Senior Employee Relations Adviser

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is the only acute hospital provider in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a system of health and care partners working together for our local population.

Within Mid and South Essex there are 149 GP practices, operating from over 200 sites, forming 27 Primary Care Networks and one Ambulance Trust. There are also three main community and mental health service providers who work together through a community collaborative.

We collaborate with other valuable partners, including three Healthwatch organisations, nine voluntary and community sector organisations and three top tier local authorities, with seven district, borough and city councils, as well as our local universities.

Job overview

Are you passionate about helping people thrive at work and ready to make a meaningful difference within one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country? We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Employee Relations Adviser to join our dynamic team at Broomfield Hospital.

This is a rewarding opportunity to influence positive workforce outcomes by providing expert employee relations support across Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. You will manage a varied caseload, offering professional advice and guidance on disciplinary, grievance, capability, attendance and wellbeing matters, while supporting managers to confidently navigate complex people challenges.

As a trusted HR partner, you will play a key role in promoting fair, consistent and compassionate people practices. You will contribute to policy development, deliver training, analyse workforce data and support initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and organisational performance.

This role offers the chance to work at the heart of workforce transformation, helping to create a positive, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture. If you are an excellent communicator with strong employee relations expertise, sound judgement and a proactive approach to problem-solving, we would love to hear from you.

Join us and be part of a team that is shaping the future of employee relations, supporting our people to deliver outstanding care to our communities.

Main duties of the job

If successful, you will provide expert employee relations advice and guidance to managers across Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring the consistent application of employment policies, procedures and best practice. You will manage a varied caseload of complex and sensitive employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, bullying and harassment cases, providing practical solutions that support both managers and employees while balancing organisational and legal requirements.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will interpret employment legislation and Trust policy, helping to resolve issues promptly and effectively while promoting positive employee relations. You will also manage Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, Subject Access Requests (SARs) and other reporting requirements, ensuring compliance with data protection legislation and governance standards.

The role will involve supporting the Head of Employee Relations with ACAS conciliation and Employment Tribunal cases, including preparing documentation, drafting responses, coordinating witness statements and maintaining comprehensive case records. You will ensure all records are accurate, well organised and maintained to a high standard, enabling the Trust to present robust and structured cases when required.

Working for our organisation

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well-being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For more information on this varied and rewarding role, please see the attached Job Description.

We look forward to your application!

Please be aware that we reserve the right to close the vacancy early should a high number of applications be received.

***Interviews will be held the W/K commencing 26th October ***

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Studying towards CIPD Level 5 qualification
• Associate membership of the CIPD Post graduate diploma or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable previous experience in a HR Advisory role
• Experience of working collaboratively with Trade Union representatives at a local and regional level

Desirable criteria

• Project Management experience
• Prior experience of working in the NHS
• Experience of dealing with medical ER issues under MHPS, and of medical terms and conditions of employment

Skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent written communication skills, demonstrated throughout application
• Ability to work independently to a high level

Please be aware as per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold.

Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain vigilant against candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills, and you will be required to declare on your application if AI has been used before submitting your application.

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