Job summary
A fantastic vacancy has opened for an experienced and qualified HR practitioner to join our team as a HR Specialist, working within the HR Services Team at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust.
The HR Specialists play a crucial role in the management of employee relations and HR related activity, including complex casework, appeals and employment tribunals. Each HR Specialist is aligned to a division and works closely with the other HR Services team members as well as the divisional HR Business Partner and key divisional stakeholders.
The post-holder will be responsible for advising managers and ensuring that consistent, comprehensive and complex HR advice is provided to our customers in line with Trust policy, practice, terms and conditions and employment legislation.
Please ensure that you show how you fulfil the essential and desirable criteria of the role in your application. Secondment avaliable
Main duties of the job
- Support the HR delivery model by ensuring the HR Specialist role and its interface with the division is clear, redirecting queries as appropriate to our internal HR Web pages or to HR Advisors.
- Work with other members of the HR Services team and, as appropriate, with the HR Business Partners, to discuss, agree and implement agreed ER interventions or actions.
- Manage a caseload of highly complex cases and oversee casework managed by the HR Advisor for the division.
- Ensure complex situations or cases are correctly analysed, interpreted and risk assessed in order to provide best advice or support.
- Analyse and assess complex ER situations such as sickness and absence, competence and capability, redeployment and redundancy, disciplinary and Tribunal cases etc and work with managers and the Employee Services team to consider the options and implications of managerial interventions in relation to these issues.
- Act as an autonomous HR practitioner in interpreting policies and in providing case management advice and guidance, seeking advice from peers, manager or external sources if and when appropriate
About us
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- CIPD part/fully qualified. Working towards CIPD registration /membership
- Degree level / equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Broad and comprehensive generalist HR knowledge base that includes experience of managing complex cases.
- Significant generalist HR experience gained in a unionised environment preferably in the NHS
- Strong understanding of HR policies and procedures and employment legislation
- Strong understanding of NHS terms and conditions of service
- Experience of coaching managers in the use and interpretation of policies
- Experience in IT, developing and maintaining e-HR applications such as intranet and case management systems
Desirable
- Active in continuing professional development, taking ownership and accountability for staying up to date / professionally registered with the CIPD
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to establish credibility as an HR professional with managers and staff at every level of the organisation.
- Excellent customer service skills
- Strong negotiation and influencing skills, facilitation and presentation skills. Able to manage competing priorities plan and organise own workload to deliver team service provision
- Be confident in using Windows based IT systems e.g. Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint. Able to interpret HR policies and guidelines accurately
- Excellent active listening, verbal and written communication skills
- Able to explain complex issues clearly and concisely and verify understanding
- Able to support, guide, reassure and motivate managers
- Able to quickly establish rapport with customers including by phone
- Able to prepare casework and coach managers in the use and interpretation of policies and in the management of specific casework
- Able to handle difficult situations and deal with difficult and complex problems referred by others.
- Able to work well both independently and as part of a team to ensure team goals/objectives are met.
- Able to work on own initiative within the parameters of the role
- Adaptable and able to adjust to changing work environment and different ways of working
- Able to analyse and assess level of casework intervention required and respond accordingly
- Self-awareness and willing to undertake further training and development as required
- Self-motivator with high standards for self and others
- Continuous-development focussed
Aptitudes
Essential
- Achievement-orientated
- Attention to detail
- Confidence in giving advice that is best for the Trust not just the audience. Aptitude for offering creative and innovative HR solutions
- Able to instil confidence in those being advised
- Able to understand situations quickly.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- CIPD part/fully qualified. Working towards CIPD registration /membership
- Degree level / equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Broad and comprehensive generalist HR knowledge base that includes experience of managing complex cases.
- Significant generalist HR experience gained in a unionised environment preferably in the NHS
- Strong understanding of HR policies and procedures and employment legislation
- Strong understanding of NHS terms and conditions of service
- Experience of coaching managers in the use and interpretation of policies
- Experience in IT, developing and maintaining e-HR applications such as intranet and case management systems
Desirable
- Active in continuing professional development, taking ownership and accountability for staying up to date / professionally registered with the CIPD
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to establish credibility as an HR professional with managers and staff at every level of the organisation.
- Excellent customer service skills
- Strong negotiation and influencing skills, facilitation and presentation skills. Able to manage competing priorities plan and organise own workload to deliver team service provision
- Be confident in using Windows based IT systems e.g. Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint. Able to interpret HR policies and guidelines accurately
- Excellent active listening, verbal and written communication skills
- Able to explain complex issues clearly and concisely and verify understanding
- Able to support, guide, reassure and motivate managers
- Able to quickly establish rapport with customers including by phone
- Able to prepare casework and coach managers in the use and interpretation of policies and in the management of specific casework
- Able to handle difficult situations and deal with difficult and complex problems referred by others.
- Able to work well both independently and as part of a team to ensure team goals/objectives are met.
- Able to work on own initiative within the parameters of the role
- Adaptable and able to adjust to changing work environment and different ways of working
- Able to analyse and assess level of casework intervention required and respond accordingly
- Self-awareness and willing to undertake further training and development as required
- Self-motivator with high standards for self and others
- Continuous-development focussed
Aptitudes
Essential
- Achievement-orientated
- Attention to detail
- Confidence in giving advice that is best for the Trust not just the audience. Aptitude for offering creative and innovative HR solutions
- Able to instil confidence in those being advised
- Able to understand situations quickly.
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
Address
Whitefriars, Bristol Royal Infirmary
Lewins Mead
Bristol
BS1 2NT
Employer's website
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
