Job Description – HR Business Partner 

Role Overview

The HR Business Partner will act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, providing strategic people expertise to support organisational goals. This role is responsible for developing and delivering People Plans, using data-driven insights to drive performance, manage risk, and support organisational change. The postholder will build strong, influential relationships, collaborate across HR functions, and champion a positive workplace culture.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Partnering

• Build credible and influential relationships with senior leaders as an autonomous HR professional.
• Lead the development and ongoing review of People Plans, ensuring alignment with organisational resourcing, workforce planning and skill development priorities.
• Support strategic decision-making by providing specialist HR insights, challenge, analysis, and recommendations.

People Data & Insights

• Analyse people data to identify risks, opportunities, and trends.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to senior leaders to inform evidence-based decisions.
• Lead the creation of targeted interventions in partnership with HR specialisms.

Change & Performance

• Support the design, execution, and embedding of organisational change initiatives.
• Identify risks, workforce issues and opportunities early, recommending appropriate actions.
• Use internal and external data, benchmarking, and best practice to enhance organisational performance.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Work collaboratively with the Employee Relations function to ensure accurate, timely, and effective support for people managers.
• Oversee the management of complex employee relations casework, advising on risk mitigation and strategy.
• Ensure legal, regulatory and policy compliance across all people practices.
• Coach senior leaders on HR policy, employment law, risk management, and people capabilities.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with HR Centres of Expertise to deliver integrated HR solutions.
• Work closely with other Business Partners to ensure a consistent approach across the organisation.
• Identify opportunities to improve the HR service offering and promote best practice.
• Act as an ambassador for HR, supporting initiatives that enhance the employee experience and organisational culture.

Additional Requirements

• Manage sensitive and confidential information professionally.
• Promote high levels of customer care and uphold organisational equality, diversity, and wellbeing standards.
• Support health & safety responsibilities, risk assessment, and environmental sustainability objectives.
• Undertake any additional duties appropriate to the level of the role.

Experience

• Significant experience operating as a strategic HR Business Partner within a large or complex organisation.
• Experience in short-, medium- and long-term workforce planning.
• Proven ability to diagnose issues from data and implement effective people interventions.
• Experience managing complex employee relations cases up to dismissal/appeal.
• Experience delivering organisational change and leading consultation processes.
• Experience contributing to senior leadership discussions.