Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Employee Advisor/Employee Relations Lead

The closing date is 22 March 2026

Job summary

This role provides a high quality, employee relations service that supports managers and staff across the Trust and promotes a just and learning culture. Working as part of a collaborative and supportive team, the postholder will use their professional judgement, analytical thinking, and ER expertise to guide managers through a wide range of complex employment matters, including discipline, grievance, discrimination, bullying and harassment, performance, and absence management.

At Band 6, the postholder , working autonomously, delivers high quality ER casework support, managing a varied caseload and supporting formal hearings. They develop and apply policies and best practice, provide timely advice to managers, and contribute to consistent and fair ER processes across the Trust. Sharing their experience as best practice, to enable support and coaching to all levels of the organisation.

Please note the interviews intend to be held on 26th March 2026

Main duties of the job

Across both levels, the postholder ensures that ER cases are managed efficiently, consistently, and in line with agreed quality and performance indicators, supporting a positive working environment and effective people management.

Provide specialist employee relations support in highly complex employee relations cases, ensuring the provision of professional expert and technical guidance that is consistent with best practice, legislation, and NHS/Trust policies.

Participate in safeguarding and formal hearing panels, employment tribunals and civil cases, ensuring consistency and appropriateness of recommendations. Provide support and advice for complex cases; advising in terms of methodology and confidentiality. Develop case management plans so that processes are completed to a high standard and within timeframes. Support managers with the production and review of correspondence following both informal and formal processes.

Support and advise junior members of the team on policy, enabling them to develop confidence in decision-making and advice being provided. Ensure focus is given to early and informal resolution, providing support through advice, coaching and mentoring; using effective negotiation and influencing skills at all levels of the organisation. Participate in the development of people policies, tools and documentation to ensure a fair and consistent application of policy.

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides joined-up mental and physical healthcare for around two million people across our communities. With over 13,000 staff working in the community and local hospitals, we deliver care at every stage of life, helping people live their best and healthiest lives.

Our mental health services include community-based support and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) for both adults and young people, alongside a network of specialist inpatient wards covering forensic, learning disability, eating disorder and older person's care.

We deliver extensive physical health services too, from urgent community response teams helping frail and older patients remain safely at home, to hospitals at home teams providing acute-level care in familiar surroundings. Our neurological services offer rehabilitation and treatment for conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Head Injury, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. Across Hampshire, our community hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation as a step down from acute care, and our dedicated teams also staff Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth, offering expert, compassionate support.

Everything we do is underpinned by our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence

Date posted

09 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year Based on full time hours

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

348-COR-10685

Job locations

Moorgreen Hospital

Botley Road, West End

Southampton

Hampshire

SO30 3JB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level, or equivalent knowledge gained through experience
Post-graduate qualification to CIPD level 5
Demonstration of continuous professional development

Desirable

Formal training/qualification/experience of coaching, mentoring, training or mediation

Experience

Essential

Relevant experience of working in an employee relations advisory role in a complex, unionised environment
Proven track record of advising stakeholders on a broad range of employee relations issues, balancing legal compliance with business need, and developing practical solutions
Comprehensive knowledge of employment legislation and best practice in employee relations policies, principles, and procedures
Ability to engage effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels
Please see JD for full specification

Additional Criteria

Essential

Whilst the role is a hybrid one, the Employee Relations team covers the county of Hampshire and services located on the Isle of Wight; therefore a current, valid, driving licence and unrestricted access to a vehicle is required, in order to fulfil commitments to those we support.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level, or equivalent knowledge gained through experience
Post-graduate qualification to CIPD level 5
Demonstration of continuous professional development

Desirable

Formal training/qualification/experience of coaching, mentoring, training or mediation

Experience

Essential

Relevant experience of working in an employee relations advisory role in a complex, unionised environment
Proven track record of advising stakeholders on a broad range of employee relations issues, balancing legal compliance with business need, and developing practical solutions
Comprehensive knowledge of employment legislation and best practice in employee relations policies, principles, and procedures
Ability to engage effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels
Please see JD for full specification

Additional Criteria

Essential

Whilst the role is a hybrid one, the Employee Relations team covers the county of Hampshire and services located on the Isle of Wight; therefore a current, valid, driving licence and unrestricted access to a vehicle is required, in order to fulfil commitments to those we support.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Moorgreen Hospital

Botley Road, West End

Southampton

Hampshire

SO30 3JB

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Moorgreen Hospital

Botley Road, West End

Southampton

Hampshire

SO30 3JB

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)