People Operations Manager

Integrated Care System; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider is seeking an Operational People Manager to lead HR operations in Stoke-on-Trent. This role involves managing complex employee relations cases and collaborating with clinical teams to enhance workforce performance. Ideal candidates will have CIPD qualifications and demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills. Join us in making a significant impact on patient care and staff development.

Benefits

Generous NHS pension scheme

Excellent training opportunities

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational Employee Relations.
• Ability to influence and inspire others.
• Knowledge of NHS HR policies and employment law.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice on complex people issues.
• Lead change and transformation efforts.
• Develop relationships to support service delivery.

Skills

Employee Relations

Leadership

Communication

Workforce Planning

Problem-Solving

Education

CIPD chartered or equivalent

Job description

Go back University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

People Operations Manager

The closing date is 07 August 2025

Are you a people-focused leader with a passion for driving operational excellence in healthcare? We're looking for a motivated and experiencedOperational People Manager to join our team at University Hospital North Midlands.

Job summary

Are you a people-focused leader with a passion for driving operational excellence in healthcare? We're looking for a motivated and experiencedOperational People Manager to join our team at University Hospital North Midlands.

About the Role

As a Band 7 Operational People Manager, you will play a key role in supporting the delivery of high-quality patient care by leading and developing our workforce. You'll work closely with clinical and non-clinical teams to ensure our services are safe, efficient, and responsive to the needs of our patients and staff.

What You'll Bring

• Proven experience in operational Employee Relations case work,ideally within the NHS or a similar complex environment.
• Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence and inspire.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach to workforce challenges.
• Knowledge of NHS HR policies, employment law, and workforce planning tools.
• A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a supportive and inclusive NHS Trust that values its people.
• Access to excellent training and development opportunities.
• Generous NHS pension scheme and annual leave entitlement.
• A chance to make a real difference in the lives of patients and staff.

Main duties of the job

The Operational People Manager undertakes an operational role in support of cases and complex work for designated service areas. The individual will have a large and complex ER case load which will require a high level of skill in relation to People policies and an understanding of the business needs of service areas and the People Strategy for that area. They will be responsible for ensuring processes are compatible with policies, Trust-wide vision, strategy, opportunities, pressures and workforce plans.

About us

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. Based across two sites, Royal Stoke in Stoke-on-Trent and County Hospital in Stafford, we are proud to serve around three million people and we're highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.

All of our employees make a valuable contribution regardless of role here at UHNM and we are proud of our wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.

UHNM create and encourage a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture in which all staff feel valued and respected. In return we ask all of our employees to make a commitment to the values, co-created by or staff, patients and carers, and that unite us as a Trust.

At University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust we know that investing in, supporting and developing our staff has a direct impact on the quality of care that we deliver. Our employees are as important as our patients and the population that we serve.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached Job Description

Specifically, the postholder will:

provide advice and guidance on complex, sensitive and contentious people issues in order to minimise risk and financial exposure (including for example at hearings and employment tribunals and champion effective management of staff through fair, efficient and pragmatic application of HR best practice.

act as an advocate of change and transformation in support of business and people strategies and champion best practice people management, influencing key decisions to ensure the effective management of staff though the fair, efficient and pragmatic application of policy and best practice.

develop robust relationships with colleagues to influence and support service delivery and people strategies, establishing credibility as an expert in HR.

work alongside a wide range of stakeholders as relevant, in identifying workforce issues and developing appropriate business focussed HR interventions.

develop, recommend and support the implementation of appropriate people interventions including policies, to address the HR issues facing the service areas.

work with senior specialist people colleagues and the wider internal and external teams to ensure the services provided meet the needs of the service, utilising the expertise of the specialist teams in the People Team to ensure workforce issues are addressed efficiently and effectively.

take a lead role in the area of work, working with the management teams for monitoring, reporting, analysing and improving people performance against agreed Trust HR performance metrics and, where relevant, external contract performance parameters relating to people.

undertake specific projects to support delivery of the People Strategy, within service areas, and within People Team and across the Trust as appropriate.

To provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• CIPD chartered or equivalent

Experience

Essential

• Operational HR Experience
• Experience of writing / developing policies
• Experience of working with partners
• Experience of managing complex case load

Desirable

• experience of MHPS cases

Trust values

Essential

• Demonstrates living the Trust values

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please seeNHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Address

RSUH

Springfield building

stoke on trent

ST46QG

Employer's website

https://www.uhnm.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)