Associate ER Manager

Job overview

Are you an aspiring Employee Relations Manager?  Do you have extensive ER Advisor experience looking to progress your career?  We have an exciting opportunity in our Employee Relations Team  to support you in progressing your career.  Looking after a specific Division you will work alongside other ER Managers  as an Associate ER Manager.  During your time in the secondment you will work to achieve competencies which will help you learn and develop your professional knowledge and senior employee relations experience. 

Main duties of the job

This is a development role working under supervision from the Head of Employee Relations, to achieve competencies over a period of approximately 12 months. On achievement of competencies, the post holder will progress to Band 7. 
To work in partnership with senior managers to provide specialist, comprehensive, high quality advice and guidance on operational HR issues in line with the latest employment law, Trust policy and best practice. To undertake project work and deliver bespoke and corporate training programmes.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Please note:- Internal applicants on permanent contracts can apply for this post as a secondment or fixed term contract. For secondments you must have the approval of your line manager before applying. If you are an internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract you are able to apply for this as a fixed term position.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 8th July 2026. 

Interviews are due to be held on 16th July 2026. 

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Level 5 CIPD qualified or equivalent proven HR skills and experience

Evidence of further professional/personal development

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant post qualification, or ER Advisor experience supporting managers and staff with complex sickness absence cases and extensive experience of employee relations case work, such as performance management and disciplinary investigations

Experience of staff management, performance management and development

Experience of training design and delivery

Experience of workforce information systems

Desirable criteria

Experience of working in Human Resources in a healthcare setting or other public service

Experience of working in a unionised environment

Experience of undertaking Agenda for Change grading reviews/ job evaluation

Experience of coaching

Knowledge

Essential criteria

Understanding of confidentiality and data protection

Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages

A thorough understanding of the full range employee relations issues

A strong working knowledge of employment legislation

Desirable criteria

Knowledge of the Trust including awareness of priorities

Knowledge of NHS terms and conditions

Knowledge of the Trust’s HR policies and procedures

Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages

Skills

Essential criteria

Ability to organise and manage own time, keeping to schedule and deadlines

Ability to work well under pressure and to tight timescales

Political awareness and sensitivity

Ability to work well as part of a team as well as the ability to use own initiative and work autonomously

Excellent verbal and written communication skills including telephone, email, face to face; able to draft well written and reasoned cases, investigation and appeal reports

Ability to demonstrate strong leadership skills

Flexible and adaptable

Ability to negotiate and influence at all levels

Able to work in a multi-disciplinary team

Ability to deliver bespoke management training

Able to evaluate situations, solve problems and assimilate information quickly

Computer literate

Responsive and outcome driven

Able to deal with emotionally difficult and challenging situations

Able to identify, interpret and analyse workforce reports, financial reports, complex legal decisions and case law

Desirable criteria

Ability to present data and produce reports utilising advanced functionality within Excel

Strategic awareness; ability to align Workforce activities with the wider Trust and Divisional objectives

Project management

Proven coaching, facilitation and mediation skills

Additional Requirements

Essential criteria

The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Documents to download

Further details / informal visits contact

Name

Charlotte Mills

Job title

Head of Employee Relations

Email address

View email address on careers.cuh.nhs.uk