Employee Relations Advisor

Plymouth Hospitals; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is seeking an Employee Relations Advisor to support the Business Partner approach to HR management across divisions. You will provide a comprehensive ER service to managers, advising on terms and conditions, policies and employment law to improve workforce productivity and patient care.

Responsibilities include delivering expert ER advisory support to line managers, managing sickness absence and performance issues, supporting hearings and investigations,

Qualifications

• Part qualified or working towards Level 5 CIPD qualification.
• Proven evidence of CPD.
• Associate CIPD qualification.

Responsibilities

• Provide ER advisory service to managers via telephone, email and face-to-face.
• Advise on terms and conditions, HR policies and employment law.
• Support line managers on sickness absence, performance and conduct issues.

Skills

HR knowledge

Employment law

Communication

Organisation

Customer focus

Education

Part qualified CIPD / Level 5 in CIPD

CPD evidence

Associate CIPD

Tools

Microsoft Office

HR systems

Excel

Job description

Main area Employee Relations Advisor Grade NHS AfC: Band 5 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Job share

37.5 hours per week (37.5 hours per week) Job ref 216-NB-CO8236096-A

Site Brittany House Town Derriford Salary £32,073 - £39,043 £32,073 - £39,043 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 05/11/2026 23:59

Job overview

To support the Business Partner approach to HR management, working in partnership with line management throughout all Divisions. To provide a comprehensive and developmental ER service to support the Trust’s objectives in line with the Trust’s values

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trustis the largest teaching hospital trust in the South West. We employ almost 12,000 staff that work in 350 different roles, plus hundreds of volunteers.

We offer great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment and we offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.

*** Please note this role will be offered under Annex 21 for non qualified applicants with expectation to work towards level 5 CIPD***

Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.

Main duties of the job

To provide a professional, effective, flexible and business focused Employee Relations advisory service to Managers by way of telephone, email and face to face advice throughout the Trust.

To apply progressive solutions to people management issues to increase workforce productivity and performance to enhance patient care and safety. To advise on terms and conditions, HR policies and all matters relating to the employment of staff.

To provide effective support to Line Managers on HR policies; leading on the provision of advice on operational ER issues. To provide accurate advice to staff on HR policies, procedures and terms & conditions of employment.

Working for our organisation

We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Human Resources

• Work to the principles of the Business Partner approach to provide advice, support and facilitation to ensure that the Trust is able to develop and deliver the People Strategy.
• Provide a high level flexible, comprehensive, proactive and professional expert ER advisory service to line managers across the Trust. This will include:
• Provision of expert advice and guidance on aspects of employment law and best practice.
• Interpretation and application of Agenda for Change terms & conditions.
• Enabling managers to understand their duties and to make informed decisions on ER issues.
• Advising on management of change proposals.
• Advice on HR policies and procedure.
• Supporting the annual staff survey process.
• Provide professional advice and guidance to managers on all HR Policies, working with them in taking action as appropriate, ensuring a consistent approach across other areas of the Trust to ensure fair application of Policy.
• Attend meetings and hearings to coach and support the manager where it is identified by the designated Senior ER Advisor/HR Business Partner, that it is appropriate and necessary to do so, this will include:
• Grievance and Bullying and Harassment
• Performance and Conduct
• Sickness Absence
• Redeployment
• Provide advice to employees on all aspects of Trust HR Policy, procedure and terms and conditions of employment.

People Management

• To provide an online, telephone and face to face, responsive and customer focused advisory service to line managers to ensure that ER practices within the Trust are high quality and in line with agreed policies, procedures and guidelines.
• To provide online, telephone and face to face advice and support to line managers on the management of individual sickness absence cases by developing and agreeing sickness absence management actions.
• To provide online, telephone and face to face advice and support to line managers on performance and conduct, grievance and bullying and harassment issues. Providing support and guidance during investigations ensuring that agreed Trust procedures are adhered to.
• To provide online, telephone and face to face advice and support to line managers in managing individual cases relating to performance and conduct problems ensuring that the agreed procedures are properly observed.
• Provide online, telephone and face to face coaching and support to line managers (in relation to ER case work).
• Provide online, telephone and face to face advice and support to line managers on potential grievance and bullying and harassment cases, ensure a consistent approach and work in partnership with the Trade Unions to resolve cases informally where possible.
• Promote an effective people management culture by establishing best human resources practices that produce an environment of trust, co-operation, partnership and involvement.
• Escalate appropriate complex cases and people management issues to the designated Senior ER Advisor/HR Manager, consulting with the HR Business Partner, as appropriate.

Policy and Procedure Development

• Support the development and implementation of HR policies, procedures and guidelines to meet the needs and values of the Trust and the requirements of employment legislation, NHS Employers guidance and best practice.
• Contribute to the development of ER knowledge and practice amongst colleagues within the ER team. Participate as required in working groups, presentations and training programmes.

E-HR

• Promote engagement with line management in the usage of the e-HR system throughout the Trust and in partnership with the Organisational Development team offer training, guidance and support in using the system.
• Maintain and update the content of the HR Portal, highlighting any changes to the designated Senior ER Advisor/ER Manager.

Qualifications

• Part qualified or work towards level 5 CIPD qualification
• Proven evidence of CPD.
• Associate CIPD

Knowledge & Experience

• Thorough understanding of HR practices including ACAS and Employment Law.
• Significant demonstrable experience of Human Resources issues in a large complex organisation including sickness absence management, employment law and performance management issues.
• Proven knowledge of Equality and Diversity including associated legislation.
• Proven knowledge and understanding of key NHS issues including national and local policy drivers.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and ability to use other systems as required.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise.
• Ability to communicate with staff at all levels of the organisation.
• Ability to work flexibly to respond to changing service priorities.
• Confidence to take decisions at the appropriate level.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included .

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests. This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.

We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.

In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.

We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.

Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.

Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Name Emma Wright Job title Senior Employee Relations Advisor Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01752 430732 Additional information

Welcome any requests to meet to talk over the role either on the phone or via ms teams