Employee Relations Manager

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Employee Relations Manager for a 6-month fixed-term contract or secondment. The role focuses on reducing sickness absence and boosting staff wellbeing, working closely with managers, clinical services and the ER team to deliver lasting improvements.

The post requires strong ER expertise, stakeholder management and coaching ability, with hybrid working and on-site presence.

Qualifications

• Degree + CIPD Level 7 is required or extensive senior ER experience.
• Post-graduate level education or equivalent HR seniority.
• Formal training in coaching, mediation or employment law is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support managers and services to manage sickness absence and improve attendance.
• Review and modernise policies, procedures and systems for efficiency.
• Provide ER advice and support to managers and the ER team on sickness absence management.
• Drive progression of ER cases and timely resolutions.
• Deliver training to managers to apply Trust policies effectively.
• Identify improvements and implement best practice in ER and attendance management.

Skills

Employee relations

Stakeholder management

Coaching

Influencing

Education

Degree + CIPD Level 7

Post-graduate level or extensive HR experience

Coaching/Employment law training

Job description

We are an award winning organisation providing care at two main hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—and a number of community-based services across London, such as sexual health and HIV clinics.

With 6,700 members of staff, we are proud to care for a diverse population of one million people. We are committed to ensuring that our workforce is just as diverse with a strong mix of skills and abilities.

Our staff are at the very heart of our organisation and we recognise the valuable contribution that each and every person working at the Trust makes. One of our Trust priorities is to be an employer of choice—a place where people want to start their career and to grow with us through continued education, professional development and support .

6-Month; Fixed-Term Contract or Secondment Opportunity

Candidates who have applied for this position within the last three months should not reapply, as applications submitted during this period will not be considered.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a experienced, proactive and motivated Employee Relations Managers to join our team on a 6-month fixed-term contract or secondment basis.

This is a high-profile opportunity to play a key role in supporting the Trust's ambition to reduce sickness absence and improve employee wellbeing and attendance. Working closely with managers, clinical services and the Employee Relations team, the post holders will drive improvements in attendance management and support the delivery of sustainable reductions in sickness absence through both proactive and preventative approaches.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for candidates with employee relations experience, service improvement, excellent stakeholder management skills, and a proven ability to influence, coach and support managers in a complex organisational environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for experienced ER professionals who are passionate about improving workplace attendance, supporting managers and driving positive organisational change.

Hybrid working: 3 days on site.

Working for our organisation

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.

We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.

The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.

Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key responsibilities will include:

• Supporting managers and services to effectively manage sickness absence and improve attendance.
• Reviewing and modernising policies, procedures and systems to improve efficiency, consistency and effectiveness.
• Providing expert employee relations advice and support to managers and the ER team in relation to sickness absence management.
• Driving the timely progression and conclusion of employee relations cases.
• Delivering training and guidance to managers to enhance their confidence and capability in applying Trust policies and procedures in sickness absence management.
• Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and implementing best practice approaches to employee relations and attendance management.
• Gather, analyse and interpret attendance and employee relations data, produce reports and recommendations, and develop evidence-based interventions to reduce sickness absence and improve organisational performance

• Undertaking additional employee relations casework and project work as required to support the wider team.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

• A degree plus CIPD qualification (level 7) or extensive experience in a senior employee relations role
• Educated to post-graduate level or extensive experience in an HR Manager or senior HR Advisor role
• Formal training in a relevant topic such as coaching, mediation or employment law

Experience

• Significant demonstrable experience of advising a range of stakeholders on a broad range of ER issues balancing legal compliance with business need and developing practical value-adding solutions
• Experience of managing multiple complex ER cases from a strategic perspective
• Experience managing staff
• Experience in the design, delivery and evaluation of training programmes
• Evidence of having a positive impact on an organisation, achieved through excellent influencing skills
• Training/ supervisory experience
• Experience of TUPE or major organisational change
• Experience working with MHPS

Skills and knowledge

• Excellent demonstrable knowledge of current employment legislation and best practice in ER policies, principles and procedures
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills engaging effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver multiple concurrent activities within agreed deadlines and to agreed standards with consistent attention to detail
• Strong analytical skills, able to analyse information effectively identifying the causes of problems and proposing realistic and practical solutions to address them based on knowledge and understanding of an organisation and its operating environment
• Ability to plan, prioritise, communicate and deliver against personal and team objectives and work plans
• Ability to develop strong relationships and coach, challenge and influence to ensure effective ER solutions, balancing risk and commerciality and resolve conflict where necessary
• Exceptional listening and questioning skills that enable empower and get to the heart of the issue

Important

• Employment at the Trust is offered subject to successful completion of a six month probationary period.
• We operate a joint recruitment hub across the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative Group. As part of this, your application and personal data may be shared with partner trusts within the group for recruitment and workforce purposes, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Right to work

If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before you fill in your application form. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.