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Job overview
At St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group, our people are our greatest asset. Delivering outstanding patient care depends on a healthy, engaged and supported workforce. High sickness absence can increase pressure on frontline teams, affect continuity of care and contribute to wider operational and financial challenges.
To address this priority, the Group is establishing a dedicated Attendance Management Team focused on improving attendance, supporting staff wellbeing, strengthening management capability and reducing avoidable sickness absence. The service will work collaboratively with managers, Human Resources, ER, OH and staff-side representatives to promote a proactive and supportive approach.
Working as part of the Attendance Management Team, the post holder will lead the development and delivery of an enhanced sickness absence service within their division. They will provide expert advice and leadership, oversee complex and long-term sickness cases, identify workforce trends and improvement opportunities, and strengthen manager capability through coaching, training and targeted interventions.
The role will support cultural change, consistent application of Trust policies and improvements in workforce wellbeing, attendance and operational performance.
The post will be based at either St George’s Hospital or Epsom and St Helier. Applicants should state their preferred location, as the applicable high-cost area allowance will be based on this choice.
Main duties of the job
- Lead the day-to-day delivery of the Group’s Attendance Management Service within the division, acting as the subject matter expert and ensuring consistent application of policy and best practice.
- Develop proactive strategies and targeted interventions to reduce sickness absence. Manage complex long-term, recurrent and high-risk cases, advising managers through formal reviews, capability processes and hearings. Work with Occupational Health, HR Business Partners and Employee Relations to remove barriers, progress cases and achieve fair, sustainable outcomes.
- Design and deliver training, coaching and practical resources to strengthen managers’ confidence in attendance conversations, return-to-work processes and early intervention.
- Analyse workforce data, produce reports and recommendations, monitor performance indicators and support divisional improvement planning.
- Build effective relationships with HR, Occupational Health, trade unions and operational leaders, promoting a compassionate approach that balances staff wellbeing with service needs.
- Provide leadership to the Attendance Management Specialist and Employee Relations Advisor, including supervision, appraisal, performance management and development.
- Ensure compliance with employment law, NHS Terms and Conditions, Agenda for Change, Trust policy and information governance. Maintain records, use ESR and workforce systems effectively, and support audits, service improvement and reductions in temporary staffing costs.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
***Please review the attached job description for full details. You can also view the personal specification in the document***
Person specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in an employee relations role
- Significant demonstrable experience of advising a range of stakeholders on a broad range of ER issues balancing legal compliance with business need and developing practical value-adding solutions
- Evidence of having a positive impact on an organisation, achieved through excellent influencing skills
- Experience managing staff
Qualifications
Essential
- Highly specialist HR knowledge to master’s level equivalent acquired through a degree (or significant commensurate HR experience)
- Professional HR qualification (CIPD – level 5 or working towards with equivalent experience)
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Strong analytical skills, able to analyse information effectively identifying the causes of problems and proposing realistic and practical solutions to address them
- Ability to develop strong relationships and coach, challenge and influence to ensure effective ER solutions
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Senior HR Workforce Attendance Lead with St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £55,524 - £65,261 Inclusive of outer or inner HCAS. The contract type is 12 months (Fixed term or secondment opportunity). The application deadline is 17 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (03 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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