Deputy Head of Employee Relations

Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS Trust in Greater London seeks a Deputy Head of Employee Relations to lead its employee relations team and provide expert advice on best practices. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in handling employee relations issues, fostering relationships with trade unions, and ensuring compliance with employment law. This is a strategic role aimed at promoting a fair and inclusive workplace culture while providing leadership and support to management. Applications close on January 25, 2026.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of effective team leadership.
• Experience in handling complex employee relations issues.
• Strong understanding of NHS policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Advise on employee relations best practices across the Trust.
• Oversee management of employee relations issues.
• Provide support and guidance on medical cases.
• Foster relationships with trade unions and stakeholders.

Skills

Expertise in employee relations

Leadership

Communication

Understanding of employment law

Analytical skills

Job description

Deputy Head of Employee Relations

The Deputy Head of Employee Relations will be the lead specialist employee relations contact for Clinical (Delivery) Groups and play a key leadership role in the employee relations team in support of the Head of Employee Relations to provide an expert source of advice on employee relations best practice to managers and staff consistently across the Trust, ensuring the Trust becomes and remains an employer and provider of choice.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.

We are among the UK’s busiest, most successful foundation trusts, providing specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.

We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and – as part of King’s Health Partners – we are one of England’s eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world‑class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the Institute for Health Research’s biomedical research centres, established with King’s College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities.

We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.

Responsibilities

• Provide an expert source of advice on employee relations best practice to managers and staff consistently across the Trust, ensuring the Trust becomes and remains an employer and provider of choice.
• Lead and inspire a team, overseeing all case management of employee relations issues both within the Trust and at Employment Tribunal.
• Advise and support the Chief Medical Officer with medical cases in line with Trust policies and MHPS.
• Provide workforce representation at Trust Safeguarding/Allegations panels as appropriate.
• Foster excellent working relationships with trade unions and professional organisations on specific employee relations practices to promote early and effective resolution of ER matters.
• Provide timely and effective interpretation of developing employment law and local and national NHS People policy and procedures.
• Provide expert information underpinned by analysis of trends, economic circumstances, laws and political factors to inform local action plans.
• Ensure services are provided in the context of statutory and regulatory compliance with accountability for delivery of nationally mandated, and locally agreed targets and standards.
• Design, develop and implement a leading pro‑active and responsive employee relations service which provides for all employee relations matters to be managed in a consistent, fair and respectful way and supports a culture that enables employees to contribute their very best to the Trust.
• Responsible for People policy development that promote fairness, equity and inclusion.
• Support the delivery of leadership and management development programmes.
• Work with colleagues to develop, build and maintain relationships and engagement with key stakeholders, promoting the function.

This advert closes on Sunday 25 Jan 2026.