People Business Partner

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester is seeking a senior People Business Partner to shape the People Services function and advise the Executive Team on people strategy. This role sits at the heart of a dynamic health system and offers significant influence across the organisation.

The post blends strategic advising with hands-on delivery, including employee relations, organisational development and workforce planning, within a fast-moving environment.

Qualifications

• Masters level HR qualification or equivalent.
• CIPD Chartered membership is desirable.
• Extensive HRBP experience in complex, unionised environments.

Responsibilities

• Align people strategy with organisational goals and drive HR initiatives.
• Lead ER cases and manage change across the organisation.
• Develop workforce planning and leadership capability with senior teams.
• Collaborate with unions and clinical leaders to deliver People Services.

Skills

People HRBP

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Employee relations

Strategic advising

Education

Masters in HR Management or equivalent

CIPD Chartered member/fellow

Tools

ESR system

e-Rostering

Job description

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

People Business Partner

The closing date is 18 November 2026

An opportunity to build something that matters

Are you a people professional who enjoys shaping the big picture just as much as getting stuck into the detail? Someone who can advise senior leaders in the morning and work through manager and employee issues in the afternoon?

At Health Innovation Manchester (HInM), we're looking for an exceptional People Business Partner to help us build a People Services function that is fit for the future. We want to create a service that enables our people, strengthens our organisation and supports our ambition to improve health and care through innovation.

This is an opportunity to make the role your own. As HInM's senior people professional, you'll have the autonomy to shape how People Services are delivered, influence priorities and put the foundations in place for an effective, responsive and forward-thinking service.

You won't be stepping into a large, established HR team with everything already in place. You'll be building and improving as you go, bringing professional expertise, sound judgement and fresh thinking to an organisation with an important mission and plenty of ambition.

Main duties of the job

A role with breadth, influence and sleeves-up delivery

Working with the Executive Team, managers, colleagues and system partners, you'll connect people strategy with the realities of a small, dynamic organisation. You'll help us navigate change, develop our culture and strengthen capability.

This hands-on leadership role combines shaping our people function with delivering operational HR support. You'll balance complex employee relations and organisational change with workforce planning, engagement and organisational development.

As HInM's senior HR professional, you'll have the autonomy to improve how we work. You'll identify opportunities, develop solutions and deliver a people function fit for our future.

The person we're looking for

You'll combine the credibility to influence senior leaders with the pragmatism to make things happen. An experienced HR professional, you'll bring broad expertise, sound judgement and confidence leading through complexity. You'll be as comfortable challenging senior leaders as helping a manager resolve a difficult people issue.

You'll enjoy building rather than inheriting: spotting where processes and practices could improve, and having the energy to make change happen. Comfortable working autonomously and navigating ambiguity, you'll know when to tailor an approach and when to draw on support from our wider NHS partnerships.

Above all, you'll enjoy variety, take ownership and roll up your sleeves to turn ideas into action.

About us

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is a leading, integrated healthcare provider, the largest of its kind in specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe, serving over 1 million people per year through our 10 hospitals and extensive community services. With a workforce of 30,000 plus, we are at the forefront of system leadership, innovation, and transformation across Greater Manchester.As a senior manager, you will play a critical role in shaping and delivering our strategic objectives. You will lead complex programmes, drive operational excellence, and influence Trust-wide transformation, working collaboratively with or through Executive and Clinical Leaders to deliver sustainable improvements for our patients, staff, and communities.

MFT offers a dynamic, inclusive environment where your leadership, vision, and expertise are valued. You will have the opportunity to lead high-impact projects, develop future talent, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, supported by advanced digital infrastructure and a commitment to professional development.Join us to make a lasting impact--help shape the future of our Trust, drive innovation, and deliver outstanding care for the people of Manchester, Trafford and beyond.

Job responsibilities

IMPORTANT CANDIDATE INFORMATION

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Documents to download heading.

Explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place. This welcoming onestop hub gives you a real sense of who we are, what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. Youll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

To access Inside MFT Your Candidate Place, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the Documents to download heading and once opened, you can either scan QR code or click on the link provided.

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity Matters

MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, were proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU, for our patients, our communities, and each other.As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application, especially personal statements and responses to role specific questions is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

As part of our commitment to safeguarding patients and staff, many roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a standard process across the NHS and helps us ensure a safe environment for everyone.

A DBS check is a background check that reveals any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings. The level of check required depends on the role:

Standard DBS: Checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.

Enhanced DBS: Includes the above, plus any additional information held by local police thats considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced with Barred Lists: Includes all of the above, plus checks against the childrens and/or adults barred lists.

Who Needs a DBS Check

Most roles involving direct patient contact, working with children or vulnerable adults, or access to sensitive information will require a DBS check. The job advert and recruitment team will let you know if this applies to your role.

The Costs for a DBS

At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), roles that require a DBS check are subject to a cost recovery policy. This means that the cost of submitting and processing a DBS application if you are successful and join us, will be deducted from your salary within the first three months of employment. If, however, you withdraw from a conditional offer after the DBS process has begun, you will still be liable for the cost incurred.

For more information about the cost of the various types of DBS, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dbs-fees-are-changing-in-december

DBS Update Service

Candidates are also expected to register with the DBS Update Service which must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. This helps streamline future employment checks and supports safer recruitment practices. For more information, please visit the DBS Update Service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Masters level qualification in HR Management or equivalent knowledge, training and experience.
• High level of general education to degree level or equivalent.
• Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
• Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Experience

• Proven experience of successfully delivering HR Business Partnering through translating business strategy into a people strategy
• Experience of leading HR /OD at a senior level in a large and complex organisation, delivering through others both inside and outside the function, with experience of working in complex organisations and taking a person-centred approach
• Extensive experience of resolving a wide range of challenging employee relations situations, including complex cases and multi-faceted investigations.
• Great influencing skills and an excellent track record for building strong professional relationships and credibility across all levels of the organisation.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, high risk matters, a busy workload and prioritise competing demands in a professional manner inspiring trust and a sense of stability.
• Demonstrates resilience in the face of obstacles and takes personal responsibility for delivery.
• Proven experience of using HR metrics to offer insights based on data driven recommendations to senior leaders across a range of people related areas.
• Workforce leadership experience within a large unionised and complex environment.
• Create a strong, partnership working approach with Trade Unions in all aspects, including consultation and negotiation.
• Identification and management of workforce risks.
• Experience of staff management and delegating work through others.

Knowledge

• An understanding of the national NHS agenda and the Human Resource contribution at both a strategic and operational level.
• Detailed understanding of the principles of change management and able to demonstrate a successful track record of major organisational change
• Understanding of Employment Law, current HR Practice and medical employment issues.
• Detailed understanding of Organisational Development and its impact on organisational design and growth
• Knowledge of NHS T&Cs and employment issues.
• NHS structures and systems
• An understanding of NHS employment systems e.g. ESR, e-rostering

Further Training

• Demonstrate through CPD, employment law updates and various other training courses an up-to-date knowledge of HR practices and evidence to continuous personal and professional development in current role.
• Agenda for Change Job Evaluation training

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

£66,582 to £77,368 a yearper annum (pro rata)