About this role
Job summary
Are you a solutions-focused HR professional who is passionate about improving wellbeing and driving meaningful cultural change?
At SaTH, we are committed to creating a healthier, more engaged workforce.We are seeking an experienced Senior People Advisor - Absence Management Specialist to play a key role within our Estates, Facilities and MES services, leading a proactive and impactful approach to employee wellbeing attendance management.
This is a Band 6 (Subject to Agenda for Change Job Evaluation) role, full-time 37.5 hours per week, fixed Term for 6 Months initially (if successful will extend to 18 months).
Main duties of the job
About the Role
This is a high-impact, operational and strategic role where you will take ownership of all aspects of sickness absence management, working directly with colleagues and managers to support attendance, wellbeing and performance.
You will:
Proactively manage sickness absence cases, maintaining regular and supportive contact with colleagues during periods of absence Facilitate early, safe returns to work, ensuring appropriate support plans and adjustments are in place Provide expert HR advice on complex absence cases, including long-term and frequent short-term absence Ensure robust and consistent application of Trust policies and procedures Ensure management of sickness absence cases is inclusive, compassionate, and kind Beyond casework, you will have a key role in shaping and embedding a positive attendance culture across Facilities, moving from reactive management to early intervention and prevention. The postholder will be engaged in -
Driving Culture Change
Developing Managers & Processes
Prevention & Partnership Working
About us
Our Poppy's Promise Commitment
We believe that compassionate care sits at the heart of everything we do. Every member of our team -- clinical or non-clinical -- plays a vital role in ensuring that patients, families, and colleagues are treated with dignity, empathy, and respect at all times.
We expect all staff to demonstrate compassion not only through their words, but through their actions: by listening attentively, communicating clearly and kindly, and recognising individual needs, feelings, and circumstances of those in our care.
Effective communication is central to safe and high-quality healthcare. We value colleagues who take the time to understand others, explain information in a meaningful way, and respond to concerns with patience and understanding.
By joining our team, you are committing to uphold these values -- ensuring that every patient feels heard, respected, and valued, and that compassion is embedded in every interaction, every day.
Job description Job responsibilities
For full duties and responsibilities please refer to the attached document entitled Job Description.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in HR, People Management, Employment Relations or related discipline Evidence of CPD relevant to people management or employment practice
Desirable
CIPD Level 5 Qualification or working towards Training qualification
Knowledge, Behaviours and Experience Essential
Experience of providing HR/People advice and support to managers on employee matters Working knowledge of sickness absence management processes and best practice Experience of interpreting and applying HR policies and procedures in a practical, operational context Experience of coaching and supporting managers to manage people issues effectively Understanding of confidentiality, data protection and information governance
Desirable
Experience of working in and NHS or large unionised public sector organisation Experience of advising on complex or long term sickness absence cases Experience of contributing to policy development or reviewing internal procedures Experience of working with Occupational Health and/or wellbeing services Experience of supporting operational services such as Estates and Facilities or other staff groups with high physical demands
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.
Employer details Employer name The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Address Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
Mytton Oak Road
Shropshire
SY3 8XQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website http://www.sath.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)