HR Business Partner

Hopwood Hall; Middleton; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Hopwood Hall College in Middleton is seeking an experienced HR Business Partner to shape our people and culture. You will partner with managers to tackle complex people challenges, strengthen management capability and help shape our workforce for the future.

You will build strong relationships, lead on complex employee relations, support workforce planning and change initiatives, and contribute to recruitment, retention and engagement strategies. Strong employment law knowledge is essential.

Qualifications

• Significant generalist HR experience including complex employee relations.
• Ability to advise, influence and challenge managers.
• Strong understanding of employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience supporting organisational change and workforce planning.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships with managers and provide expert advice.
• Lead on complex employee relations matters with fair outcomes.
• Support workforce planning, organisational development and change initiatives.
• Shape recruitment, retention and employee engagement strategies.
• Use HR data to identify trends and recommend improvements.
• Contribute to HR policies and management capability.

Skills

HR generalist

Advising & coaching

Employee relations

Workforce planning

Change management

Job description

HR Business Partner

Application Deadline: 23 November 2026

Department: Human Resources

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Middleton

Compensation: BS32-BS37, £38,848 - £44,883 pa

Description

Help shape our people, our culture and our future!

Are you an experienced HR professional who enjoys influencing change, challenging thinking and making a real difference?

We're looking for a confident and forward-thinking HR Business Partner to join our team at Hopwood Hall College. You'll work closely with managers to tackle complex people challenges, strengthen management capability and help shape the future of our workforce.

As our HR Business Partner, you will:

• Build strong relationships with managers, providing expert advice, coaching and constructive challenge.
• Lead on complex employee relations matters, ensuring fair, consistent and effective outcomes.
• Support workforce planning, organisational development and change initiatives.
• Help shape recruitment, retention and employee engagement strategies.
• Use HR data and insights to identify trends and recommend improvements.
• Contribute to the development of HR policies, processes and management capability.

We're looking for someone who:

• Has significant generalist HR experience, including managing complex employee relations cases.
• Can confidently advise, influence and challenge managers.
• Has a strong understanding of employment law and HR best practice.
• Is experienced in supporting organisational change and workforce planning.
• Is proactive, solutions-focused and passionate about making a positive difference.

Key Responsibilities

HR Business Partnering (specific business areas)

• Coaching, advising and challenging managers on people-related activities including recruitment and retention, probation, attendance management, performance management and organisational change.
• Support business areas to manage their staffing needs by monitoring the workforce establishment, supporting with staffing requests.
• Provide strategic oversight of agency and contractor usage within designated business areas, identifying trends, risks and opportunities to reduce reliance on temporary staffing as part of effective workforce planning.
• Support with strategic recruitment and retention planning and developing talent attraction and retention initiatives that support the college in being an employer of choice.
• Work with managers and the wider HR team to oversee the effectiveness of recruitment, onboarding and induction within designated business areas, identifying and addressing recurring or significant issues
• Provide expert advice and guidance to managers on a range of complex employee relations processes, supporting them throughout the process while ensuring that all college policies and procedures are adhered to.
• Provide expert advice and support to HR Advisers on complex, high-risk or precedent-setting employee relations matters, taking the lead where cases involve significant organisational, legal or reputational risk.

HR initiatives and Policies

• Contribute to the development and delivery of the HR Plan. In conjunction with the HR Manager, take a lead on the delivery of key aspects of the plan.
• Lead and contribute to the review, development and implementation of HR policies, procedures and associated guidance
• Design and deliver training to managers on HR initiatives, policies etc.
• Contribute to internal Steering Groups and Networks as well as representing the HR Team/college at external events
• Lead on the facilitation of organisational design and development, transformation, workforce development and workforce planning conversations across the college.

HR System/Data

• Use HR systems and workforce data effectively to identify trends, risks and opportunities, supporting evidence-based workforce decisions within designated business areas
• Provide oversight of contractual change processes within designated business areas, ensuring changes are appropriately authorised, communicated and accurately reflected within HR systems.
• Report on and analyse HR data for business area/key initiative, monitoring trends and advising managers
• Support with data reporting for management information and external organisations as required.

Wider team support and personal development

• Respond to queries from staff and managers, forwarding on to other team members as appropriate
• Ensure continuous development and improvement of professional knowledge to ensure the College is at the forefront of HR initiatives and good practice through attendance at events, webinars, training, networking and wider reading etc.
• Proactively share knowledge, learning and insights with other members of the HR team.
• Mentor and support other members of the HR team
• Contribute to the continuous process improvement of HR activities and services
• Attend and participate in HR team meetings
• Support the wider HR function by sitting on recruitment panels and delivering staff training i.e. induction training
• Support wider college events and curriculum teams as required I.e. interview skills training with students
• Any other duties of a similar level of responsibility as required.

Interviews will take place week commencing 30 November 2026