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Job summary

Main area
Human Resources
Grade
Band 8a
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (12 months contract from start date)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
203-C2991
Employer
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Human Resources C26110
Town
Warwick
Salary
£50,952 - £57,349 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
26/08/2026 23:59

Employer heading

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust logo

People and Workforce Business Partner

Band 8a

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is one of the top performing organisations within the NHS. Our staff think this is a great place to work and we hope you will agree. We have recently been rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following our most recent inspection.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the whole county. This includes our Community Teams in North Warwickshire.

We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity. Over 6000 people work for the Trust and many of them have been here a long time. People find they don’t need to go elsewhere to find a fulfilling career in healthcare. 

The first thing you will notice about us is how we take our values seriously. We believe that our values underpin everything we do. If you are interested in a role with us you need to make sure our values match your own.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are ‘Trusted to provide inclusive, safe, effective and compassionate care’. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn’t matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks

Many of the roles we advertise have a requirement for a DBS check to be carried out. If you are successful for a role and it requires a DBS check the Trust will carry out the initial check and subscription to the DBS Update Service, however successful candidates will be expected to cover the associated costs . Details of this will be sent to successful candidates in their offer letter.

Probationary Period

All new staff to the Trust will be subject to a standard 3 month probationary period, the details of which will duly follow in your contract of employment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is committed to creating and sustaining a positive and inclusive working environment for all our employees. Our aim is to ensure that employees are equally valued and respected and that our organisation is representative of all members of society. We define diversity as valuing everyone as an individual – we value our employees, job applicants, students, patients and visitors as people. This is reflected within our values of being Inclusive, Safe, Effective, Compassionate and Trusted.

As part of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we encourage all applicants to complete a short survey. This can be accessed via the link below:

https://forms.office.com/e/ahWY3eAGM2

We appreciate you completing the survey.

Agile and Flexible Working

All our staff will have a work base. However the Trust operates as an Agile Working Team therefore staff may be working from home on a regular basis as required by the service. However, occasionally travel around Warwickshire and into your base will be required so access to your own transport would be helpful.

The Trust also welcome staff to work flexibly and we would welcome the conversation at interview regarding flexible working.

Staff Benefits

The Trust offer a wide range of additional benefits to staff. Anyone who joins us on a substantive basis can assess things such as the Lease Car Scheme, Electronics Scheme, Discounted Leisure and Travel, Cycle to work scheme amongst many others available. 

Car Parking

The Trust currently have limited availability of car parking spaces, as such are operating a waiting list for new starters joining the organisation. 

To keep up to date on our latest recruitment activity follow us on twitter @swftrecruit or look us up on Facebook (Recruitment - South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust).

Visa Sponsorship

The Trust will only consider sponsoring staff for certain roles, however this will be considered on a case by case basis in line with current legislation. As an employer we are unable to offer sponsorship to all roles in particular we cannot offer sponsorship for roles below Band 5.


Job overview

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic People and Workforce Business Partner (Band 8a) to join our high performing People and Workforce team. The primary objective is to support the delivery of best possible care for patients at both George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (GEH) and South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT).
You will support the development of culture in both organisations, ensuring that organisational culture is characterised by kindness, engagement, inclusion, and innovation; supported by an approach of accountability, patient focus and performance delivery.
You will operate across both Trusts supporting opportunities around harmonisation, simplification and Shared Services where appropriate within the function.  You will take the lead in providing professional HR advice to managers across the Trust, and will support the team in developing and applying good HR practices in line with legislation and best practice.  CIPD qualified, you will have considerable experience of dealing with complex grievance, absence, disciplinary and performance management issues, and you will also be able lead on highly complex transformation/organisational change initiatives.  You may be required to travel around Warwickshire so access to your own transport would be helpful.

Main duties of the job

 

Job Purpose:

To support the Head of People and Workforce in ensuring the provision of a consistently high quality comprehensive range of human resources services to the Trust. To take the lead in providing professional HR advice to the Divisional managers and senior management teams within the Trust. To work autonomously to ensure:

·         that Human Resources issues are given a high profile and priority within the Trust;

·         the development and application of good HR practices in line with employment legislation and good practice;

·         the achievement of both national and local objectives, targets and standards;

·         that good staff side/management relationships are sustained.

