Employee Relations Manager

Job Title: Employee Relations Manager

Location: Croydon
Pay Rate: £26.16 per hour Holiday pay Inclusive
Duration: 3-6 months
Start Date: Immediate
Hours: Full-Time Monday-Friday 37.5 hours
Working Pattern: 3 days on-site, 2 day flexible/remote (subject to service needs)

About the Role

Our client is seeking an experienced Employee Relations Manager to join its HR & Organisational Development team on an interim basis. This is an excellent opportunity for an accomplished ER professional to work within a fast-paced NHS environment, supporting managers and leading on complex employee relations matters across a large, diverse organisation.

Reporting to the Head of Employee Relations, you will play a key role in ensuring the delivery of a proactive, professional and high-quality Employee Relations service. You will manage a portfolio of complex ER cases, support the development of restorative people practices, and provide expert guidance to managers on a broad range of employment issues.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a personal caseload of complex employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, dignity at work, capability and absence cases.
• Provide expert advice and guidance to managers in line with employment legislation, NHS terms and conditions, Trust policies and ACAS guidance.
• Support and oversee investigations, ensuring they are completed to a high standard and within agreed timescales.
• Attend hearings and appeals, presenting management cases and advising panels as required.
• Line manages Senior Employee Relations Advisors, ensuring effective allocation and oversight of workload.
• Monitor ER activity, maintain accurate case records and contribute to KPI reporting.
• Identify trends and recommend interventions to improve staff experience and reduce reliance on formal processes.
• Develop and deliver ER training for managers and support policy development and implementation.
• Build effective relationships with Trade Union representatives and senior stakeholders across the Trust.
• Deputise for the Head of Employee Relations when required.

Essential Requirements

• Recent NHS Employee Relations experience.
• Significant experience managing complex ER cases within a large, fast-paced and unionised organisation.
• Experience advising senior managers on a wide range of employee relations matters.
• Proven ability to lead investigations and support formal hearings and appeals.
• Experience managing and developing staff within an ER function.
• Strong working knowledge of employment legislation, NHS policies and ACAS best practice.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• CIPD qualification and registration.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Additional Candidate Requirements

• Candidates must clearly demonstrate within their application:
• The headcount of the workforce they have supported.
• Their typical employee relations caseload, including the volume and complexity of cases managed simultaneously.
• Availability to work 4 days per week on-site at Croydon Health Services.

Desirable

• Experience within a large acute NHS Trust or similarly complex healthcare environment.
• Experience drafting and implementing HR policies.
• Experience delivering employee relations training programmes.
• Knowledge of ESR systems.
• Postgraduate qualification in Employment Law.
• Project management experience