Barts Health NHS Trust Hiring for Associate People Partner – Employee Relations at London Full Time

We are looking for an inspirational and highly experienced employee relations professional who is passionate about building good relationships and can support an HR Advisory team to take forward a pro-active and customer-focused employee relations function. This will include the provision of professional customer-focused HR advice, coaching and solutions that support the business in the identification and management of workforce issues and change programs. You will contribute to the development of our annual people plan that provides solutions for our employee relations challenges.

An excellent communicator and influencer, the Associate People Partner will also fulfill a corporate role in driving the People agenda forward and a culture of learning throughout the Trust, working in partnership with managers, staff side representatives, staff and other partners in ensuring that the Trust is an employer of choice and adopting excellent employment practice.

A crucial element of the role is increasing the management capability of line managers by coaching and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to enhance their staff management responsibilities in line with the Trust’s strategic direction.

• To develop the provision of a proactive and customer-focused Employee Relations function for the Trust, working closely with the People Services team. The post holder will support the Trust in the delivery of strategic and operational projects and initiatives.
• Working in partnership with managers to develop and deliver an effective employee relations service at the Royal London and Mile End Hospitals which is a crucial element of the overall People Strategy that will deliver an approach to people management that embodies a people-centered culture of learning.
• This role is responsible for managing and co-ordinating the employee relations casework and team at RL & ME, ensuring that case work is carried out in a timely, effective and efficient way and in accordance with Barts Health policies and procedures, current legislation and best practice.

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain’s leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which ourWeCarevalues and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by ourWeCarevalues and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

• Lead and manage employee relations activity at Royal London. Working closely with key stakeholders and senior People colleagues to ensure the function supports good management and enables the delivery of the Trust’s objectives around ‘just culture’.
• To manage and co-ordinate employee relations casework for the site, ensuring that work is distributed evenly between the team, and delegating to other members of the People Adviser team as required. Ensure that case work is completed in a proactive and timely way.
• Work in conjunction with the Senior Managers to minimise exposure to employment related litigation. This will involve the sharing of knowledge and best practice to managers within the organisation by developing and implementing specific HR training across the site.
• To participate in the ongoing updating and development of policies and procedures, ensuring that they reflect current legislation and respond to organisational needs.
• To produce regular updates on case work, highlighting areas of high financial/reputational risk to the organisation.
• Production and monitoring of case work metrics and key performance indicators, providing reports to the People Partners, Senior People Leads and Senior Managers.
• Work closely with the People Relations team to enable effective delivery of these objectives.
• Planning, design and implementation of service and process improvements to ensure the People Advisers operate accordingly with regards to both legal and best HR practice. Ensuring that there is a clear process in place for each area of work and that all members of the team are working in a consistent manner.
• To work in partnership with staff side representatives, assisting in the development and maintenance of a culture of positive employee relations at Royal London, working, negotiating and consulting with recognised employee representatives to develop strategies and policies and to constructively resolve complex HR issues.
• To provide specialist expert HR advice to site managers on issues such as discipline, grievance, sickness management and employment law. This may involve advice and support on issues for which there are no clear guidelines and which may set precedents. To ensure day-to-day consistent advice is provided by People Advisers.
• To support and guide managers and staff through organisational change, which will include support for managers in developing consultation documents and managing them through the change process. Work with staffside colleagues on early engagement of consultations across the site.
• To effectively manage the People Advisers, ensuring supervision and appraisals are undertaken on a regular basis and to support their continued professional development. In addition, to address any performance, discipline or grievance issues within the team.
• To ensure an adequate level of operational HR service is available at all times for the designated directorates. This will include the maintenance of appropriate staffing levels, management of leave and cover arrangements between colleagues.
• To ensure that the People Advisers are appropriately trained.
• To undertake any other duties including projects, or parts of projects, specified by the Senior People team at the Royal London site.
• To promote the Trust’s policies on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to support this agenda.
• To develop the provision of appropriate training and learning for leaders to support capabilities and promote an engaged workforce
• Benchmark and establish processes to continuously improve HR services and products to enhance their value to the organisation and to ensure excellence in service delivery.
• To work collaboratively with the whole People Services team to ensure better integration of the team, sharing of information and knowledge and seamless service to the organisation.