Human resources staff
Human resources (HR) make sure that our colleagues both on the frontline and behind the scenes are fully supported and able to do their jobs.
Working life
You'll manage all issues relating to the employment of your NHS colleagues. This could involve:
- the recruitment of staff
- introducing new employment policies
- being an expert in employment law (equality and diversity, right to work, working hours, etc)
- working closely with health unions and professional bodies
- keeping up to date records on colleagues
You also advise and support managers in dealing with, for example
- managing performance – making sure staff are doing their jobs as they should
- disciplinary – dealing with staff who do something wrong
- absence – including holiday leave, sick leave, study leave or compassionate leave
HR staff work at different levels so job titles vary, for example
- human resource assistant or recruitment assistant
- HR officer or HR administrator
- senior HR adviser
- HR manager
- assistant HR director
Where will I work?
HR staff are based in human resource departments at hospitals and in headquarters buildings.
Who will I work with?
You'll work closely with administration staff. You may also work with clinical and non-clinical managers (eg those managing estates and facilities, finance and operational areas). You would not usually have contact with patients.
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements for HR staff. Entry requirements vary depending on what level you join the NHS.
To enter as an HR trainee, you usually need at least two GCSEs including English and maths, or equivalent. Employers may ask for some customer service or office experience. Apprenticeships are often available in admin roles within HR departments.
You could also become a member of NHS HR staff by studying for a qualification in HR and then applying to join an NHS trust. Relevant qualifications include
- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) level-3 Foundation Certificate or Diploma in Human Resources Practice, which you can study part time
- a degree in human resources management
Degree courses are three or four years full time. To get onto a degree course you usually need:
- two or three A levels along with up to five GCSEs (grades A-C), including English and maths
or alternative qualifications, including
- BTEC, HND or HNC
- relevant NVQ
- access course
- equivalent Scottish or Irish qualifications
However, each institution sets its own entry requirements, so it’s important to check carefully.
Personal characteristics and skills needed
HR staff need to be
- interested in people
- interested in applying the law
- happy to work with people at all levels of an organisation
- willing to deal with strong emotions
- able to stay calm in challenging situations
You'll also need
- very good communication skills at all levels
- good negotiating skills
Training and development
When you start the job, you will be given the training you need including an introduction to the department and its systems and procedures. You will be expected to keep your knowledge and skills up to date. Your employer may offer you the chance to go on short courses on particular topics such as employment law, negotiating or managing absence.
You could take further qualifications such as those offered by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
HR staff can become members of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). With experience and qualifications, they can apply for chartered status. As well as training, CIPD offers conferences, online communities and events where members can update their skills and knowledge and network with others in the field.
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HR staff working in the NHS are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. You will typically start on AfC band 2 or 3 in an administrative or support role. With further training and experience, you could apply for more senior positions at bands 4-6. Senior HR managers will earn more.
HR staff in the NHS work standard hours of around 37.5 a week. In some jobs, this could involve early starts, evenings and weekends to meet clinical staff on duty.
Terms and conditions will usually be different for HR staff working outside of the NHS.
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With experience, HR staff can become team leaders, supervising the work of others. They can then progress to become managers, responsible for an HR department or directors of HR.
There may also be opportunities to work outside the NHS, including overseas.
If you're applying for a role either directly in the NHS or in an organisation that provides NHS services, you'll be asked to show how you think the NHS values apply in your everyday work. Find out more about NHS values.
Most NHS trusts advertise their vacancies on NHS Jobs. Some of the current vacancies are below.
-
Human Resources Officer
Bradford, BD9 6RJ
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Director of Human Resources
SCARBOROUGH, YO12 5RE
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Saint Catherine’s Hospice
-
Medical Human Resources Assistant
Sheffield, S10 2SB
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Bank Administration Assistant - HR and Recruitment
Wolverhampton, WV10 0QP
- Salary :
- £24465.00 to £24937.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
-
Recruitment Administrator
Reading, RG1 5UZ
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
-
HR Officer
Redhill, RH1 2NP
- Salary :
- £29000.00 to £33000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Dorking Healthcare Ltd.
