The HR Business Partner will provide hands-on operational HR support and strategic business partnering to leaders and employees across their designated business area. Acting as a trusted advisor to managers, the role will provide expert guidance on employee relations and all aspects of people management, ensuring consistent, fair and legally compliant practices.
Working within a fast-paced, multi-site operational environment, the HRBP will balance day-to-day HR delivery with a proactive approach to developing people strategies, improving management capability and supporting organisational effectiveness and business performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide generalist HR support and advice across the employee lifecycle.
- Build effective relationships with managers and senior leaders to understand business needs and workforce priorities.
- Advise and coach managers on HR policies, employment legislation and people management matters.
- Manage complex employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, performance, absence and capability issues.
- Lead investigations, formal hearings and sensitive employee relations processes.
- Develop managers' confidence and capability in managing people issues independently.
- Ensure consistent application of HR policies, procedures and employment legislation.
- Work with the wider HR team to review and improve policies, processes and practices.
- Identify workforce trends and employee relations issues, recommending appropriate actions and improvements.
- Maintain effective relationships with trade unions and employee representatives, where applicable.
- Partner with senior leaders to deliver people plans aligned with business objectives.
- Support workforce planning, organisational design, restructuring, recruitment, talent management, reward and employee engagement.
- Support organisational change, including TUPE transfers, restructures and consultation processes.
- Lead and support initiatives relating to organisational culture, leadership development and employee engagement.
- Deliver management training and development to strengthen people management capability.
- Analyse HR data and workforce metrics to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
- Provide workforce insights and recommendations to support business decisions.
- Contribute to wider HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
Person Specification
- CIPD Level 5 qualification or above, or equivalent experience (desirable).
- Proven experience as an HR Business Partner or experienced HR Generalist.
- Experience supporting operational or frontline workforces, ideally within manufacturing, logistics, distribution, retail or similar sectors.
- Strong employee relations experience, including managing complex and sensitive cases independently.
- Good knowledge of UK employment legislation and HR best practice.
- Proven ability to advise, coach and influence managers at all levels.
- Experience partnering with senior stakeholders to deliver commercially focused people solutions.
- Experience supporting organisational change, restructuring and workforce planning.
- TUPE experience (desirable).
- Trade union and collective consultation experience (desirable).
- Ability to analyse HR data and use insights to inform decisions.
- Strong commercial awareness and understanding of operational business needs.
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong coaching and relationship-building abilities.
- Ability to balance strategic priorities with hands-on HR delivery.
- Proactive, pragmatic and solutions-focused approach.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
- High levels of professionalism, integrity and confidentiality.
- Flexibility to travel regularly to other operational locations