People Relations Partner

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 69,000

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced People Partner to join our newly created Employee Relations Team in the People and Culture directorate following the conclusion of consultation to change the way we work. The roles will operate as People partners within the Employee Relations team in the Divisions and provide Human Resource operational and strategic support as the link between HR and service needs. You will be responsible for managing a team of Associate People Partners and will work with the Assistant Director of People Partnering and People Relations to contribute to the development and implementation of the directorate's objectives and workforce strategy.

You will take responsibility for agreed areas of work and act as an advocate of change and modernisation in support of the Trust and workforce strategies. You will also be required to take the lead on corporate Human Resource issues in a specific area, including policy development, and be responsible for implementation on a Trust wide basis.

You will be highly proactive in extracting a range of data to design solutions whilst building consensus and working with high levels of ambiguity. You will work in partnership with senior leaders to diagnose people requirements and build solutions and programmes of work to meet their local and organisational priorities.

The role will be based at the Trust Headquarters in London but you will be expected to travel to different sites.

Main duties of the job

The role covers a busy business line overseeing and leading projects covering: transformation/change, KPI management and leadership/development. In addition, the successful applicant will be required to manage a complex portfolio of employee relations cases covering: Capability/Competence, Dignity at work/Grievance and Conduct. The role also has responsibility to line manage, support, motivate and develop Associate HR People Partner(s).

The post holder will have experience of being a highly collaborative member in a senior team of HR & OD experts, working cross-functionally and in matrix management context with other parts of HR & OD. We are looking for someone who is passionate, with a demonstrable solid track record of working across systems in a large and complex organisation. The People Partner will continually inspire cultural transformation, behaviour change and compassionate leadership.

If you are looking for development, or your next role then we look forward to hearing from you.

About us

CNWL provide care across the North West London, Milton Keynes and the South East of England. We provide a variety of care including community care, mental health, sexual health, health and justice etc. Being a large Trust covering a variety of services across a large geographical area, HR is a fast paced, busy environment. We are currently undergoing an improvement plan to develop on how we provide our services to support our clinical teams. Our organisation is driven by our strategic objectives and organisational values and we look for people who are strongly aligned with them. We have a great team that work well together.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Date posted

19 March 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£61,927 to £68,676 a year per annum incl HCAS (pro rata if P/T)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

333-C-HQ-0893

Job locations

Trust HQ, 350 Euston Road, London, NW1 3AX

Job description Job responsibilities

Please refer to the JD/ PS attached for full details about the role.

Employee Relations

To manage the Associate People Partner(s) and through this to maintain a climate of employee relations that develops feelings of mutuality, encourages co-operation and minimises the causes and effects of conflict.

To facilitate good employee relations and expertly advise managers and staff accordingly on good practice. To support managers in effective implementation of the trusts HR policies up to appeal level and attendance at Employment Tribunal.

To monitor sickness absence statistics, identifying patterns and trends and highlighting these to management. To enable managers to actively work towards improving attendance targets through managing sickness cases and through other absence management and health improvement initiatives.

To provide expert advice to managers in highly complex cases on the interpretation and implementation of the Trusts disciplinary and grievance procedures within the context of the legal framework. To retain oversight of casework, and to line manage the Associate HRBP in the management of specific ER cases.

To take into account inter-relational dynamics when dealing with complex staff issues, recommending solutions that may prevent cases escalating to the formal stage, including facilitating meetings and delivering formal mediation.

To provide training and coaching to managers on HR practices and procedures.

To use a coaching approach with managers and other HR staff in informally dealing with complex and contentious staffing issues, with the aim of developing skills and confidence and avoiding fostering a relationship of reliance.

To be the HR representative to disciplinary panels up to the level of dismissal & appeal.

Organisational Change

To work in partnership with managers in providing expert guidance at all stages of the organisational change process as a key member of the project team, advising on implications for the workforce, involving staff in change processes, formal requirements for consultation and supporting staff through the change process.

To provide expert advice to managers on the interpretation and implementation of the Trusts change management processes and procedures, within the context of the legal framework. To provide solutions in complex change situations involving competing priorities/legal uncertainties/lack of precedents, ensuring that service delivery aims and financial targets are achieved.

To take the lead in the implementation of restructuring processes, including the preparation of formal consultation documents, determining appropriate selection principles and methods, facilitating re-deployment and guiding managers and staff through redundancy situations as appropriate.

Person Specification

EDUCATION / QUALIFICATIONS Essential

• Educated to master's degree or equivalent or commitment to obtain
• CIPD qualified at Chartered membership level or commitment to obtain

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES Essential

• Computer and IT literate with working knowledge of data bases
• Good and up to date understanding of NHS human resource context
• Ability to work in a busy, sometimes pressurised environment

EXPERIENCE Essential

• Experience in a large complex organisation, including a at a senior level incorporating:
• Employee services
• Employee relations
• Change Management
• Experience of supervising staff
• Experience of recruitment management

Desirable

• Experience obtained in public unionised environment

ATTITUDES, APTITUDES, PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS Essential

• Willingness to contribute to corporate HR agenda

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Trust HQ, 350 Euston Road, London, NW1 3AX

Employer's website: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work