Go back Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
HR Administrator (Absence)
The closing date is 22 March 2026
The HR Administrator will work alongside the HR Business Partner & Advisory team in supporting their regions to improve the health and wellbeing of the workforce by managing sickness absence in line with the Attendance Management Policy and Procedure.
The HR Administrator will be responsible for undertaking administration tasks to support the effective and consistent management of HR case work across all our regions.
Main duties of the job
With an NVQ Level 3 in administration or equivalent level of knowledge, you will have experience of administration and of working in a customer service environment.
The successful candidate will undertake a variety of administrative functions, predominantly focussing on Attendance Management. You will ensure that information is communicated to the highest standard, whilst contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the HR Team.
As a self-driven individual with effective communication and interpersonal skills you will be able to maintain courteous and appropriate working relationships with all stakeholders, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
You must be able to demonstrate a good understanding and working knowledge of I.T systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and databases. With the ability to work in a busy environment and to strict deadlines, you will be able to use your initiative, work well within a team and demonstrate attention to detail.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
* Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
* Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
* National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Job responsibilities
Duties & Responsibilities
The post holder will be expected to fulfil the following duties:
Administration
* To generate and answer telephone calls referred into the Absence Support Team, in an articulate and professional manner and to elevate any matters as appropriate to the HR Advisor for further advice.
* Provide advice and guidance to employees regarding health and wellbeing interventions that are available to them on day one of any absence e.g. Physiomed, EAP, GP Health Service.
* To make operational judgements from the information obtained over the telephone / email to evaluate the appropriate course of action in partnership with stakeholders and HR Advisor.
* To coordinate and signpost the employee to the relevant support services, both internal and external including Health, Work and Well Being, EAP, GP Health Service etc.
* To answer general queries regarding the attendance Management policy and processes.
* Ensure sickness absence triggers are monitored and highlighted (in conjunction with HR Advisor) to relevant stakeholders in a timely way to ensure reviews are held within set timescales.
* Ensure the timely completion of return to work interviews for all staff on a daily basis in line with Trust policies.
* Ensures timely identification of support mechanisms via letters of support for pregnancy, long term sick, ARCP outcome 3 etc.
* Provide administration support ensuring that HR Case Management trackers are up to date enabling the HR team to provide accurate and up to date information to senior stakeholders and the Head of HR as required and to assist the monthly reporting to HEE.
* Undertake a weekly review of outstanding fit notes and elevate no receipt to the attention of the HR Advisors.
* Support the HR case management team with the administration of induction and training materials as well as presentations.
* Develop and maintain effective internal and external communication networks to support the delivery of the Lead Employer Service including the Lead Employer Website.
* Provide administrative support to the Lead Employer Service including the processing and recording of information and production of letters.
* Arrange sickness meetings, investigation meetings and provide note taking support as required.
* Daily review of the absence support team generic email account, escalating urgent enquiries as required.
* Procurement of equipment relating to access to work assessments.
* To undertake scanning, copying and filing duties as required.
Data Processing and Management Information
* Ensure that quality systems are in place to monitor sickness absence and produce reports to monitor activity against agreed targets.
* Prepare regular statistical reports that provide updates on Lead Employer and regional activity and provide assurance of performance standards. Ensure timely escalation to line manager for areas where performance falls below agreed standards.
* Facilitate the provision of timely and appropriate info to the HR case management team on attendance management matters; producing weekly reports to assist the management of absences across all of our LE regions.
* Enter accurate and timely data onto HR information systems as directed ensuring data quality at all times.
* Ensure security of information in line with Records Management, Information Governance, Caldicott, Confidently and Data Protection policies.
* Support the team in the achievement of the published performance standards and those contained within the service level agreements.
Communication
* Ensure that for each call/query made or received, any identified actions are processed and completed within the agreed timescales and that these are fed back to relevant stakeholders as appropriate.
* Communicate effectively with challenging or vulnerable employees, utilising good listening, probing and facilitative skills across a diverse range of calls, some of which may be challenging and emotive.
