Senior ER Consultant; Absence Lead

Location:

Chatham Salary: 48,812 per year Employment:
Full time Category: HR Officer Posted:
Valid to:
Apply:  Medway Council This opportunity is currently being offered on a fixed term contract until 31 March 2028; however, if budgets allow the contract length may be extended and/or become permanent, though this is not guaranteed. If an internal council employee wishes to apply for this role, a secondment opportunity may be considered (please state this on your application).Are you an experienced HR professional looking for an opportunity to lead and influence workforce attendance and employee relations across a large and diverse organisation?

Medway Council are seeking a highly skilled Senior Employee Relations Consultant (Absence Lead) to lead our team of Employee Relations Consultants (Absence Leads) and drive improvements in attendance management across Medway Council. This is a key role within our HR service, contributing directly to the delivery of our Workforce Strategy and supporting managers to create positive and productive workplaces.

About the role Reporting to the Head of Learning and Development, you will provide leadership, coaching and support to Employee Relations Consultants, ensuring the delivery of a high quality, customer focused service. You will work closely with senior leaders, managers and key stakeholders in leading initiatives to reduce sickness absence through proactive case management, early intervention and the consistent application of absence management policies.

About youYou will be a credible leader who can combine strong technical employee relations experience with the ability to inspire and develop others.

You will have –CIPD Level 5 or equivalent relevant qualification extensive experience of implementing initiatives to reduce absence in the workplace and managing complex absence casework.experience of leading, mentoring and developing a team.excellent knowledge of employment law, attendance management and HR best practice.experience of managing occupational health and employee assistance programme contracts experience of developing and delivering training to managers on absence management.experience

of working collaboratively with Trade Unions and external bodies such as ACAS.experience of analysing data, identifying trends and implementing effective solutions.excellent communication, negotiation and mediation skills.

Why Medway?

At Medway Council, we are committed to creating a workplace where people can thrive. We offer hybrid working, opportunities for professional development and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the wellbeing and performance of our workforce.

If you are passionate about leading high performing teams and delivering innovative attendance management solutions, we would love to hear from you.

Interviews will be held on the 27 & 28 October 2026

If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager, please e-mail Lisa Morgan on  Career Progression Frameworks (CPF) have been introduced for all roles at Medway Council. These frameworks provide a mechanism for employees to take ownership of their development within their post and be rewarded accordingly. The salary you will be offered will be at level

A. There will be further opportunity once in post to progress from level A to B, and B to

C. When writing your application, it is important to ensure you identify your suitability against the requirements of the job profile, as this information will be used for shortlisting and may contribute to the CPF assessment. Your application may be rejected if the minimum required criteria is not met. Further information relating to the requirements for this role can be found in the CPF Guidance document attached.

The…