-
HR Manager
Huddersfield, HD2 1GQ
- Salary :
- £43680.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Local Care Direct
-
HR Manager
Bushey, WD23 2NN
- Salary :
- £35000.00 to £45000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Manor View Practice
-
HR Officer
Grimsby, DN31 1SQ
- Salary :
- £26416.00 to £28182.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Care Plus Group
-
HR Advisor
Preston, PR5 6AW
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
-
HR Advisor
Preston, PR5 6AW
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
-
HR Coordinator
Horley, RH1 1EB
- Salary :
- £28321.79 to £35214.59
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Alliance for Better Care CIC
-
HR Administrator
Inverness, IV2 7GG
- Salary :
- £25500.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barchester Healthcare
-
HR Coordinator
Bolton, BL4 0JL
- Salary :
- £24000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- ABL Health Ltd
-
HR Manager
Sunderland, SR5 2TA
- Salary :
- £63119.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sunderland GP Alliance
-
Recruitment Team Leader
Cwmbran, NP44 8YN
- Salary :
- £31516.00 to £38364.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
-
HR Business Partner
Wakefield, WF2 0XQ
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
-
Operational HR Manager
Leeds , LS13 2BL
- Salary :
- £45000.00 to £55000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Fuller and Forbes Partnership
-
Senior HR Advisor
Oxford, OX4 4XN
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford Health NHS Trust
-
Senior HR Advisor
Colchester, CO4 9YQ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Aria Care
-
HR/People Officer
Bangor, LL57 2PW
- Salary :
- £31516.00 to £38364.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
-
Assistant HR Advisor
Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 7QB
- Salary :
- £32199.00 to £34876.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior HR Caseworker
London, Birmingham, Leeds or Liverpool, E144PU
- Salary :
- £40661.00 to £50472.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- UK Health Security Agency
-
Strategic Lead for Resource and Capacity Planning
Regional, SG8 6EN
- Salary :
- £91342.00 to £105337.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- East of England Ambulance Service
-
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist-Additional Resource Provision
Aylesbury, HP21 8AL
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
-
Bank HR Investigation Officer
Hull, HU10 6ED
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
-
Head of HR Operations
Lincoln, LN2 4WH
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
-
Bank Healthcare Assistant - Recruitment Event
Various sites - please see advert, SY13 1NT
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
-
Community Support Worker Recruitment Day
South Gloucestershire, BS30 8XP
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sirona care & health CIC
-
Healthcare Support Worker - Recruitment Event
Swindon, SN3 6BB
- Salary :
- £24465.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
HR - Employee Relations Business Partner
London, SE1 2PR
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HCA Healthcare UK
-
HR, Quality and Compliance Lead
Dursley, GL11 4JN
- Salary :
- £15.00 to £16.50
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- May Lane Surgery
-
HR Advisor - Contract 6 months
Colchester, CO4 9YQ
- Salary :
- £36000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Aria Care
-
Senior People Services (HR) Advisor
Derby, DE22 3NE
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
-
Head of HR & Medical Staffing
Cambridge, CB21 5EF
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior HR Caseworker - Fixed-Term
London, Birmingham, Leeds or Liverpool, E14 4PU
- Salary :
- £40661.00 to £50472.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- UK Health Security Agency
-
Consultant Psychiatrist - PICU *Generous Recruitment Package*
Norwich, NR6 5BE
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Ward Clerk in Maternity - Centralised Recruitment
Oxford, OX3 9DU
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Admin Officer in Oncology - Centralised Recruitment
Headington, OX3 7LE
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Pharmacy Homecare Invoicing Clerk - Centralised Recruitment
Oxford, OX4 2PG
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Psychiatrist CRHT *Generous Recruitment Package*
Kings Lynn, PE30 5PE
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Forensic Psych (Whitlingham)*Generous Recruitment Package*
Norwich, NR6 5BE
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Support Worker Recruitment Event 3 October 2025
Liverpool/Warrington, WA2 8WA
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Support Administration Roles - Centralised Recruitment - B3
Oxford, OX3 7LE
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Psych CAMHS Eating Disorders*Generous Recruitment Package*
Ipswich, IP3 8LY
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Psych GA Inpatient (Avocet) *Generous Recruitment Package*
Ipswich, IP4 5PD
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Psych Acute Psych (Samphire) *Generous Recruitment Package*
Kings Lynn, PE30 5PD
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Psychiatrist in Old Age *Generous Recruitment Package*
Norwich, NR2 3TD
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Psych Older People's CMHT *Generous Recruitment Package*
Kings Lynn, PE30 5PE
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Old Age Psych(Woodlands)*Generous Recruitment Package*
Ipswich, IP4 5PD
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Registered Nurse - HMP Haverigg +£1500 Recruitment & Retention Payment
Haverigg, LA18 4NA
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Spectrum Community Health CIC
-
Consultant in Adult Psych (Northgate) *Generous Recruitment Package*
Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2QZ
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Psychiatrist CMHT GA Comm*Generous Recruitment Package*
Wymondham, NR18 0WF
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Psych CMHT Adult Comm*Generous Recruitment Package*
Kings Lynn, PE30 5PD
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Consultant Psych Old Age (IDT Haymills) *Generous Recruitment Package*
Stowmarket, IP14 1RQ
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Band 7 - HR Support Manager to the Chief People Officer
Watford, WD18 0HB
- Salary :
- £50008.00 to £56908.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Deputy Director for People and OD (HR and People Change)
Gloucester, GL1 3NN
- Salary :
- £109179.00 to £125637.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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