Employee Relations Consultant in Chatham

We are looking for an experienced Employee Relations Consultant to provide expert HR advice, guidance and coaching to managers on a wide range of employee relations matters, with a particular focus on sickness absence management within Children’s Services. This role will support the implementation and embedding of the sickness absence policy, processes, toolkits and recording systems, helping managers manage absence effectively and consistently while contributing to a reduction in overall absence levels.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of sickness absence and ill-health cases, ensuring timely and consistent case management.
• Provide professional HR advice and guidance to investigating officers, hearing chairs and appeal panels on employee relations matters.
• Support managers with complex employee relations issues.
• Coach and support managers to ensure the consistent and fair application of policies and procedures.
• Analyse sickness absence data, provide insight, conclusions and recommendations, and develop action plans with service managers.
• Act as HR lead for formal investigations where required.
• Design and deliver training and coaching for managers on employee relations topics, working with Learning & Development teams where appropriate.
• Contribute to the review and development of HR policies, procedures and templates, identifying improvements through casework experience.
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders across services, promoting collaborative work and organisational values.

About You

The successful candidate will have:

• Strong experience in employee relations and HR case management.
• A proven ability to advise managers on complex and sensitive ER issues.
• Experience supporting or implementing absence management policies and processes.
• Excellent coaching, influencing and communication skills.
• Experience analysing HR data and turning insights into practical actions.
• Confidence delivering training and guidance to managers.

Additional Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver service objectives and targets.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and ensure compliance with GDPR and data protection requirements.
• Promote safeguarding and the wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• Support equality, diversity and inclusion in line with the Equality Act 2010.
• Work in accordance with Health and Safety legislation and organisational policies.
• Contribute to organisational initiatives including sustainability and community safety priorities.
• Participate in performance development and continuous professional learning.