* Clearly communicate the Lead Employer Case Managements service to stakeholders and ensure accurate adherence to the Trusts Attendance Management Policy.
* Communicate and feedback to the appropriate HR Advisor assisting them with their absence caseload and ensuring communication with them remains appropriate and accurate.
* Communicate effectively using a range of delivery methods such as letter writing, emailing and conversation, whilst adhering to confidentiality requirements at all times.
* Assist in the effective feedback and developments of the service.
* Escalate any matters of concern or complex situations to the HR Advisor.
* Develop and maintain close working relationships with all Lead Employer stakeholders.
* To ensure that communication with Health, Work and Well Being, stakeholders and the Lead Employer Case Management Team is both effective and timely.
Policies and Procedures
* Provide basic advice regarding the interpretation and application of HR policies and procedures, legislation, and terms and conditions of employment to all Lead Employer stakeholders.
* Ensure own work is in accordance with Trust policies and procedures, checking with others where necessary.
* Adhere to escalation procedures to ensure the timely processing of information including identification of non-receipt of fit notes ensuring payroll cut off is met.
* Contribute to the development and review of Lead Employer policies, procedures and processes as required.
Quality of Service
* Protect access and ensure the sensitive handling of confidential employee information.
* Propose changes to working practices and procedures in own area, as appropriate.
* Identify any areas of the service which are not meeting the required standards.
* Accurately record feedback from stakeholder complaints.
Service Improvement
* Contribute to the achievement of corporate objectives and the Lead Employer Service Level Agreement.
* Contribute to the continuous improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of the Lead Employer Service.
* Work in partnership with colleagues to optimise opportunities for working collaboratively towards the provision of an integrated Lead Employer service.
* Undertake and participate in projects as required.
* Be responsible for own development, including keep up to date with changes to employment legislation and best practice.
Clinical & Professional Responsibilities
* Adhere to the relevant codes of practice for the role within the NHS.
* Adhere to employment legislation including NHS Employment Check standards.
Teaching & Training Responsibilities
* Maintain own compliance with the Trusts mandatory and statutory training requirements.
* Demonstrate activities in own area to new staff.
* Develop skills and competencies of self through training and development activities, ensuring that progress is maintained and future needs identified and actioned.
WELLBEING
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to supporting and prioritising the wellbeing of our workforce through a range of dedicated services. The Trust's Health, Work and Wellbeing department offers comprehensive support, including the Wellbeing Hub, which provides 1:1 appointments, group sessions, events, and bespoke support for teams and departments. Each department has a Wellbeing Champion who actively promotes staff welfare. Wellbeing Champion organises regular Wellbeing Events, which staff are encouraged to attend. Additionally, the Trust runs a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, providing free and confidential support for any issues staff may face.
We are dedicated to fostering a supportive environment for all our colleagues, particularly in the face of challenges. We strive to maintain an open culture where staff feel comfortable seeking help and know they will be met with understanding and compassion. Colleagues have access to the resources they need, including peer support and professional services provided by the Trust. Together, we prioritise both patient care and the wellbeing of our entire workforce.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* NVQ Level 3 in administration or equivalent level of knowledge
* Customer Care NVQ
* IT qualification i.e. RSA 2 or ECDL.
Knowledge & Experience
* Experience of working in a customer service environment
* Experience of data processing
* Able to demonstrate a good understanding and working knowledge of I.T systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and databases.
* Experience in HR, Employment Services or recruitment
* Experience of minute taking
* Knowledge of HR policies and procedures
Skills
* The ability to present data in an informative and user friendly format
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* Ability to use initiative
* Ability to maintain strict confidentiality
* The ability to manage own workload and prioritise
* The ability to work in a busy environment and to strict deadlines
* Confident to handle queries from all levels or staff
* Effective organisational skills
Other
* Self-motivated
* Eager to learn
* Flexible attitude to work
* Ability to work alone or as part of a team
* Diplomatic and tactful
* Occasional requirements to travel to fulfil requirements of the role
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
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