Deputy Head of Employee Relations

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust; Kettering; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is seeking a senior Employee Relations lead to shape ER across the Trust and support managers in applying employment law and policy.

You will oversee a skilled ER team, manage complex investigations, and partner with Staff Side to drive a Just Culture and People Strategy. The role requires Masters-level education, CIPD Chartered status, and strong analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Masters level or equivalent education/experience.
• CIPD Chartered status or equivalent.
• Extensive knowledge of Employee Relations and current employment law.
• Proven leadership and people management experience.
• Experience with Staff Side/Trades Unions and influencing outcomes.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Commitment to UHN values and Just Culture.
• Flexibility to work across multiple hospital sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior ER advice and coaching to managers and leaders; ensure policy and employment law compliance.
• Lead, develop and line manage the Employee Relations team; foster high performance and continuous improvement.
• Manage complex ER casework, including investigations and panel support.
• Build relationships with Staff Side and staff networks; enable partnership working.
• Oversee risk management for Employment Tribunals; prepare documentation and liaise with solicitors.
• Lead ER initiatives, service planning, KPI reporting and use data to guide interventions.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Analytical skills

Report writing

Communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Masters level or equivalent

CIPD Chartered status

CPD evidence

Tools

Excel

Job description

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

Essential criteria

• 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

Desirable criteria

• Working towards Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personal Development status

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

• 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

Essential criteria

• 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.

Desirable criteria

• 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.

Apply today and join the largest family in Northamptonshire.

Our Excellence Values:

• Compassion
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courageous
• Accountable

To apply for this post, scroll down to the bottom of this page and select "apply online now".

In submitting an application form, you authorise Northampton General Hospital to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record Inter Authority Transfer process should you be appointed to the post.

Due to the high number of applications received we are unable to respond to each application individually. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you have been unsuccessful in this application.

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.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE VACANCIES PRIOR TO THE ADVERTISED CLOSING DATE WHEN WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF SUFFICIENT APPLICATIONS

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