Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Employee Relations Manager (Schools)
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About The Borough
Joining Kingston and Sutton Councils, you get to work for not just one high-performing London Borough, but two.
- The councils operate shared services across both authorities, offering a range of benefits—including access to opportunities from diverse political and administrative environments.
- Flexible working is central to the culture, balancing home work and office presence in Kingston and Sutton. The Boroughs provide flexible working tools and encourage creative approaches to service delivery.
- Exciting projects are underway:
- In Sutton, the London Cancer Hub is being developed, bringing together multidisciplinary professionals to accelerate cancer research and treatment.
- In Kingston, the largest housing regeneration programme for the borough will improve energy-efficient council housing and modernise residential areas.
- Both councils are deeply committed to tackling climate change, investing in sustainable technologies and reducing carbon emissions to improve environmental impact.
This setting is ideal for professionals from underrepresented groups or those aiming to achieve personal and professional goals while prioritising borough residents’ well-being.
About Kingston
A Royal Borough on the River Thames, Kingston boasts:
- A historic and vibrant setting with excellent schools, a bustling retail centre, and extensive green spaces like Richmond and Bushy Parks.
- The Council, led by the Liberal Democrat Administration, aligns with the strategy "Greener, Fairer, Safer, Together," focused on fostering community inclusivity, empowerment, and resilience.
- Actively engaging residents through partnerships and forums, resilience initiatives, and spearheading digital innovation.
About Sutton
- Known for attractive neighbourhoods, top-rated schools, and green open spaces, Sutton provides a high-quality living environment ideal for families.
- Awarded "Ambitious for Sutton" as its vision, the Council drives social and economic progress, strengthened by decades of Liberal Democrat leadership.
- Actively promotes resident involvement through forums, cultural initiatives, student achievements, and engagement with regional partnerships.
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About The Role
Employee Relations Manager – Schools
Position Overview This influential role emphasizes expertise, collaboration, and impact rather than direct line management. You’ll serve as a key resource within the Schools Team, supporting HR casework, policy development, and workforce strategy across Kingston, Sutton, and Richmond – including traded services to schools outside these areas.
Location: Hybrid Work
- Primarily home-based with on-site presence in schools across South West London as required.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide consultative and proactive support to school leaders, managers, governors, unions, and stakeholders on high-stakes employee relations (ER) matters, including:
- Disciplinary proceedings, grievances, and potential resetstructured programmes.
- Health cases, TUPE processes (Transfers of Undertakings), and organisational change.
- Contribute to HR policy development—ensuring alignment with best practice and legal compliance.
- Collaborate on workforce planning strategies.
- Drive a positive school culture while maintaining robust safeguarding policies.
Requirements & Ideal Candidate
We seek:
- Seasoned ER professionals with strong experience in well-regarded institutions, particularly focused on providing nuanced guidance during status transition phases.
- Change champion with tangible experience of leading complex projects like restructures or TUPE scenarios.
- Relatable and respectful communicator to advocates, attendees, and teams, deriving trust through empathetic approaches and collaboration.
- Committed to advancing workplace culture and educational equity.
About Us
Shared HR Services Leadership
Kingston and Sutton are leading the revolution in modernising educational leadership through our Shared HR teams. By uniting best-in-class HR support, we tackle complex issues in interim management roles, staff development, clinical governance, and education.
This permanent full-time position balances expertise, collaboration, and ongoing priorisation of employee satisfaction within schools across Kingston, Sutton, Richmond, and beyond via our traded service model.
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Our Offer
Your growth matters.
We provide an open, supportive, and collaborative Safe Space for innovation. Leaders are not just approachable but proactive in offering meaningful roles.
Bridging your career goals with meaningful service is core to our approach.
Core Benefits
- Generous leave entitlement: 25–32 days (plus bank holidays) based on grade.
- Flexible Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared Parental leave, and time off for Dependents.
- Hybrid work model tailored to role needs.
- Learning portal with myriad development opportunities.
- Discounts on local businesses, interest-free season ticket loans, and local environmentally conscious transport schemes, including electric vehicle leasing.
- Priority access to health and emotional support programs.
- Confidential counselling.
Application Process
- Online application highlighting how your skills, abilities, and experience align with the role’s requirements. Ensure your CV correctly details this in the designated sections.
- We recognise the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence in fostering productivity but reserve the right to reject applications reliant on isolated, automated responses. We prioritise authentic candidates, valuing clear communication and real-world connections.
Diversity Guarantees
- All applications remain anonymised in formal review stages to reduce bias.
- We’re proud of our inter-donor support and symbolize commitment to greater diversity amongst employees everywhere.
The Wilkinson Career Path
- Listen and lead honourably.
- Explore your practitioner and community impact.
- Initiatives target fairness and equity spanning your career trajectory.
Get in touch today, inspired to forge connections through proven professional paths targeting excellence. Explore job opportunities by inputting digital inquiries onstarvalues.co.uk or contacting people.attraction@kingston.gov.uk.
Closing terms may vary; use your embryonic opportunities to call out submission urgency within submission timelines.
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