Lead People Partner

Distinct | B Corp; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Distinct | B Corp is seeking a Lead People Partner to support operational teams across the North of England. This hybrid and field-based role focuses on Learning & Development, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, colleague engagement and wellbeing, with a hands-on approach to develop managers and drive improvements.

You will partner with regional leaders, design engaging training, champion inclusive practices and turn feedback into practical actions to enhance the colleague experience.

Qualifications

• Experience in operational HR or People Partnering with the ability to coach and support managers.
• A genuine passion for L&D, ED&I, colleague engagement and wellbeing.
• Confidence delivering training, facilitating workshops and engaging groups of people.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to bring topics to life through practical examples and creative approaches.

Responsibilities

• Operational HR partnering: Build relationships with regional leaders and managers, offering practical advice and coaching.
• Learning & Development: Design and facilitate engaging training, workshops and manager forums.
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Champion inclusive practices and lead regional ED&I initiatives.
• Colleague engagement: Lead engagement forums and turn feedback into improvements.
• Wellbeing and retention: Support initiatives to improve wellbeing and workforce stability.
• People data and insight: Use absence, retention and turnover data to identify trends and drive improvements.
• Workforce planning: Support succession planning and broader people initiatives.
• Continuous improvement: Identify opportunities to strengthen culture and manager development.

Skills

People Partnering

L&D

ED&I

Data-driven

Communication

Education

CIPD Level 5

Job description

Permanent | Salary up to £45,000 | Full-time, 37.5 hours per week | Hybrid and field-based

The Opportunity

Are you a people-focused HR professional with a passion for developing others, championing inclusion and creating engaging workplace experiences?

We're looking for an enthusiastic and commercially aware Lead People Partner to support operational teams across the North of England within a growing, people-focused care organisation. This is a hands‑on, varied role combining operational HR partnering with a strong focus on Learning & Development (L&D), Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I), colleague engagement and wellbeing.

You’ll play a key role in developing managers, delivering engaging learning experiences, championing inclusive practices and creating opportunities for colleagues to feel heard, valued and supported. You’ll have the autonomy to bring fresh ideas, lead regional initiatives and turn these into meaningful action.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational HR partnering: Build strong relationships with regional leaders and managers, providing practical advice, coaching and constructive challenge.
• Learning & Development: Design and facilitate engaging training, workshops and manager forums to build confidence, capability and effective people management.
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Champion inclusive working practices, lead regional ED&I initiatives and facilitate meaningful conversations that promote understanding and belonging.
• Colleague engagement: Lead engagement forums, encourage open communication and turn colleague feedback into practical improvements.
• Wellbeing and retention: Support initiatives that improve colleague wellbeing, engagement and workforce stability.
• People data and insight: Use information on absence, retention and turnover to identify trends, inform decisions and drive improvements.
• Workforce planning: Support succession planning and wider people initiatives, working collaboratively with operational and specialist teams.
• Continuous improvement: Identify opportunities to strengthen culture, develop managers and improve the overall colleague experience.

About You

• Experience in operational HR or People Partnering, with the ability to coach and support managers.
• A genuine passion for L&D, ED&I, colleague engagement and wellbeing.
• Confidence delivering training, facilitating workshops and engaging groups of people.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to bring topics to life through practical examples and creative approaches.
• The ability to promote inclusive practices and create opportunities for open, constructive conversations.
• A proactive approach to using data and colleague feedback to drive improvements.
• Strong organisation, resilience and the confidence to work autonomously.
• A relevant CIPD qualification, ideally Level 5 or working towards it.
• A full driving licence, access to a vehicle and willingness to travel regularly across the region.

Working Arrangements

• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
• Salary: Up to £45,000 per annum
• Location: North of England, covering areas across the North West, Yorkshire and the East Coast
• Working pattern: Hybrid and field-based, with regular visits to operational services and flexibility to manage your diary.
• Regular travel and a visible presence across services are essential. You’ll have the flexibility to organise your workload while remaining closely connected to the teams you support.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to make a real difference to how colleagues are supported, developed and included within a growing organisation.

You’ll have the opportunity to take ownership of regional L&D and ED&I initiatives, deliver engaging learning experiences, build manager capability and champion a culture where colleagues feel valued and able to thrive.

If you’re an engaging, proactive HR professional who loves bringing people together, developing others and turning ideas into meaningful action, we’d love to hear from you.