·         the design and delivery of management training on HR policies and procedures

·         The development and implementation of HR initiatives and project

Working for our organisation

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are ‘Trusted to provide safe, effective and compassionate care’. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn’t matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  1.          Team and Management Responsibilities
    To support the Chief People Officer, the Director of People, the Associate Director of People and the Head of People in ensuring the provision of a consistently high-quality comprehensive range of human resources services to the Trusts and sub-companies. To take the lead in providing professional HR advice to the Divisional Directors and senior management teams within the Trusts. To work autonomously to ensure:
    • that Human Resources issues are given a high profile and priority within the Trust;
    •the development and application of good HR practices in line with employment legislation and good practice;
    •the achievement of both national and local objectives, targets and standards;
    •that good staff side/management relationships are sustained.
    •the design and delivery of management training on HR policies and procedures
    •the development and implementation of HR initiatives and projects
    To provide professional leadership to the People team. Responsible for the line management and professional development of a team of People Managers and Advisers in the People Team.
    To work closely with the Head of People to ensure that the operational human resources service is consistently of a high quality and is covered at all times of staff absence.
    To represent the Associate Director of People and the Head of People at meetings (internal and external) as required.
  2. Policy Development
    To develop and implement HR policies and procedures, on behalf of the Chief People Officer, ensuring that the Trusts employ best HR practice which complies with UK and European legislation. To ensure that there is a partnership approach to the development and implementation of HR policies.
    To promote a culture of equity, openness and transparency in the application of all policies and procedures.
    To interpret national terms and conditions and local policies and procedures.
    To take the lead in providing professional advice, guidance and support to the Divisional Managers and Ward/Department/Team Managers on all aspects of HR, including highly complex performance and attendance management, grievance, disciplinary and dignity at work issues.
    To undertake highly complex investigations in line with Trust policies.
    To initiate, chair or participate as necessary in meetings, interviews, negotiations, etc.
    To advise on and act as HR representative at disciplinary, grievance and dispute investigations, hearings and appeals, providing expert HR advice to the Panel Chair.
    To attend Employment Tribunals and conduct hearings held by professional bodies on behalf of the Trust, presenting evidence as and when required, liaising with the Trust’s Solicitors.
    To promote the implementation of equal opportunities and diversity in the workplace.
  3. Communications
    To communicate highly complex, sensitive and contentious information both verbally and in writing, e.g. in preparing paperwork , giving evidence at disciplinary hearings or consulting face to face with groups or individuals on issues such as redeployment, TUPE, or change management programmes.
    To produce accurate records of meetings which may be used in future hearings and employment tribunals.
    On behalf of the Director of People, to prepare complex reports and briefings to support strategic HR initiatives, for submission to Trust Board, and other internal and external groups.
  4. Organisational Development
    To work with the Director of People, the Associate Director of People and the Head of People to develop and implement HR and workforce strategies which are linked to Trust strategic objectives and reflect national HR initiatives.
    To take the lead on highly complex transformation projects and/or large scale organisational change initiatives, involving the analysis of complex situations where no precedent exists and a range of options may be available and providing highly specialized HR advice to support the achievement of organizational objectives.
    To develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff, managers and directors in order to provide appropriate HR support in relation to service planning.
    To actively work with managers and staff side to modernise and redesign services to meet the diverse and changing needs of staff, patients and the developing NHS agenda.
    To ensure that best HR practice and effective partnership working is integrated into organisational change, including TUPE, taking the lead on planning and implementing TUPE transfers to ensure compliance with employment legislation.
    To contribute to workforce planning and development including providing support re skill mix reviews and role design.
    To design and deliver HR training to managers related to HR policies , e.g. absence management, performance management, recruitment and selection, etc.
  5.  National HR Projects and Initiatives
    To participate or project manage as required the implementation of long term strategic national HR initiatives, e.g. implementation of a revised workforce solution and the transformation of People Services.
  6. Financial responsibilities
    To sign contracts of employment, monitor salary changes. Authorised signatory for change forms, etc.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Degree or equivalent level experience plus CIPD qualification or equivalent experience plus additional training or specialist experience to masters level or equivalent
  • Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

Experience

Essential criteria
  • At least 3 years experience in a senior operational HR role dealing with complex grievance, absence, disciplinary, change management, performance management issues
  • Experience of implementing employment policy, e.g. disciplinary, grievance, sickness management
  • Experience of partnership working
  • Experience of design and delivery of training sessions on HR related topics
Desirable criteria
  • Previous NHS experience

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Up to date knowledge of employment law
  • Specialist HR knowledge (TUPE, redundancy, disciplinary, grievance, etc)
  • Excellent project management skills required for leading long term and complex projects
  • Good IT skills, able to create Excel spreadsheets, powerpoint presentations, run reports on ESR system

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • Highly developed analytical and interpersonal skills
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, in order to communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information appropriately. Experience of taking notes in formal meetings
  • Strong influencing and negotiating skills/able to challenge in a professional manner
  • Well developed problem solving skills
  • Able to work independently and to deadlines managing a complex set of priorities
  • Able to demonstrate evidence of team working

Other Job Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Regular requirement to travel around Warwickshire so must have access to own transport

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Care quality commission - OutstandingStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthArmed Forces Covenant

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Weronika Glienke-Hammett
Job title
Head of People and Workforce
Email address
[email protected]
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