Job summary
This vacancy is open to employees of Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust only.
Band 7: £47,810 - £54,710
Full time: 37.5 hours per week
Permanent contract
Base:Block 4000, Lakeside North Harbour, Western Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 3EN
Main duties of the job
Are you an experienced HR professional with strong leadership skills and a passion for building positive, fair, and supportive working environments?
We are looking for a highly skilled and proactive Employee Relations Manager to join our dynamic 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 in line with service needs. There is flexibility for home working; however, you will be expected to be on site for at least three days per week to provide visible leadership and support.
About us
Our vision for Single Corporate ServicesIsle of Wight NHS Trust (IWT) and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) have a shared vision of a single corporate service across our two organisations, supported by a single set of identical systems and processes, under joint leadership, to drive significant efficiencies, improve employee experience, and return time to patient care.
This vacancy is part of the Single Corporate Services Division.
Why are we changing the way we deliver Corporate Services?Working as a partnership, both IWT and PHU 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 creation of a single corporate service is essential for us to support our clinical and operational services, and our wider transformation programme.
The vision for our single corporate services is to:
- Be an employer of choice for corporate talent, attracting and retaining people who share our values for excellence in care and welcome the opportunity to benefit from the broad range of flexible career and development opportunities we can offer.
- Improve efficiency through simplified and standardised policies, processes, and systems, drawing on the best from both Trusts.
- Do things once and reduce any duplication on transactional tasks giving corporate staff the ability to focus on higher value and more diverse activities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As an Employee Relations Manager, you will play a senior and influential role in shaping the delivery of high quality ER services across both Trusts. You will:
- Lead and manage complex employee relations cases, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant outcomes.
- Provide expert guidance to managers on a wide range of HR issues, including disciplinary matters, grievances, sickness management, MHPS, performance concerns, and organisational change.
- Support and develop the Assistant ER Managers and ER Advisors, ensuring high standards of case management and continuous professional growth within the team.
- Represent HR in complex hearings and appeal panels, providing assurance of robust and fair processes.
- Build strong relationships with managers, leaders, Trade Union colleagues, and other stakeholders to deliver collaborative and solution focused outcomes.
- Drive process improvement, policy development, and best practice across ER operations.
- Present ER data, analysis, and trends at divisional and Trust-level meetings to support effective and informed decision making.
- Lead and deliver training programmes for managers to strengthen people management capability and embed a just and learning culture.
- Support the coordination and response to Employment Tribunal claims, Subject Access Requests (SARs), FOI requests, and police enquiries relating to investigations.
- Take responsibility for divisional ER leadership, reporting performance and ensuring alignment with Trust objectives.
Why Join Us?
- Influence and lead the delivery of ER services across two forward thinking NHS Trusts.
- Take on a senior and impactful role with opportunities to drive culture change and service improvement.
- Work in a supportive team that values expertise, collaboration, and innovation.
- Benefit from development opportunities within a large, integrated HR service.
This is a key leadership role, offering the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on culture, capability, and staff experience across two large NHS organisations. If you are a confident HR professional with strong leadership capability and a drive to deliver high quality employee relations services, we would love to hear from you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As an Employee Relations Manager, you will play a senior and influential role in shaping the delivery of high quality ER services across both Trusts. You will:
- Lead and manage complex employee relations cases, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant outcomes.
- Provide expert guidance to managers on a wide range of HR issues, including disciplinary matters, grievances, sickness management, MHPS, performance concerns, and organisational change.
- Support and develop the Assistant ER Managers and ER Advisors, ensuring high standards of case management and continuous professional growth within the team.
- Represent HR in complex hearings and appeal panels, providing assurance of robust and fair processes.
- Build strong relationships with managers, leaders, Trade Union colleagues, and other stakeholders to deliver collaborative and solution focused outcomes.
- Drive process improvement, policy development, and best practice across ER operations.
- Present ER data, analysis, and trends at divisional and Trust-level meetings to support effective and informed decision making.
- Lead and deliver training programmes for managers to strengthen people management capability and embed a just and learning culture.
- Support the coordination and response to Employment Tribunal claims, Subject Access Requests (SARs), FOI requests, and police enquiries relating to investigations.
- Take responsibility for divisional ER leadership, reporting performance and ensuring alignment with Trust objectives.
Why Join Us?
- Influence and lead the delivery of ER services across two forward thinking NHS Trusts.
- Take on a senior and impactful role with opportunities to drive culture change and service improvement.
- Work in a supportive team that values expertise, collaboration, and innovation.
- Benefit from development opportunities within a large, integrated HR service.
This is a key leadership role, offering the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on culture, capability, and staff experience across two large NHS organisations. If you are a confident HR professional with strong leadership capability and a drive to deliver high quality employee relations services, we would love to hear from you.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
- CIPD Level 7 (postgraduate) or equivalent professional HR qualification.
- Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development.
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience managing complex ER casework, including sickness, health & wellbeing, and conduct matters.
- Proven experience supervising or managing staff.
- Strong background in policy development, process redesign, and implementing improvements.
- Experience engaging positively with Trade Unions.
- In depth knowledge of employment legislation including TUPE, discrimination, and constructive dismissal.
- Demonstrable experience implementing initiatives to reduce sickness absence.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Strong understanding of best practice in attendance management and healthy workplace initiatives.
- Knowledge and experience applying NHS Medical and Agenda for Change Terms & Conditions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing for senior leadership and tribunals.
- High digital literacy and the ability to use systems and data effectively.
- Strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion with particular awareness of disability related matters.
- Ability to analyse complex information, exercise sound judgement, and make informed decisions.
- Ability to coach and develop managers, investigators, and ER team members.
- Up to date knowledge of employment legislation, ACAS codes, and HR best practice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
- CIPD Level 7 (postgraduate) or equivalent professional HR qualification.
- Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development.
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience managing complex ER casework, including sickness, health & wellbeing, and conduct matters.
- Proven experience supervising or managing staff.
- Strong background in policy development, process redesign, and implementing improvements.
- Experience engaging positively with Trade Unions.
- In depth knowledge of employment legislation including TUPE, discrimination, and constructive dismissal.
- Demonstrable experience implementing initiatives to reduce sickness absence.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Strong understanding of best practice in attendance management and healthy workplace initiatives.
- Knowledge and experience applying NHS Medical and Agenda for Change Terms & Conditions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing for senior leadership and tribunals.
- High digital literacy and the ability to use systems and data effectively.
- Strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion with particular awareness of disability related matters.
- Ability to analyse complex information, exercise sound judgement, and make informed decisions.
- Ability to coach and develop managers, investigators, and ER team members.
- Up to date knowledge of employment legislation, ACAS codes, and HR best practice.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
