Head of Employee Relations

We are an award winning organisation providing care at two main hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—and a number of community-based services across London, such as sexual health and HIV clinics.

With 6,700 members of staff, we are proud to care for a diverse population of one million people. We are committed to ensuring that our workforce is just as diverse with a strong mix of skills and abilities.

Our staff are at the very heart of our organisation and we recognise the valuable contribution that each and every person working at the Trust makes. One of our Trust priorities is to be an employer of choice—a place where people want to start their career and to grow with us through continued education, professional development and support.

You will be joining a People/OD team that is an active participant in collaborative working across the North West London Acute Provider Group (APG). You will bring with you significant experience of Employee Relations (ER). You will be driving change, in improving the experience of our staff and leaders, through the provision of best in class employee relations that are based on developing a just culture and excellent people experience. As part of an ambitious team you will embrace innovative thinking about how we can do things differently both within the Trust and by bringing together our partners across the APG.

Main duties of the job

As an experienced HR Leader you will have significant expertise in leading and developing the ER function. With strong interpersonal and communication skills you will be able to build strong relationships with stakeholders across the Trust including our Trade Union colleagues. A passionate believer in ‘just culture’ you will demonstrate the ability to design and implement inclusive conflict resolution approaches and have significant experience of dealing with complex ER cases including employment Tribunals. You will be expected to manage your own highly complex ER caseload. You will also need to be passionate about nurturing and developing an enthusiastic team.

You will need to possess excellent IT skills with the ability to manipulate data to create and display standard and ad hoc ER reports.

Working for our organisation

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.

We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.

The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary

To lead the provision of a proactive and customer focused Employee Relations (ER) for the Trust. Reporting to the Associate Director of People, the post holder will support the Trust in the delivery of corporate objectives and delivery of strategic and operational people projects and initiatives that maximize performance to meet current and future business needs. Working in partnership with managers to develop and deliver the Trust’s Employee Relations service at Chelsea and Westminster and across the Acute Provider Group (APG), based on approach to people management that embodies a ‘Just Culture’. With a passion for excellence in customer service, the post holder will develop and deliver best in class ER service.

Accountable for the provision of advice on Trust policy, local and national terms and conditions of employment and employment legislation and be a subject matter expert in all aspects of employee services and the improving of people practices in the Trust. The Head of ER will be expected to create an environment of continuous quality improvement and professional development ensuring that the delivery of services to staff is regularly reviewed and that service developments or changes are implemented when necessary. The Head of ER will provide visible, credible and effective leadership in order to deliver a high-quality service by coaching and supporting their direct reports. The post holder will be a strong, inspirational leader who influences and shapes the Trust’s people strategy agenda, forging strong relationships with stakeholders internally/externally and building the reputation of collaborative partnership working and innovation in the provision of Employee advisory and support services across the customer base supported.

Key working relationships

• ER team and direct reports
• People & OD Directorate Teams – including People Business Partners, Specialist Medical Workforce team, Workforce Intelligence, Resourcing, Occupational Health
• Finance Team
• All Line Managers, Divisional Managers and Senior Managers
• All internal staff
• Third party service providers, external Agencies or outside organisations i.e. Trust solicitors, trade unions, Disclosure & Barring Service & the Home Office.
• External applicants/members of the public

Main Roles and Responsibilities

Effective management of the ER Team:

• Lead and manage the ER Team. Work closely with key stakeholders including Directors, Managers, senior clinicians, Professional Leads and senior People & OD colleagues to ensure the functions support good management and enables the delivery of the Trust’s workforce strategy.

Build strong, credible and visible relationships across the business and be viewed as a trusted advisor.

• Work in partnership with managers, trade unions, staff organisations and staff representatives, to implement and further develop a wide range of People & OD and employee relations policies and procedures that are designed to advise and support managers and staff in the exercise of good employment practice.
• With an approach of continuous improvement, develop effective processes and practices in line with best practice and legal guidelines.
• Deputising for the Associate Director of People.
• Ensure that the Services play a critical function in the Trust acting as a Learning Organisation. Regularly de-brief appropriate managers following the conclusion of complex cases. Hold accountability for actions or learning points being followed through or escalated to the necessary governance fora.
• Lead, build and maintain positive and productive relationships with recognised trade unions to promote partnership working across the organisation leading on complex negotiations and disputes.

Ensure the provision of a high quality and efficient mediation service designed to resolve disputes between staff at the earliest opportunity without the need for formal procedures to be initiated. Developing a ‘just culture’ where our people can thrive and be themselves.

Set appropriate expectations for governance, escalation and communication of ER risk, taking a commercial and pragmatic approach to managing legal risk balanced with clinical risk and efficient service delivery.

