Job summary
- Main area
- Apprenticeship
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Fixed term: 2 years (FTC 2 years)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Stanmore, with travel to Bolsover Street site)
- Job ref
- 392-RNOH-1476
- Employer
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
- Town
- Stanmore
- Salary
- £33,262 - £36,027 per annum inclusive of HCAs
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/07/2026 23:59
Employer heading
HR Advisor Apprentice
Band 4
Please note in order to progress your application, your data will be processed by our 3rd party recruitment providers – North London Partners Shared Service, who conduct recruitment activities on behalf of Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust.
The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust is the largest orthopaedic hospital in the UK and a global leader in our field. We provide a dynamic working environment where we support frontline staff to implement improvements so that we can realise our vision of being a world leading neuro musculoskeletal hospital providing the best patient care and staff experience in the NHS, delivering world leading research, and offering a strong foundation of education, training and career progression. Our dedicated staff come from diverse backgrounds, and our patients benefit from the wide range of experience they bring to the Trust. The RNOH brings unrivalled expertise together in one place allowing us to deliver some of the world’s most complex and innovative care to our patients
- Rated Good by the CQC
- Two sites, one in central London and one in Stanmore - which has recently opened The Stanmore Building, a new, state-of-the-art inpatient facility
- Our Research and Innovation Centre works closely with our main academic partner, University College London
- Recognised as a centre of excellence, leading on national initiatives, such as the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme
- Further major redevelopment underway across the Stanmore site – improving and modernising our facilities to maintain our position as the UK’s leading centre for orthopaedic medicine
- In the NHS staff survey, over 90% of our staff were satisfied with the quality of care they are able to give to patients - the best result of any NHS Trust in the country
- Our staff also indicated that they had the best experience of appraisals as compared to all other NHS Trusts.
This is a great time to join us and play a critical role in the next stage of RNOH’s journey to achieving an outstanding CQC rating.
Our aim is to remain a world-leading orthopaedic hospital with the best patient care and staff experience in the NHS. To do this, we have four core values that underpin everything that we do. We use our values to help ensure that we are always focused on the things that our staff and patients believe are most important:
- Patients first, always
- Excellence, in all we do
- Trust, honesty and respect, for each other
- Equality, for all
Our annual staff survey results have been improving year on year, with our staff telling us that their experience of working at the Trust is getting better and better. They also indicate that our staff feel very loyal to the RNOH and committed to its role in providing the very best care to our complex patient group. We hope that we can welcome you to our growing team soon.
Visit our Work with us page to learn more about our culture, values and also hear directly from staff in a short video sharing their experiences of working at RNOH
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey. Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust is committed to fair and transparent recruitment and requires applicants to provide accurate information, as misleading details may affect their application or employment and may be verified in line with the Fraud Act 2006. For further information please visit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
Job overview
We are pleased to offer an exciting opportunity to join the People Directorate as an HR Advisor Apprentice (Band 4 Development Role). This role provides a structured pathway to develop into a Band 5 HR Advisor over approximately two years.
This is an ideal opportunity for someone looking to build a career in HR within the NHS. The successful candidate will undertake the Level 5 People Professional Apprenticeship, gaining both practical experience and a recognised qualification, while developing the skills and confidence to support managers and staff across the Trust.
You will be part of a supportive and experienced HR team, working across a wide range of employee relations and people management activities. The role offers a blend of hands-on experience, formal learning and structured development aligned to the NHS People Profession Map.
We are looking for someone who is motivated, organised and keen to learn, with strong communication skills and a genuine interest in supporting people and teams.
Main duties of the job
As an HR Advisor Apprentice, you will work closely with experienced HR colleagues to develop the knowledge and skills required to provide high-quality HR support.
This role will involve a combination of day-to-day operational activity and structured development. You will support managers with a range of employee relations queries, contribute to casework, and develop an understanding of HR policies and employment processes.
Over time, and with appropriate support, you will build towards managing your own caseload and providing advice to managers on matters such as absence management, probation, performance and conduct.
You will also contribute to HR projects, support training delivery, and assist with data analysis and reporting to identify trends and areas for improvement.
