People Relations Advisor

Job summary

Are you a People Professional with experience in employee relations and a sound understanding of employment law? If so, we'd love to hear from you.

Join our People Directorate at an exciting time and help shape a person-centred culture across the Trust. As part of our People Relations team, you'll work closely with managers and colleagues to provide advice and support on employee relations matters, including sickness absence, disciplinary and grievance, performance concerns, organisational change, and terms & conditions of service.

You will directly contribute to our ambition of being the best place to work and learn.

Working closely with a Senior People Relations Advisor, you will manage your own caseload. You'll be confident working independently, using your initiative to make informed decisions, and collaborating effectively as part of a supportive team.

We're looking for someone with ER experience, a CIPD qualification and membership. You will have excellent communication, organisational and influencing skills.

This is a hybrid role, based at Fieldhead Hospital, Wakefield, (2 days minimum on site per week) and at home with travel across the South West Yorkshire footprint as required.

If you're looking for a role where you can make a genuine impact, develop your skills, while making a real difference to the experience of our staff we'd love to hear from you.

Come and help us create an environment where our people can thrive & do their best work.

Main duties of the job

Employment Policies Participate in development & review of policies / procedures to ensure they reflect the Trusts values and support fair, inclusive practice.

Manager Coaching & Support Guided by the Senior People Relations Advisor, coach and support managers in proactively addressing workforce issues. Ensure consistent application of policies to maintain safe, effective, and compassionate services.

Specialist HR Advice Provide guidance to managers on a wide range of employment matters, including:

Sickness absence & wellbeing

Grievance & disciplinary procedures

Organisational change processes

Induction-related concerns

Grading & discrimination issues

Diversity, equal opportunities & employment terms

Investigation & Hearing Participation Advise managers on conducting formal investigations. Participate in hearing panels up to issuing final written warnings.

Employment Law Expertise Continuously develop and apply knowledge of employment legislation and case law ensuring accurate and sound advice.

At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. For this reason, we are unable to sponsor anyone for a skilled worker visa for this role.

We are happy to accept applications from candidates who can prove their right to work in the UK or via alternative visa routes. Such applications will be considered alongside all other applications.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means were accountable to our members, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The People Relations Advisor will work as part of the Trustwide Operational People Relations Team and will provide a comprehensive, professional and business focussed advisory service with the support of the Senior People Relations advisor and People Relations manager. This will involve coaching and advising Line Managers and employees on a range of employment practices, policies and terms and conditions.

The People Relations Advisor will support the People Relations Business Partners and People Relations managers in their work as part of the Care Group Management Team to promote a valued based approach to the leadership, management and development of the workforce which enables the delivery of safe, effective, caring and well led services in line with the Trusts missions and values.

A key area of work will be to support the Trusts initiatives and workstreams to transform its services and workforce advising on the necessary People Relations interventions to achieve organisational change.

The People Relations Advisor, together with colleagues in the People Relations Team will be expected to support the delivery of key strategic People Relations and People Directorate outcomes in the Care Group.

The delivery of key strategic People Relations and People Directorate outcomes will be supported by the key Enablers of:

Developing a Productive and Quality Workforce

Positive Staff Wellbeing and Effective Engagement

Developing Effective Leaders and Managers

KEY RESULT AREAS:

Strategic People Directorate Outcomes to support the achievement of Trust objectives:

To support the Trusts value based approach to the recruitment and retention of a sustainable workforce able to deliver safe, effective and caring services participating in job matching and evaluation, redeployment etc. of staff due to organisational changes.

To participate in the provision of advice to Managers on the implications of TUPE and other employment legislation e.g. fixed term workers.

To support the People Relations Business Partner and People Relations Managers in the achievement of objectives in the Care Group Annual Plans where People Relations advice or intervention is required e.g. cost improvement programmes affecting the future employment of staff.

As a member of the Trustwide People Directorate Team to provide a comprehensive People Relations service and support, in line with the Trusts values and to meet Care Group objectives.

To participate, as appropriate, in the development and review of value based employment policies and procedures.

With the support of the Senior People Relations Advisor,support and coach Managers in the skills to handle workforce issues as soon as they arise using the People Relations policies in a value based, fair and consistent way in order to ensure safe, effective and caring services are maintained. This includes providing specialist People Relations advice on sickness absence management/wellbeing, grievance, discipline, organisational change processes, issues arising from value based induction, grading discrimination, diversity/equal opportunities and terms and conditions of service.

To provide specialist advice to Managers on the handling of investigations participating on hearing panels when required up to a level of a final written warning.

To build own knowledge of employment legislation and case law in order to inform the advice provided to Managers.

To support the People Relations Business Partner and People Relations manager in embedding value based and model employment practices in the Care Group.

To liaise with colleagues in the People Directorate, where appropriate, re value based recruitment, apprentices etc.

To understand the workforce performance information provided to the Care Groups and how this can be used to support Managers to optimise workforce effectiveness and efficiency e.g. sickness absence trends by service line.

To participate in the delivery of People Relations related training to Managers.

To engage in personal continuous professional development and take advantage of training provided to the People Relations Team which will then impact on the level of service and People Relations advice provided to Managers.

To support the development and implementation of the e-HR system to provide quick and accessible advice and guidance to Managers and staff.

To contribute to the transformation process of the Operational People Relations Team, being involved in discussions about new ways of working and how this will continuously improve the People Relations service offer to the Care Groups.

Strategic People Directorate Enablers

To support the achievement of key strategic People Directorate outcomes to:

1. Developing a Productive and Quality Workforce

To participate in the development of bids for external tenders within the Care Groups and participate in the provision of advice on any subsequent remodelling of the workforce and handling of TUPE transfers of staff.

To ensure that any advice given in relation to the redesign and/or the reduction of the workforce is handled in line with best practice,relevant employment legislation and Trust policies.

2. Positive Staff Wellbeing and Effective Engagement

To support effective partnership working with Staff Side Representatives in order to maintain good employee relations in the best interest of the Trust, services and staff.

To be aware of wellbeing initiatives and action plans from the six month staff wellbeing and engagement survey and how these can be promoted within the Care Groups.

3. Developing Effective Leaders and Managers

To coach Managers in areas of day to day People Relations management increasing their confidence and competence.

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to have their up-to-date flu vaccination to protect staff and patients.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. We strongly discourage this and will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

Person specification

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience and competence of working in a generalist HR environment including employee relations (eg sickness absence management, disciplinary, Grievance and organisational change.
• Practical experience in providing advice to managers on terms and conditions of service etc.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a Public sector organisation.
• Experience of working in partnership with trade unions.

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Knowledge of Employment Legislation and current HR practice.
• Ability to take minutes at meetings/hearings.
• Training/presentation skills.
• Awareness of job evaluation.
• Effective interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work as a member of a team.
• Computer literacy.
• Have a proactive approach to Equality and Diversity.
• Demonstrable ability to work in a tactful and diplomatic manner.
• Ability to deliver training and coaching to individual managers and groups.

Desirable

• Knowledge of NHS Terms and Conditions of Service.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to work to deadlines.
• Ability to influence others.
• Ability to handle conflict.
• Ability to problem solve/make decisions.

Physical Attributes

Essential

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post.
• A satisfactory sickness record over the previous two years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).
• A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).
• Communication written and verbal.

Qualifications

Essential

• CIPD Qualification (Level 5) diploma & Associate membership CIPD;
• or
• CIPD Qualification (Level 3) & Foundation membership CIPD plus experience equivalent to Level 5 Qualification & a willingness to complete the qualification.