Employee Relations Manager
Posted 6 hours 37 minutes ago by NHS
Permanent
Full Time
Academic Jobs
London, United Kingdom
Job Description
Employee Relations Manager The closing date is 29 June 2026
The role holder will partner with key designated Clinical Group managers to build exceptional working relationships to deliver a seamless service which nurtures and improves the employee experience. Support the Employee Relations team in providing an expert/specialist people relations advisory service to Trust managers and staff ensuring comprehensive, consistent and timely advice and support. Oversee the development and delivery of a leading, proactive case management service which provides for all employee relations matters to be managed in line with Just Culture principles, enabling employees to contribute their very best to the Trust.
To help maintain positive and constructive relationships between managers and staff representatives at all levels throughout the Trust and actively encourage engagement with staff and their representatives.
Promote a positive partnership with staff-side colleagues which actively supports the wider staff engagement agenda for the Trust. Provide timely and effective interpretation of developing employment law and local and national NHS HR policy and procedures. Devise and ensure the implementation of HR policies and procedures that promote an inclusive Just Culture. Provide expert information underpinned by analysis of trends, economic circumstances, laws and political factors. Work collaboratively with the wider People Directorate to ensure better integration of the team.
Main duties of the job
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide 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 science centres, bringing together world class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National 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, and neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
Job responsibilities Key Relationships
Internal:
Be the focal point for Clinical Group/Divisional leads on all employee relations matters, providing detailed guidance on the interpretation of Trust policies and procedures and employment legislation.
Advise on all employee relations cases in a proactive and timely manner, i.e. Disciplinary, Grievance, Capability, Absence, Fixed term contracts and redundancy matters up to and supporting at hearings including appeal level, including supporting with Medical cases.
Oversee and lead all Employment Tribunal claims as the first point of contact for the Trust legal provider, liaising with Trust managers/representatives in preparing documents and defending against such claims.
Support the team in managing a mixed case load to determine short term and long term strategies with the objective of reaching case resolution without delay.
Promote, encourage and support team colleagues in embedding Just Culture principles to enable informal resolution wherever possible.
Develop employee relations interventions to underpin the skill and competencies of managers in people management, which may include workshops (e.g., Just Culture, Investigations, Fixed term Contracts).
Deputise for the Head/Deputy of Employee Relations at Safeguarding Allegation meetings and provide HR advice.
Ensure that the HR data collection system is utilized effectively and be accountable for updating caseload management progress.
People Management
Support team working by ensuring that individual effort is coordinated with other team members within the People Directorate to meet overall team goals.
Conduct regular 1:1s with team members to discuss health & wellbeing, support required, development required, case load and overall performance.
Manage a team, ensuring all team members have a voice in the development of the employee relations service offer.
Facilitate positive learning from case work ensuring feedback is provided to team members in a balanced and supportive way to improve the service.
Maximise the potential of all team members and ensure that all team members have a meaningful appraisal/personal development plan that includes feedback from a selection of internal customers and team members.
Reporting, Training and Interventions
Ensure the provision of employee relations data that underpin local management of employment issues and Trust wide understanding of trends and key issues.
Proactively identify policy development opportunities and work in conjunction with the Head of Policy and Partnership to lead and develop Trust ER policies and procedures, including researching best practice.
Support the development and training of managers in key HR matters such as absence management, by delivering shared learning events and day training courses in conjunction with Organisations Development, Leadership & Talent.
Lead and participate in the initiation and discussion of new ideas to enhance the employee relations service.
Ensure equality, diversity and inclusion are underpinned in all areas of the HR services provided.
Review cases and be a key collaborator using qualitative and quantitative data to identify emergent themes to support proactive interventions across the People Directorate, including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Organisations Development, Leadership & Talent and Occupational Health as well as the People embedded teams.
Work proactively with stakeholders tailoring bespoke interventions to provide solutions for people issues (e.g., sickness absence management).
Contribute to the design, plan and delivery of formal, informal and ad hoc specialised training or presentations on a range of HR policies as and when required to managers at all levels within the Trust.
Assist in ad hoc projects as required by the Head/Deputy Head of ER.
Communication
Build and maintain professional relationships throughout the organisation using a collaborative and consultative approach.
Be a communication and culture ambassador at all times, especially demonstrating compassion and humility during sensitive employee matters.
Expand relevant professional networks which support continuous improvement to the Trust's employee relations approach.
Service Development and Delivery
Deliver a credible customer focused service to employees and managers, based on good quality of advice, approachability, flexibility and responsiveness.
Develop effective communication and education materials/guidance documents for managers/employees; ensuring the delivery of timely and accurate information to employees.
Contribute to the ongoing improvement of the People Directorate ensuring that relevant legislation and national guidelines are applied consistently; identifying improvements that can be made to procedures used.
. click apply for full job details
The role holder will partner with key designated Clinical Group managers to build exceptional working relationships to deliver a seamless service which nurtures and improves the employee experience. Support the Employee Relations team in providing an expert/specialist people relations advisory service to Trust managers and staff ensuring comprehensive, consistent and timely advice and support. Oversee the development and delivery of a leading, proactive case management service which provides for all employee relations matters to be managed in line with Just Culture principles, enabling employees to contribute their very best to the Trust.
