a formal conditional offer via email

Pre-Employment Checks - To confirm your suitability for the role, we will carry out pre-employment checks in line with NHS Employment Check Standards . These include:

• Identity verification
• Right to work check
• Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role)
• Professional registration and/or qualification check
• Occupational health assessment
• Employment history and reference validation

All applicants external to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their HMRC employment history to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history andreferences.

If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current government guidance. If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.

Once Checks Are Complete -

The Recruitment Team will coordinate with you and the hiring manager to confirm a start date. You’ll be booked onto a Trust Welcome Session and receive your Pennine Care NHS Terms and Conditions.

Pennine Care are committed to the ‘Pledge to Flex’ initiative as flexible working is a day one right for all colleagues. “We can work flexibly, doing whatever work pattern fits our needs, regardless of the type of role we’re in. As a modern and model employer, flexible and less than full-time working isn’t a barrier to progress in the NHS – it is commonplace”. This policy brings this part of the People Promise to life. It will provide you with the information you need, support you to have conversations and take steps towards working in a way that suits you best.

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds to help us grow, innovate, and improve.

If you wish to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.

If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact us on 0161 716 3181 as early as possible so we can support you.

Please note:

• We do not accept unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies. Hiring managers should not be contacted directly.

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. If you have a disability or long‑term health condition and need extra time or adjustments to complete your application, please contact us as soon as possible. We will ensure you are not disadvantaged where a reasonable adjustment is appropriate.