Job summary We are looking for an experienced, pro-active, knowledgeable and committed HR professional, with experience of working on complex employee relations cases, to join our Team supporting our East Sussex Division. Are you looking to be part of a strong team working in an organisation that is committed to delivering the best care by the best people and are you passionate about our NHS service? We are looking to appoint a Senior HR Advisor who is able to join our team and immediately contribute to the development of achieving Outstanding in all areas. We are looking for a highly motivated Senior HR Advisor able to demonstrate significant experience of successfully self-managing a varied and demanding caseload including; formal conduct and dignity at work investigations, disciplinary hearings, grievance hearings, performance and absence management, management of change, all whilst delivering front line Employee advice and guidance to Line-managers and Senior Leaders within the East Sussex Adult Division. You will need to be able to keep to clear timeframes, manage your own workload and advise on risk mitigation by applying up-to-date knowledge of best HR practice, latest case law and legislations. This role is for 30 hours a week, ideally 6 hours a day Monday to Friday. Please do include in your application if you would be looking for an alternative working pattern. Please be advised that there will be a paper exercise as part of the interview assessment criteria. Main duties of the job This is a highly interactive position that requires a degree of autonomous working. You will work within an experienced Senior HR Advisor team providing cross-cover and developmental support to HR Advisors. As a Senior HR Advisor, you will build key relationships within the People Directorate and East Sussex Division along with the wider Trust business leaders, stakeholders and trade union colleagues. Actively embracing change, you will take accountability to deliver a complete value add Employee Relations service, applying your senior HR knowledge to business challenges. You'll work in a way that is able to identify interventions and solutions which minimise requirements for formal investigations and hearings and that supports practices that are resolution and learning focused. You will ensure ongoing review and development of HR policies, procedures and practices whilst supporting in the development of our managers and systems and processes that enable efficient and effective ways of working. You will ideally be CIPD qualified and have significant experience of providing Employee Relations advice in a unionised environment. You should have a good up to date knowledge of UK employment legislation and be proficient in the use of all Microsoft Office packages. NHS experience is desirable. About us The post holder will work as a key senior member of the team, to ensure a comprehensive, quality and timely Employee Relations service is provided to East Sussex Division in relation to all aspects of the employment cycle. We'd love you to join our organisation that is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, in our recent staff survey 82% told us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority. To be successful in this role you will share our passion, desire and empathetic approach to supporting people of all ages with complex mental health needs. To protect the health and safety of our staff/workers, patients, and those attending our sites, we encourage our workforce to get fully vaccinated against COVID and Flu. Date posted 10 March 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 6 Salary £37,338 to £44,962 a year pro rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Part-time Reference number 354-CO-21588 Job locations Portland House Richmond Road Worthing BN11 1HS Job description Job responsibilities We are committed to delivering the best care for our patients, through strong support for our colleagues in operational services. The successful candidate will share this commitment and demonstrate our Trust values: People first- People are at the heart of everything we do. Future focused - We are optimistic, we learn and we always try to improve. Embracing change - We are bold, innovative and disciplined about making use of our resources to continuously improve. Working together - We provide services in partnership with patients, families and others. Everyone counts - We value, appreciate and respect each other To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate significant knowledge and experience of: Managing a high volume of ER case work with the ability to work autonomously and adapt your style to ensure resolutions and key learnings are optimised Coaching, partnering and developing management capabilities across the Division, including providing bitesize training for managers. Guiding managers and the Senior Leadership Team through the Change Management cycle. This includes advising managers on appropriate employment relations strategies for redeployment and redundancy issues, taking account of the sensitiveness related to the management of change Developing a collaborative relationship with Trade Unions and Staff Reps that promotes and supports a Just Culture approach Providing day to day ER advice and guidance to managers, within a multi site are, on all areas of employee relations including; grievance and discipline, absence management, performance management, termination of employment, equality and diversity, employment legislation and maternity. Advising managers on terms and conditions of employment. Providing effective advice and support to managers in formal investigations as well as supporting managers on disciplinary, dignity at work or grievance panels and where necessary giving evidence at an appeal hearing or Employment Tribunal. Developing Policy and Processes that support ongoing improvement of ER practice ; ensuring learning from regular case and case law feeds into this. Inputting information onto the HR Databases in a timely way; ensuring that this information is accurate and in line with Sussex Partnership Policies and Procedures. Providing monthly reports on workforce information and trends. Job description Job responsibilities We are committed to delivering the best care for our patients, through strong support for our colleagues in operational services. The successful candidate will share this commitment and demonstrate our Trust values: People first- People are at the heart of everything we do. Future focused - We are optimistic, we learn and we always try to improve. Embracing change - We are bold, innovative and disciplined about making use of our resources to continuously improve. Working together - We provide services in partnership with patients, families and others. Everyone counts - We value, appreciate and respect each other To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate significant knowledge and experience of: Managing a high volume of ER case work with the ability to work autonomously and adapt your style to ensure resolutions and key learnings are optimised Coaching, partnering and developing management capabilities across the Division, including providing bitesize training for managers. Guiding managers and the Senior Leadership Team through the Change Management cycle. This includes advising managers on appropriate employment relations strategies for redeployment and redundancy issues, taking account of the sensitiveness related to the management of change Developing a collaborative relationship with Trade Unions and Staff Reps that promotes and supports a Just Culture approach Providing day to day ER advice and guidance to managers, within a multi site are, on all areas of employee relations including; grievance and discipline, absence management, performance management, termination of employment, equality and diversity, employment legislation and maternity. Advising managers on terms and conditions of employment. Providing effective advice and support to managers in formal investigations as well as supporting managers on disciplinary, dignity at work or grievance panels and where necessary giving evidence at an appeal hearing or Employment Tribunal. Developing Policy and Processes that support ongoing improvement of ER practice ; ensuring learning from regular case and case law feeds into this. Inputting information onto the HR Databases in a timely way; ensuring that this information is accurate and in line with Sussex Partnership Policies and Procedures. Providing monthly reports on workforce information and trends. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Graduate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent qualification Evidence of recent CPD Knowledge & Experience Essential Extensive generalist HR experience working within a complex organisation with exposure to a range of HR issues Experience of interpreting and advising on complex terms and conditions, policies and procedures Experience of using and extracting information from HR/Payroll Database Experience of working cooperatively with trade unions Experience of supporting managers in sickness, disciplinary and grievance matters Experienced and understanding of the scope and practical application of current and impending employment legislation Experience of introducing changes to working practices, policies and systems and sustaining improvements. Experience of job evaluation/grading systems Knowledge and understanding of key issues within the NHS and/or other public sector organisations Experience of Policy formulation Experience of management of change and workforce redesign/skill mix. Experience of A4C job evaluation system and terms and conditions. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Graduate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent qualification Evidence of recent CPD Knowledge & Experience Essential Extensive generalist HR experience working within a complex organisation with exposure to a range of HR issues Experience of interpreting and advising on complex terms and conditions, policies and procedures Experience of using and extracting information from HR/Payroll Database Experience of working cooperatively with trade unions Experience of supporting managers in sickness, disciplinary and grievance matters Experienced and understanding of the scope and practical application of current and impending employment legislation Experience of introducing changes to working practices, policies and systems and sustaining improvements. Experience of job evaluation/grading systems Knowledge and understanding of key issues within the NHS and/or other public sector organisations Experience of Policy formulation Experience of management of change and workforce redesign/skill mix. Experience of A4C job evaluation system and terms and conditions. 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). 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 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). 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 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Address Portland House Richmond Road Worthing BN11 1HS Employer's website https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)