To help maintain positive and constructive relationships between managers and staff representatives at all levels throughout the Trust and actively encourage engagement with staff and their representatives.
Promote a positive partnership with staff-side colleagues which actively supports the wider staff engagement agenda for the Trust. Provide timely and effective interpretation of developing employment law and local and national NHS HR policy and procedures. Devise and ensure the implementation of HR policies and procedures that promote an inclusive Just Culture. Provide expert information underpinned by analysis of trends, economic circumstances, laws and political factors. Work collaboratively with the wider People Directorate to ensure better integration of the team.
Main duties of the job
- Be the focal point for Clinical Group/Divisional leads on all employee relations matters, providing detailed guidance on the interpretation of Trust policies and procedures and employment legislation.
- Oversee and lead all Employment Tribunal claims as the first point of contact for the Trust legal provider, liaising with Trust managers/representatives in preparing documents and defending against such claims.
- Develop employee relations interventions to underpin the skill and competencies of managers in people management, which may include workshops (e.g., Just Culture, Investigations, Fixed Term Contracts).
- Manage a team, ensuring all team members have a voice in the development of the employee relations service offer.
- Maximise the potential of all team members and ensure that all team members have a meaningful appraisal/personal development plan that includes feedback from a selection of internal customers and team members.
- Support the development and training of managers in key HR matters such as absence management, by delivering shared learning events and day training courses in conjunction with Organisations Development, Leadership & Talent.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide 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 science centres, bringing together world class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National 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, and neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
Job responsibilities Key Relationships
Internal:
- Directors, Deputy and Senior Managers
- People leadership team
- All members of Clinical Group/Divisional or Directorate Management Team
- Departmental Managers / Heads of Service and other key staff
- Colleagues in the People, OD and Learning Team
- Staff representatives
- Trust legal advisors
- Full time officers of Trade Unions and professional organisations
- Colleagues in other NHS organisations
Be the focal point for Clinical Group/Divisional leads on all employee relations matters, providing detailed guidance on the interpretation of Trust policies and procedures and employment legislation.
Advise on all employee relations cases in a proactive and timely manner, i.e. Disciplinary, Grievance, Capability, Absence, Fixed term contracts and redundancy matters up to and supporting at hearings including appeal level, including supporting with Medical cases.
Oversee and lead all Employment Tribunal claims as the first point of contact for the Trust legal provider, liaising with Trust managers/representatives in preparing documents and defending against such claims.
Support the team in managing a mixed case load to determine short term and long term strategies with the objective of reaching case resolution without delay.
Promote, encourage and support team colleagues in embedding Just Culture principles to enable informal resolution wherever possible.
Develop employee relations interventions to underpin the skill and competencies of managers in people management, which may include workshops (e.g., Just Culture, Investigations, Fixed term Contracts).
Deputise for the Head/Deputy of Employee Relations at Safeguarding Allegation meetings and provide HR advice.
Ensure that the HR data collection system is utilized effectively and be accountable for updating caseload management progress.
People Management
Support team working by ensuring that individual effort is coordinated with other team members within the People Directorate to meet overall team goals.
Conduct regular 1:1s with team members to discuss health & wellbeing, support required, development required, case load and overall performance.
Manage a team, ensuring all team members have a voice in the development of the employee relations service offer.
Facilitate positive learning from case work ensuring feedback is provided to team members in a balanced and supportive way to improve the service.
Maximise the potential of all team members and ensure that all team members have a meaningful appraisal/personal development plan that includes feedback from a selection of internal customers and team members.
Reporting, Training and Interventions
Ensure the provision of employee relations data that underpin local management of employment issues and Trust wide understanding of trends and key issues.
Proactively identify policy development opportunities and work in conjunction with the Head of Policy and Partnership to lead and develop Trust ER policies and procedures, including researching best practice.
Support the development and training of managers in key HR matters such as absence management, by delivering shared learning events and day training courses in conjunction with Organisations Development, Leadership & Talent.
Lead and participate in the initiation and discussion of new ideas to enhance the employee relations service.
Ensure equality, diversity and inclusion are underpinned in all areas of the HR services provided.
Review cases and be a key collaborator using qualitative and quantitative data to identify emergent themes to support proactive interventions across the People Directorate, including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Organisations Development, Leadership & Talent and Occupational Health as well as the People embedded teams.
Work proactively with stakeholders tailoring bespoke interventions to provide solutions for people issues (e.g., sickness absence management).
Contribute to the design, plan and delivery of formal, informal and ad hoc specialised training or presentations on a range of HR policies as and when required to managers at all levels within the Trust.
Assist in ad hoc projects as required by the Head/Deputy Head of ER.
Communication
Build and maintain professional relationships throughout the organisation using a collaborative and consultative approach.
Be a communication and culture ambassador at all times, especially demonstrating compassion and humility during sensitive employee matters.
Expand relevant professional networks which support continuous improvement to the Trust's employee relations approach.
Service Development and Delivery
Deliver a credible customer focused service to employees and managers, based on good quality of advice, approachability, flexibility and responsiveness.
Develop effective communication and education materials/guidance documents for managers/employees; ensuring the delivery of timely and accurate information to employees.
Contribute to the ongoing improvement of the People Directorate ensuring that relevant legislation and national guidelines are applied consistently; identifying improvements that can be made to procedures used.
. click apply for full job details