Interim Human Resources Business Partner

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

Job summary

A leading HR consultancy is seeking an HR Business Partner for their aviation client in Castle Donington. This role demands a proactive HR professional with strong operational experience in high-volume environments. You will manage employee relations cases, coach managers on people management, and drive engagement initiatives across a multi-shift workforce. A presence on-site 5 days a week is essential for effective operational delivery. Competitive salary of £47,500 offered for this interim position.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in operational HR roles, preferably in aviation, logistics, or engineering.
• Proven track record in managing high-volume employee relations cases.
• Confident working with frontline staff and senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead all core HR activities across the operation.
• Manage employee relations cases from start to finish.
• Conduct investigations and support operational change initiatives.
• Provide HR insight to operational leaders.

Skills

Employee relations case management

Coaching managers on people management

Driving engagement and retention

Strong analytical and communication skills

Education

CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 (or equivalent)

Job description

HR Business Partner

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

Salary : £47,500

Interim : 12-18month FTC

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.

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

As the on-site HRBP, you will take the lead on all core HR activity across the operation, including :

• 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