Investigation and Support Officer

Job description

Job responsibilities

Assess, improve and professionalise the Trust response to investigations within the Employee and Human Resource setting by;

- Working with stakeholders to create systems and processes that will ensure consistency of assessment and decision making within a conduct, grievance and disciplinary setting

- Developing and improving the method of recording employee relations decisions within the corporate memory

- Building and maintaining the important links between initial case assessment and any necessity for investigation within the context of a Just and Learning approach

- Ensuring policies relevant to behaviour, discipline and grievance are regularly reviewed and revised to reflect current and best practice.

- Working alongside HRBPs and on behalf of the Associate Director of HR & Resourcing, reviewing and delivering a continuous training programme with HR practitioners to equip relevant Trust managers to deliver investigations and fulfil the role of Investigating Officer

- Deliver high quality training to build the pool of investigators, as well as for case managers and commissioning managers from all professional groups

- Creating and maintaining opportunity for investigators to collectively check, challenge and peer review with appropriate safeguards for anonymity.

- Acting as a mentor and critical friend, where required, for those in the Trust undertaking the role of Investigating Officer and case manager

- Assessing and building upon the engagement expectations with victims and witnesses in employee relation cases

- Developing and ensuring a consistency of assessment and reporting when policy determines a requirement for fact-finding

- Developing and maintaining a system of performance data reporting for investigations that recognises organisational threat, harm and/or risk which ensures the necessary proportionate governance and oversight

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters Degree or equivalent or relevant experience
• Relevant continuing CPD

Desirable

• MCIPD membership (Level 7 minimum)
• Level 7 CIPD qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of leading a team
• Record of experience of successfully leading a team
• Experience of supporting senior colleagues, up to and including Executive level, with complex Human Resources challenges

Desirable

• Experience of negotiating with regional and local Trade Union officials in order to manage disputes, policy implementation and other relationship matters.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Ability to lead a team of professionals who work autonomously, creating an environment to encourage creativity, collaboration and professional development.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong ability to lead, influence and negotiate at senior levels
• A solution focussed approach to problem solving and relationship management.
• A collaborative approach to working with a range of functions within the wider People and OD service and Integrated Care System; experience of collaborating to deliver solutions and creating opportunities for service development
• Ability to analyse complex information and workforce trends to identify key concerns and lead the collaborative development of trust wide solutions.
• Ability to manage significant competing priorities with limited resources, prioritising delivery of HR Services in accordance with risk and the achievement of key objectives.
• Experience in capturing the learning from sensitive employment relations issues and utilising this to develop improvements to policy, practise and services
• Well-developed sensitivity to stakeholder relationships with a constructive yet strong approach to challenge, specifically up to Executive level.
• A thorough and up to date knowledge of employment law and demonstrable experience of its pragmatic application.
• Tenacity and Resilience
• Confidence and experience in making difficult decisions and managing the implementation of decisions within a team.

Desirable

• Ability to use Microsoft Office applications
• An understanding of the challenges within the NHS modernisation agenda and the ability to generate local solutions to these
• Experience of successful partnership with Trade Unions
• The ability to provide comprehensive senior reports, workforce information and to support the development of business cases.
• Knowledge of the Just and Restorative learning approach to the assessment and progression of employee relations cases.

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

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

Great Western Road

Gloucester

GL1 3NN

Employer's website

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