Employee Relations Advisor
| Posting date: | 09 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £32,073.00 to £39,043.00 per year |
| Additional salary information: | £32073.00 - £39043.00 a year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 24 March 2026 |
| Location: | Newport, PO30 5TG |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | C8192-26-0133 |
Summary
Job summary: The ER Advisor role at Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust encompasses a wide array of responsibilities aimed at delivering a comprehensive HR service to managers, line managers, and staff. The primary focus of the role involves managing absence and illness effectively, serving as a central point of contact for staff and managers for general HR advice, and supporting the Employee Relations team in ensuring compliance with legal requirements. The HR Advisor contributes to developing a proactive and modern HR service, participates in policy drafting and reviews, and supports various employee relations functions such as grievance handling, disciplinary procedures, capability assessments, and organisational change processes. Additionally, the ER Advisor helps in coordinating job matching and analysis, advising on investigations, and participating in formal hearings. This role involves providing constant support and guidance to enhance employee relations capability, ensuring effective management of change, and promoting open working relationships to build a positive employee relations environment within the organisation. Specific Core Functions Absence and Ill Health Management Manage absence and ill health matters effectively within the Trust, providing guidance and support to staff and management. Analyse sickness absence data, develop detailed reports, and collaborate with managers to implement proactive absence management strategies. Work with the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team to design interventions for absence reduction. Provide training, guidance, and advice on sickness absence management within the organisation. Point of Contact and Advisory Role Serve as a primary point of contact for staff and managers, offering advice on less complex HR issues. Provide comprehensive employee relations advice and guidance based on policies, NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) and medical terms and conditions, and best practices. Offer consistent advice on employee relations matters to enhance organisational capability. Advise on complex issues such as long-term sickness cases and termination discussions. Compliance and Operational Support Ensure compliance with legal and statutory requirements across Divisions. Keep the Employee Relations Manager abreast of operational issues within the Trust/Divisions. Support managers and staff in organisational change processes and effective handling of change initiatives. Ensure manager awareness and compliance with People Services policies and procedures. Employee Relations Processes and Investigations Provide advice and support on investigations, including grievances, discipline, and performance management. Assist in employee relations hearings, particularly for absence management and less complex cases. Act as an adviser for non-complex disciplinary, capability, and grievance hearings. Review management cases for formal hearings, identify gaps, and support managers in decision making. Please refer to the attached Job Description for further details.