About this role
Job summary
NHS Band 5: £32,073 - £39,043 pro rata per annum (actual salary £18,388 - £22,384 per annum)
Hours Per Week: part time 21.5
Contract Type: Permanent
Base Location: Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust Corporate Hub, Block 4000, Lakeside North Harbour, Western Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 3EN
As the single corporate service will be delivered across both organisations, individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. The frequency and arrangements will be discussed on an individual basis and the staff mobility local agreement will apply.
Are you a motivated HR professional looking to further develop your employee relations expertise in a supportive, progressive, and high performing environment?
We are seeking a proactive and confident Employee Relations Advisor to join our Employee Relations (ER) team, supporting both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust as part of our Single Corporate Services model.
As part of our single service offer, you will work across both Trusts and may be required to travel between sites depending on service needs. There is flexibility for some home working; however, the role requires a regular onsite presence to deliver effective support to managers and staff.
Main duties of the job
As an Employee Relations Advisor, you will play a key role in delivering a high quality, proactive HR service that supports improved staff experience, effective case management, and positive organisational outcomes. You will:
Take the lead on managing absence and ill health cases, analysing sickness data, producing reports, and supporting managers with proactive attendance management strategies.Act as a primary point of contact for staff and managers seeking HR advice, providing guidance on a range of HR policies, terms and conditions, and best practice.Support investigations and ER processes, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, and performance management matters.Advise and participate in formal hearings for absence and less complex employee relations cases.Support organisational change processes and ensure managers understand and apply People Services policies correctly.Contribute to training delivery, including management essentials and employment relations learning.Support job evaluation processes in line with NHS job evaluation criteria.Analyse ER data and key indicators, particularly sickness absence, to support performance reporting.Maintain accurate records, support SOP updates, and ensure effective team.Assist with Subject Access Requests (SARs) and Freedom of Information (FOI) responses in line with statutory requirements.
About us
Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this.
The single corporate service is delivered across both organisations. You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and Disability, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.
We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veterans' status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.
Job description Job responsibilities
The ER Advisor role at Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust encompasses a wide array of responsibilities aimed at delivering a comprehensive HR service to managers, line managers, and staff.
The primary focus of the role involves managing absence and illness effectively, serving as a central point of contact for staff and managers for general HR advice, and supporting the Employee Relations team in ensuring compliance with legal requirements. The HR Advisor contributes to developing a proactive and modern HR service, participates in policy drafting and reviews, and supports various employee relations functions such as grievance handling, disciplinary procedures, capability assessments, and organisational change processes.
Additionally, the ER Advisor helps in coordinating job matching and analysis, advising on investigations, and participating in formal hearings. This role involves providing constant support and guidance to enhance employee relations capability, ensuring effective management of change, and promoting open working relationships to build a positive employee relations environment within the organisation.
Specific Core Functions
Absence and Ill Health Management
Manage absence and ill health matters effectively within the Trust, providing guidance and support to staff and management. Analyse sickness absence data, develop detailed reports, and collaborate with managers to implement proactive absence management strategies. Work with the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team to design interventions for absence reduction. Provide training, guidance, and advice on sickness absence management within the organisation. Point of Contact and Advisory Role
Serve as a primary point of contact for staff and managers, offering advice on less complex HR issues. Provide comprehensive employee relations advice and guidance based on policies, NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) and medical terms and conditions, and best practices. Offer consistent advice on employee relations matters to enhance organisational capability. Advise on complex issues such as long-term sickness cases and termination discussions. Compliance and Operational Support
Ensure compliance with legal and statutory requirements across Divisions. Keep the Employee Relations Manager abreast of operational issues within the Trust/Divisions. Support managers and staff in organisational change processes and effective handling of change initiatives. Ensure manager awareness and compliance with People Services policies and procedures. Employee Relations Processes and Investigations
Provide advice and support on investigations, including grievances, discipline, and performance management. Assist in employee relations hearings, particularly for absence management and less complex cases. Act as an adviser for non-complex disciplinary, capability, and grievance hearings. Review management cases for formal hearings, identify gaps, and support managers in decision making.
For further details please refer to enclosed Job Description.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience. Level 5 CIPD qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
Experience Essential
Experience of working in an Operational HR role dealing with complex and sensitive issues. Experience of advising managers on a range of HR issues, in particular absence management. Experience of involvement in policy development and implementation. Experience of taking minutes at formal hearings.
Skills and Knowledge Essential
Knowledge of a range of HR policies, processes and practices e.g. absence and capability, disciplinary and grievance procedures. Knowledge of current employment law, data protection and ACAS Codes of Practice. Understanding of best practice in HR. Excellent interpersonal effectiveness including diplomacy, influencing, negotiation and facilitation skills. Able to establish credibility and rapport with line mangers. Sensitive and responsive when dealing with challenging or emotional circumstances. Able to prioritise and respond flexibly to changing demands. Ability to work autonomously and show initiative. Commitment to equal opportunities. Excellent PC User skills including all basic Microsoft packages. Ability to analyse situations and exercise independent judgement.
Desirable
Understanding of NHS Terms and Conditions (e.g. national AFC and Medical). Trained in Job Evaluation. Use of ER Case Management Systems.
Employer details Employer name Isle of Wight NHS Trust
Address Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust Corporate Hub
Block 4000, Lakeside North Harbour, Western Road, Cosham
Portsmouth
Hampshire
PO6 3EN
Employer's website https://www.iow.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)