Employee Relations Manager

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Frimley; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Employee Relations Manager to lead and develop our ER service across multiple sites. You will oversee casework, provide expert advice to managers and champion fair, compassionate outcomes for colleagues.

The role involves working closely with People Business Partners and senior leaders, promoting early resolution and continuous improvement while travelling between Frimley Park, Wexham Park and Heatherwood Hospitals.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate-level HR, employment law or related qualification, or equivalent substantial specialist experience.
• Chartered CIPD membership, or demonstrably equivalent professional knowledge and experience.
• Desirable: Certificate in workplace mediation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day delivery and continuous improvement of the Trust-wide Employee Relations service.
• Manage, support and develop the specialist ER team, overseeing workload allocation, case progression and the quality of advice.
• Personally manage a caseload of complex and sensitive employee relations matters, alongside providing professional oversight and support to the team.
• Lead regular case review meetings to assess progress, explore complex issues, agree next steps and support shared learning.
• Provide expert, practical advice on employee relations matters, employment law, NHS terms and conditions and Trust policies.
• Design and deliver training, workshops and briefings for managers, alongside coaching to build their confidence and capability.

Skills

Influencing and advising

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Postgraduate HR or employment law qualification

Chartered CIPD membership

Tools

Policy development

Job description

Job Overview

Are you an experienced Employee Relations professional looking to lead a specialist team and help shape workplace culture?

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Employee Relations Manager to lead and develop our Trust-wide ER service. This is an opportunity to combine leadership with specialist practice, supporting fair and compassionate outcomes for colleagues.

You will lead a specialist ER team, oversee casework allocation and quality, and manage complex employee relations matters. You will provide expert advice to managers while ensuring colleagues are treated with dignity and respect.

Working closely with People Business Partners, senior leaders, trade union representatives and legal advisers, you will build effective partnerships and promote early resolution wherever possible.

The role includes leading case review meetings, delivering training and coaching for managers, and supporting continuous improvement across the Trust.

You will bring significant ER experience from a large, complex and unionised organisation, strong employment law knowledge, and the ability to influence and challenge constructively. You will also be a supportive leader committed to developing others.

This cross-site role covers Frimley Park, Wexham Park and Heatherwood Hospitals and community services, with travel between sites required.

If you are passionate about developing people, improving services and supporting a restorative, we would welcome your application.

Main duties of the job

• Lead the day-to-day delivery and continuous improvement of the Trust-wide Employee Relations service.
• Manage, support and develop the specialist ER team, overseeing workload allocation, case progression and the quality of advice.
• Personally manage a caseload of complex and sensitive employee relations matters, alongside providing professional oversight and support to the team.
• Lead regular case review meetings to review progress, advise on complex issues, agree next steps and share learning.
• Provide expert, practical advice on employee relations matters, employment law, NHS terms and conditions and Trust policies.
• Design and deliver training, workshops and briefings for managers, alongside coaching to build their confidence and capability.
• Develop policies, guidance and management toolkits that support fair and consistent practice.
• Analyse casework and workforce trends, identifying risks, inequalities and opportunities for improvement.
• Build effective relationships with managers, staff, trade unions, legal advisers and other key stakeholders.
• Promote early, fair and sustainable resolution within a restorative, just and learning culture.

Working for our organisation

Why join Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust?

At Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, our people are at the heart of everything we do. In this role, you will lead a specialist team, influence Trust-wide practice and make a real difference to colleagues' working lives.

You will be supported by your line manager and the wider People leadership team, working closely with People Business Partners and accessing specialist legal advice when required. We recognise the demands of complex ER work and provide opportunities to share learning, discuss challenging cases and support your ongoing professional development.

As a Disability Confident Employer and holder of the Gold Award in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme, we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to build rewarding NHS careers.

We value a healthy work-life balance and support flexible working wherever possible, including hybrid, part-time and alternative working arrangements, subject to service needs.

Join an inclusive, forward-thinking organisation committed to excellence, innovation and compassionate care. Your contribution to a fair and supportive workplace will help our colleagues deliver outstanding care to the communities we serve.

Visa sponsorship

This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day delivery and continuous improvement of the Trust-wide Employee Relations service.
• Manage, support and develop the ER team, allocating workloads, setting objectives and monitoring performance.
• Lead regular case review meetings to assess progress, explore complex issues, agree next steps and support shared learning.
• Provide professional guidance and coaching to team members, building their confidence, capability and judgement.
• Quality-assure employee relations advice, case records, investigations and written documentation to support consistency and legal compliance.

Specialist employee relations casework

• Personally manage a caseload of complex and sensitive matters, including disciplinary, grievance, dignity at work, capability, attendance, organisational change, dismissal and appeals.
• Provide expert, practical advice to managers and staff on employment law, NHS terms and conditions and Trust policies.
• Support managers to make informed decisions, balancing fairness, individual circumstances, organisational needs and risk.
• Support the preparation and management of Employment Tribunal claims, working closely with legal advisers and preparing relevant documentation and witnesses.
• Promote early and constructive resolution wherever appropriate, maintaining a fair and compassionate approach throughout formal processes.

Training, coaching and policy development

• Design and deliver training, workshops and briefings to strengthen managers’ confidence and capability in handling people matters.
• Provide individual coaching to help managers navigate difficult conversations and apply policies fairly and consistently.
• Develop, review and implement Trust-wide employee relations policies, procedures, guidance and management toolkits.
• Use learning from case reviews, feedback and workforce information to improve practice and support organisational learning.

Insight, partnership and culture

• Analyse workforce and case-management information to identify trends, risks, inequalities and opportunities for improvement.
• Produce clear reports, dashboards and evidence-based recommendations for senior leaders and governance committees.
• Build effective relationships with People Business Partners, managers, staff, trade union representatives, legal advisers and other stakeholders.
• Contribute specialist ER advice to workforce priorities, organisational change and transformation programmes.
• Champion dignity, respect and inclusion, supporting fair, timely and sustainable outcomes within a restorative, just and learning culture.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Postgraduate-level HR, employment law or related qualification, or equivalent substantial specialist experience
• Chartered CIPD membership, or demonstrably equivalent professional knowledge and experience

Desirable criteria

• Certificate in workplace mediation

Experience

Essential criteria

• Substantial specialist employee relations experience within a large, complex and unionised organisation
• Experience of leading, supervising or developing an HR or employee relations team
• Experience of developing and implementing HR policies, procedures or service improvements

Skills

Essential criteria

• influencing and advising senior managers and working constructively with trade unions

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.