HR Advisor

Bringing with you experience of working busy and varied employee relations environment, you must be CIPD qualified (or equivalent experience), a team player, able to cope with change and remain focused on achieving results, often alongside conflicting priorities and high levels of demands, an excellent communicator, have a hands on approach and be able develop strong relationships with managers to support and advise them on sickness absence management and complex & sensitive employee relations matters including advising on investigation processes. In addition, you will deliver training and coaching specific to HR processes and procedures.

You will be based at Trust HQ at Pinewood House, Dartford, with flexibility for agile (home) working but the role will involve travel to our Prison sites across the Trust and therefore you must have the ability to travel where required.

To support the Head of HR in providing a fully comprehensive and high quality HR support and advisory service to the Trust managers and staff in support of the Workforce Strategy and business and operational planning processes of the relevant Directorates.

To deliver an effective and timely HR Advisory service by working in partnership with managers on HR related issues, such as those arising from restructuring and change exercises.

To provide advice and support in respect of job evaluation, job redesign, employee relations, contractual and other operational HR issues.

To evaluate the service provided to Directorates and meet regularly with users to review the service and work with the Head of HR to further develop monitoring mechanisms against which the HR teams’ performance can be measured.

To deputise for the Head of HR as required.

To undertake any ad hoc projects as identified by the Head of HR.

The postholder is encouraged to initiate and discuss new ideas to improve the HR service and to develop these with the Head of HR.

At Oxleas, we offer a wide range of health and social care services to people living in South East London and parts of Kent. This includes community health care such as district nursing and health visiting, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector.

Our 4,000 members of staff work in many different settings such as hospitals, clinics, prisons, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital in Woolwich as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. Our prison health services cover Kent, South London, Bristol, Devon and Dorset.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
We’re Kind

We’re Fair

We Listen

We Care

Employee Relations

To advise and support managers and medical staff on appropriate action to take on disciplinary, grievance, capability and absence issues with mínimal supervision, in line with Trust policies and procedures. Where managers are new to this area, providing hands on support and advice and training to help up-skill the managers.

To attend informal/formal meetings/hearings as necessary and advise on management reports and correspondence in accordance with Trust procedures.

To assist in the presentation of cases up to and including dismissal and attend appeals and tribunals as and when necessary.

To produce and monitor monthly ER related statistics, including absence data and interpret information, identify problem areas, and work with managers to address them.

To keep up-to-date with current employment law legislation and best practice, and ensure that these are reflected in current HR practice. Highlight and address any changes to these and take appropriate action.

Workforce Information
To question and challenge payroll forms for correct rationale and reasoning and ensure they are within legislative and audit requirements.

To utilise workforce information in the implementation of HR practices.

To check and authorise all contracts of employment and variations for all staff groups.

To be familiar with the Trust’s computerised HR information system to input and retrieve information as required.
To support the implementation and use of the Electronic Staff Record system.

Employee Services

To be responsible for ensuring the use of fixed term, honorary and locum contracts are appropriate.

To offer consistent advice and interpretation of Trust policies and Terms and Conditions to both managers and members of staff, taking into account the impact and contribution to the wider perspective.

To have overall responsibility for the processing of all maternity/paternity leave and retirement activity across Directorates.

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