HR Business Partner

Buro Happold Limited; Bath; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Income protection

25 days holiday

Company pension

Cycle scheme

Job summary

Buro Happold Limited is seeking a Senior HR Consultant to partner with leaders across our UK business units, advising on workforce planning, workforce strategy and staff development. The role blends strategic advisory work with hands-on HR support to protect the interests of people and the business.

You will lead complex employee relations cases, support recruitment and reward processes, and drive engagement and inclusion initiatives across the Bath region.

Qualifications

• Proven experience advising on employee relations and HR policy.
• Experience supporting reward cycles and performance processes.
• CIPD Level 5 or higher (or working towards).
• Experience using AI in HR strategy is a plus.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work with cross-functional teams.
• Passion for EDI and employee engagement.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior leaders on workforce planning and talent strategy.
• Lead and resolve complex employee relations cases.
• Collaborate with Talent Acquisition and Reward on recruitment approvals and salary reviews.
• Support promotions and performance management.
• Act as primary HR contact for EDI topics and drive inclusion.
• Lead succession planning and retention strategies.
• Use data and insights to guide people strategy.

Skills

HR principles

UK employment law

Employee relations

Communication skills

Reward cycles

Performance processes

EDI & engagement

People analytics

Cross-functional collaboration

AI in HR

Education

CIPD Level 5+

Job description

Ready to partner with leaders and transform how a global consultancy supports its people?This person can be based in our Bath office on a hybrid working model.Are you an experienced HR professional who thrives on building trusted relationships, navigating complex people matters and influencing senior leaders? At Buro Happold, we’re looking for a Senior HR Consultant to join our UK team and play a pivotal role in supporting our Business Operations functions across the region.

About The Role

As a Senior HR Consultant, you will act as a strategic partner to leaders across Business Development, Project Operations, Office Facilities, and our PA/EA communities. You’ll provide expert HR guidance on a wide range of people-related topics, balancing operational support with longer‑term strategic planning to help our teams deliver their best work. In this role, success means delivering timely, pragmatic and robust HR advice while cultivating strong, collaborative relationships at all levels. You’ll work closely with senior leaders to support workforce planning, talent strategy, performance and promotion processes, reward cycles, and employee engagement. You’ll also lead on complex employee relations matters, ensuring fair and compliant outcomes that protect both people and the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Partnering with senior leaders on workforce planning, resourcing and talent strategy.
• Leading and resolving complex employee relations cases.
• Collaborating with Talent Acquisition and Reward on recruitment approvals, salary reviews, bonus cycles, equal pay audits and benchmarking.
• Supporting promotions and performance management, including moderation and insight reporting.
• Acting as the primary HR contact for EDI topics within your business areas and helping drive engagement and inclusion initiatives.
• Leading succession planning and supporting effective retention strategies.
• Using data and insights to guide decision‑making and shape people strategy.

What We Are Looking For

• Strong understanding of HR principles and UK employment law.
• Experience managing complex employee relations cases.
• Excellent communication skills and relationship‑building capability.
• Experience supporting reward cycles and performance processes.
• A passion for EDI and employee engagement.
• Analytical skills and confidence producing people insights.
• Experience working collaboratively with cross‑functional teams.
• CIPD Level 5 or above (or working towards), or equivalent experience.
• Experience using AI in HR strategy would be an added advantage.

Why Join Buro Happold?

At Buro Happold, we believe in creating a better, more sustainable world. You’ll be part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and excellence. We offer a supportive environment where your contributions make a real difference.

What we Offer You

• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Attractive salary and benefits package including, private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection.
• Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements.
• Generous company pension scheme.
• Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts.
• Enhanced parenthood leave policies.3pm finish on the last Friday of the month.
• A strong commitment to your continuous development. Whatever stage in your career, we have a learning and development programme that will enable and empower you.
• Entitlement to two memberships to professional bodies or subscriptions.
• A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities. A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring.
• An international culture that wherever your career takes you at Buro Happold, you won’t be far from the exceptional.

A place for everyone

Buro Happold values individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of the way you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment and are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing difference allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.