Working for our organisation
At the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), we are committed to achieving the best staff experience in the NHS. In the 2023 NHS Staff Survey, we proudly:
- Scored above the national average for the People Promises: "We are recognised and rewarded," "We are always learning," "We work flexibly," "We are a team," and for staff engagement.
- Ranked #1 among all Trusts in North and Central London for all People Promises and themes.
- Ranked #1 among all Acute Specialist Trusts for "We work flexibly."
At RNOH, we’re committed to being actively anti-discriminatory and actively inclusive. We recognise our brilliant people do brilliant work, and we offer rewarding careers, no matter what their background. We continue to strive to break down barriers to be the Trust where people come together because what they do matters, makes a difference and where they can thrive.
Joining our organisation means enjoying a wide range of staff benefits, including:
- 24/7 access to wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
- A Rewards & Recognition platform, offering opportunities to thank colleagues, send gifts, and access exclusive discounts.
- A dedicated Staff Wellbeing Hub, providing a space to relax and recharge away from the work environment.
- Salary sacrifice schemes for transport (season ticket loans, car and bike), electrical goods, and childcare
At RNOH, we are more than a workplace—we are committed to patients, to excellence and the wellbeing of our staff.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The postholder will support the delivery of a comprehensive HR advisory service across the Trust.
Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting managers with employee relations queries and HR processes
- Assisting with casework, including absence, probation and performance management
- Drafting correspondence and maintaining accurate records
- Supporting the development and delivery of HR training and guidance
- Contributing to HR projects and service improvement initiatives
- Assisting with data collection, reporting and analysis
- Developing knowledge of HR policies, procedures and employment law
The role will include structured development, with increasing responsibility over time, supported by experienced HR colleagues.
The role includes some protected time for off-the-job learning as part of the Level 5 apprenticeship programme, alongside in-house development through shadowing, training sessions and exposure to wider People services.
We are looking for someone who demonstrates initiative, attention to detail, and a commitment to developing a career in HR.
Please note the successful applicant must be able to meet the essential criteria below ;
Be able to produce certificates to evidence Maths and English GCSE 4/C or above (or equivalent) and Level 3 qualification or above, prior to interview
Not have completed the same qualification at the same level or higher
Have the right to live and work in the UK, in line with government apprenticeship guidance, sponsorship cannot be offered
Undertake enrolment activities with BPP prior to employment to ensure apprenticeship start date can align to employment start date
Commit to study the full 2 year programme
Failure to complete any aspect of the academic and work based components within the set time scale could result in removal from the course and termination of the contract with Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
Please see job description for full details.
Person specification
Knowledge, Training & Experience & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Maths and English GCSE C/4 or above or recognised equivalent
- Other Level 3 qualification or above
- Understanding of the main Employee Relations processes, e.g. sickness absence, disciplinary, performance issues
- Able to deal with distressing or emotional circumstances, frequently when imparting information e.g., sickness.
- Demonstrate experience in a customer/client facing role which included advisory duties
Desirable criteria
- CIPD level 3/Foundation Membership or similar
- Up to date and thorough working knowledge of employment law and Human Resource best practice
- Experience of working within the NHS
Communication & Relationship Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to communicate verbally and in writing in a clear, concise and effective way to colleagues and managers at all levels including accurate note-taking
- Ability to provide a proactive and high quality customer focused service
- Strong interpersonal skills, for effective working with colleagues and internal customers
- Ability to manage conflict and sensitive situations
Desirable criteria
- Presentation skills and experience in assisting with the delivery of training workshops
Analytical & Judgment Skills
Essential criteria
- Analytical skills and the ability to produce clear and succinct reports and correspondence for a range of audiences
- Ability to work autonomously, without direct supervision and as part of a team
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage situations in a sensitive manner
- Able to concentrate with frequent interruptions and where work is unpredictable.
Planning & Organisational Skills
Essential criteria
- Proactive with the ability to work on own initiative, responding to immediate requests
- Ability to set own priorities, meet tight deadlines and work independently
- Ability to work autonomously, without direct supervision and as part of a team
- Ability to manage educational activity alongside workload
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Donna Green
- Job title
- Head of Employee Relations
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0208 909 5296
- Additional information
Working Hours: Tues - Friday 9 - 5pm
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