Associate Director of HR

Band 8C Dorset 9-Month Fixed-Term/Interim Contract

Location: Dorset

Working Pattern: Minimum of 3 days on site, with a flexible hybrid arrangement aligned to service needs

Hours: 37.5 per week

Start Date: ASAP

We are partnering with a large and progressive NHS Trust in Dorset to appoint an Interim Associate Director of HR Operations & Wellbeing. This is a significant senior leadership opportunity within a complex healthcare organisation, offering responsibility for leading critical people services across a workforce of approximately 12,000 employees.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief People Officer, the successful candidate will provide strategic direction and operational oversight across HR Operations, Employee Relations, Resourcing, Occupational Health, Wellbeing and Medical Staffing. The role will play a key part in ensuring the Trust delivers high-quality, compliant and people-focused services while advancing its ambition to be a truly great place to work.

• Provide leadership across HR Operations, Talent Acquisition and Workforce Resourcing services.
• Oversee Employee Relations activity, including complex employee casework, tribunals and senior medical workforce matters.
• Lead Occupational Health, Wellbeing and Psychological Support services, promoting a positive employee experience and healthy workplace culture.
• Deliver expert guidance on employment law, workforce policy and organisational change.
• Drive service improvement, transformation and workforce modernisation initiatives.
• Lead the development, implementation and governance of workforce policies and procedures.
• Manage budgets, workforce planning activity and cost improvement programmes.
• Build effective relationships with trade unions, senior clinicians, executive leaders and external partners.
• Represent the People Directorate at senior leadership, governance and partnership forums.
• Support major organisational change programmes, including restructures, TUPE transfers and workforce redesign initiatives.

This role would suit a seasoned NHS HR leader with a strong track record of leading large-scale operational HR functions, driving service improvement and delivering effective workforce solutions in complex environments.