HR Business Partner

Ashley Kate HR & Finance; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading HR consultancy seeks a proactive HR Business Partner for their Castle Donington site. The role involves managing employee relations, advising on operational HR matters, and leading initiatives across a diverse workforce. Candidates should possess a CIPD qualification and experience in fast-paced environments such as aviation or logistics. This interim position requires full on-site commitment 5 days a week to ensure operational continuity.

Qualifications

• Experience in fast-paced operational HR role in aviation, logistics, or engineering.
• Track record in managing complex employee relations cases.
• Confident working on-site with frontline colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Manage employee relations cases including disciplinary and grievance.
• Advise on shift patterns and resource planning.
• Lead HR in operational change and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Employee relations management

Coaching and mentoring

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

CIPD Level 5 or Level 7

Job description

HR Business Partner

Location: Castle Donington (on-site, 5 days per week - non-negotiable)

Salary: £47,500

We are seeking a highly effective Operational HR Business Partner to join our aviation client's high-performance People Team, supporting a large, multi-shift workforce across a safety‑critical, 24/7 operation. This is a key role partnering with senior operational leaders and managers to deliver high‑impact HR support on the ground, ensuring a consistent, proactive, and solutions‑led approach to people management. This is an interim contract for 12 – 18 months.

Working on-site at their Castle Donington operation, you will be the visible HR lead for a diverse client group of c. 500+ colleagues across engineering, logistics, operations, and frontline support teams.

This is an exciting opportunity for an HR professional who thrives in fast‑paced, high‑volume environments where the ability to anticipate issues, influence managers, and maintain operational continuity is essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing employee relations cases end-to-end, including disciplinary, grievance, performance, and attendance
• Supporting and advising on shift patterns, rosters, and resource planning in a regulated, time‑critical environment
• Leading HR involvement in operational change initiatives, restructures, and continuous improvement programmes
• Conducting and sometimes leading robust investigations
• Coaching managers to build people management capability and ensure consistent use of policy
• Supporting recruitment, onboarding, vetting, and compliance for operational and safety-sensitive roles
• Driving engagement, wellbeing, and retention initiatives across a multi‑shift workforce
• Providing proactive HR insight to operational leaders, identifying emerging risks and opportunities
• Acting as a trusted on‑site partner, visible across the hangars, warehouse, and operational floor

Operational HR Business Partner - About You

• CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 (or equivalent) strongly preferred
• Strong experience in a fast‑paced operational HR role (aviation, logistics, manufacturing, or engineering highly advantageous)
• Proven track record managing complex and high‑volume ER cases
• Confident working on‑site with frontline colleagues and senior operational leaders
• Experience with rostering, shift‑based environments, or regulated operations beneficial
• Strong analytical, organisational, and communication skills
• A practical, problem‑solving mindset: proactive rather than reactive
• Fully committed to on‑site presence 5 days per week - essential for operational delivery

For further information

For further information, please contact Natasha on (phone number removed)

About Us

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. In line with our Diversity and Inclusion policy, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. As a Disability Confident Employer, and part of the Nicholas Associates Group, we are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities, and we're happy to discuss flexible working options.

We are committed to protecting the privacy of all our candidates and clients. If you choose to apply, your information will be processed in accordance with the Nicholas Associates Group of companies.