Deputy Head of Employee Relations

NEP cloud; Kettering; Hybrid; GBP 67,000 - 77,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme

Generous annual leave

Flexible working

Job summary

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) seeks a Deputy Head of Employee Relations to lead the ER service for the group, delivering expert advice, managing a senior ER team and ensuring compliant case management.

You will embed restorative practices, oversee governance, risk and performance, and work across Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital sites as needed.

Qualifications

• Master’s level or equivalent education or experience.
• Member of CIPD (Chartered status or equivalent).
• Experience in Employee Relations, including legislation and case law.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior ER advice to managers across UHN.
• Lead and develop the ER team and oversee complex casework.
• Manage governance, reporting and KPI reviews for ER services.
• Collaborate with Staff Side and unions to support partnership working.
• Embed restorative and Just Culture principles across the group.

Skills

Employee Relations

Leadership

Advanced Excel

Analytical reporting

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Masters level

CIPD membership

Fellow CIPD (in progress)

Tools

Advanced Excel

Job description

Main area Human Resources Grade Band 8b Contract 18 months (Fixed term until end February 2028) Hours

• Part time
• Flexible working

30 hours per week (On site working across hospital locations in Northamptonshire with some hybrid working) Job ref 265-7965704-COR

Employer Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site University Hospitals of Northamptonshire Town Kettering Salary £66,582 - £77,368 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 12/10/2026 23:59

Deputy Head of Employee Relations

Band 8b

Job overview

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) comprises Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, operating together as a hospital group. The group provides care for approximately 900,000 people and is working to improve experiences for both patients and staff.

We are embedding a group People Services model and have developed a new role of Deputy Head of Employee Relations to lead the service delivery for the group approach to efficient, effective, compassionate and inclusive employee relations management.

Main duties of the job

The Deputy Head of Employee Relations will lead the delivery of a trusted, professional Employee Relations service across UHN.

You will provide expert advice to senior leaders and managers, lead and develop the ER team, and ensure robust, timely and compassionate case management across the full range of ER matters (including disciplinary, grievance, bullying and harassment, sickness absence, performance management and MHPS).

You will play a key role in embedding a restorative approach and ensuring our practice reflects current legislation, NHS terms and conditions, and best practice.

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) was formed through the grouping of Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. As one group, we are on a journey to improve services for our communities by working collaboratively, modernising the way we deliver care and continually striving for excellence.

Working together allows us to share expertise, strengthen services and create greater opportunities . There may be a requirement to work across our hospital sites depending on service needs.

Our Excellence Values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Courage.

UHN welcomes applications from people from all protected groups and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and have achieved the Gold Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. Our active staff networks support colleagues from all backgrounds and help ensure everyone feels valued here at UHN

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide senior, pragmatic and timely ER advice and coaching to managers and leaders across UHN, ensuring consistent application of policy, procedure and employment law.
• Lead, develop and line manage the Employee Relations team, creating a supportive environment that enables high performance, learning and continuous improvement.
• Hold a portfolio of highly complex and sensitive casework, including leading/overseeing investigations and supporting managers at all stages of ER processes.
• Build strong relationships with Staff Side and staff networks; lead effective liaison, consultation and negotiation to support partnership working.
• Oversee legal risk management for Employment Tribunal claims, including preparation of documentation and bundles and liaison with solicitors as required.
• Lead Trust-wide ER initiatives, service planning and KPI/performance reporting, using insight and trend analysis to target interventions and build manager capability.
• Ensure ER practice supports Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and contributes to delivery of UHN's 'Just Culture' and People Strategy objectives.
• Support governance requirements, including information governance, record management, FOI/SAR responses (as relevant to the ER portfolio), and data quality.
• Deputise for the Head of People Partnering as required, including attending People Leadership Team meetings when requested.
• Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of education, training or experience.
• CIPD membership (Chartered status or equivalent).
• Significant, highly specialist knowledge and experience of Employee Relations, including up-to-date employment legislation and case law.
• Proven experience of leading and developing a team, including performance management, coaching and capability building.
• Extensive experience of managing complex and sensitive ER casework, including investigations and supporting panels.
• Experience of working constructively with Staff Side/Trade Unions and influencing outcomes in challenging situations.
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills, able to provide insight, trend analysis and clear recommendations.
• Commitment to, and ability to role model, UHN values and a restorative, compassionate approach.
• Flexibility to work across both Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital sites as required.
• Working towards CIPD Fellowship.
• Experience of working across multiple organisations or within a complex healthcare setting.
• Advanced Excel skills for analytical reporting and report design.
• A senior leadership opportunity to shape and modernise Employee Relations across UHN and help embed a restorative ‘Just Culture’.
• Access to the NHS Pension Scheme and a wide range of staff benefits.
• Generous annual leave entitlement (plus bank holidays) and options for flexible working, where service needs allow.
• A strong commitment to learning, development and continuous professional development.
• The opportunity to work in partnership with clinical and corporate leaders, Staff Side, and wider People Services colleagues to improve colleague experience and patient care.

Person specification

Education, Training & Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of education, training or experience.
• Member of Chartered Institute of Personal Development status
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Working towards Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personal Development status

Knowledge & Experience

• Highly specialist knowledge of Employee Relations
• Up-to-date knowledge of interpreting complex legislation & developing robust resolutions
• Interprets employment legislation and case law, provides authoritative advice on specialist HR issues
• Experienced People Manager and able to motivate and manage a team of professionals
• Understanding of collaborated services working across multiple organisations, preferably in a healthcare setting
• A level of customer service to be able to assist patients or public making there way around the hospital
• Aware of the core principles of a Just Culture and has the skill and passion to implement the cultural aspects of the approach.

Skills

• Advanced keyboard and report writing skills
• Advanced analytical skills to identify and prioritise key actions that will deliver greatest value and problem solving
• Ability to actively respond to complaints, write reports; where there are frequent interruptions for advice/queries
• Advanced written communication skills: ability to convey highly complex information in a way that is understood by a range of target audiences.
• Able to withstand long periods of demand for support from colleagues who are emotionally impacted.
• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time for example, when presenting/facilitating sessions, writing reports and analysing data.
• Advance excel skills for analytical reporting and report design

At Northampton General Hospital we provide general acute services and hyper-acute stroke, vascular and renal services to people living in Northamptonshire. As well as this we are an accredited cancer centre and provide cancer services to a wider population of Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire.

We are proud to be the first hospital in the UK to have obtained Pathway to Excellence designated accreditation from the American nurses credentialing centre (ANCC).

We celebrate staff achievements and value the importance of working as one big team. That’s why we talk about Team NGH. It’s all about working together to provide the best possible care for our patients and supporting each other to grow and develop our skills. We are driven to helping you to be the best you can be.

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities. The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative. We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

Our Excellence Values:

• Compassion
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courageous
• Accountable

For further information on nursing, apprenticeships, A&E or any other departments please visit our specific website or pages that are indicated on the right hand side of this advert.

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust recognises that staff of differing backgrounds and life experiences enrich our workforce and bring different skills and knowledge. We therefore encourage and welcome applications for our vacancies from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

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