Manage own complex ER caseload providing high quality consistent advice

• Present information relating to highly complex and sensitive cases to Trust panels, including attendance at Employment Tribunals and giving witness evidence as appropriate.

Advise and support Maintaining High Professional Standards investigations and hearings

• Liaise with the Trust’s solicitors on matters relating to Tribunals , other employment related claims and legal claims.
• Manage employment risks related to expiry of Right to Work / Certificate of Sponsorship, professional registration and other statutory bar
• Stay abreast of all current and forthcoming changes in employment legislation and ensure that these are immediately reflected in policy advice and employee services.
• Lead and participate on a range of corporate People & OD Directorate Projects, developing project plans to ensure integration of operational and strategic matters.

Oversee the People & OD database for all People & OD policies – ensuring that policies are up to date and that People & OD colleagues review, update and create policies as required.

Reporting

• Report on activity and performance data for the Employee Relations function, benchmarking services, taking action to improve the service and remedy any deficiencies as appropriate.
• Manage the employee related systems including the production of statistics, analyzing regularly intelligence from reports presenting to the Trust Workforce Committee development and Senior Managers to inform priorities and influence strategic decision making, including cost and risk analysis.
• Lead team development of performance metric scorecards and service/system improvement processes to continuously monitor and improve service delivery and contribution of the ER function to enable care groups and departments to deliver financial and performance targets.

Be expert “super user” and champion of ER systems especially RL Datix ER Tracker, the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) etc. To regularly produce high quality accurate standard and ad hoc ER reports from these systems

• Ensure that the Trust is fully compliant with, and reports on Maintaining High Professional Standards and processes when dealing with employee cases including compliance with relevant legislation and Trust policies.
• Ensure all information captured and stored is in line with Information Governance requirements and compliant with data protection legislation.

Team Management

• Proactively lead and manage the ER Team;
• Act as mentor and role model for direct reports, new members of staff and students
• Manage the ER finances ensuring that services are managed within budget and advising on external spend, such as that for legal services.
• Ensure appropriate procurement processes are followed.
• Manage and develop the performance and capability of the ER team including setting performance standards, promoting regular feedback and carrying out annual appraisals agreeing a Personal Development Plan with each member of the Team.
• Ensure the delivery of a programme of training based around building competence and capacity in the Trust in managing ER issues.
• Hold responsibility for undertaking sickness absence monitoring, return to work interviews, performance and resolution (grievance) issues as required and in line with the Trust’s policies and procedures

Other

• Contribute to evidence based practice and research projects including the People & OD strategy and ensure the effective operational implementation of all people initiatives, projects and programmes within the remit of the ER Team;
• Support the change management processes where applicable, in partnership with People & OD colleagues, senior managers and local management teams, including restructuring, redundancy consultation, variation of contracts and TUPE transfers.
• Identify, own and manage risks arising from strategic and operational plans.
• Ensure that ER provides the highest level of customer service to internal/external stakeholders, regularly seeking feedback to drive continuous improvement.
• Champion and lead innovation including the use of automation and digital technology in the design and delivery of efficient employee services.
• Hold responsibility for the development of the ER pages on the Trust’s intranet so that it is an effective and up to date resource.
• Work with the Organisational Development function to develop a management development programme that will establish CWFT as an employer of choice which will enhance the Trust's ability to recruit, retain and develop talent

Person specification

• MCIPD
• Acted as a subject matter expert in Employee Relations
• Experience designing and delivering a range of training to managers on people-management issues
• Excellent demonstrable knowledge of current employment legislation and best practice in managing ER policies, principles and procedures
• Experience working with MHPS

Important

• There may be some occasions when we have to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date, this will be due to a high volume of applications. You are therefore advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
• Please check your emails regularly (and your junk folder) as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process.
• In submitting an application, you authorise the Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process, should you be appointed to the post.
• During the recruitment process your identity documentation (ie passport, driving licence, visa etc) will be scanned using a device which recognises UV, infrared and machine-readable zone security features of the documents provided.
• Employment at the Trust is offered subject to successful completion of a six month probationary period.
• We operate a joint recruitment hub across the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative Group. As part of this, your application and personal data may be shared with partner trusts within the group for recruitment and workforce purposes, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Right to work

If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before you fill in your application form. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Name John Wall Job title Associate Director of People Email address Telephone number Additional information

If you are interested in the role then please contact John Wall, Associate Director of People for an informal discussion at or before 18 September 2026.

The recruitment team are available to provide support from 9am–5pm, Mon–Fri. To contact the team please call the Trust switchboard and ask for ‘Recruitment team, Human Resources Department’.

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