People Business Partner

NHS; Manchester; Remote; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A government health agency in Manchester seeks a People Business Partner to deliver impactful HR solutions and support organizational strategy. The role requires strong HR expertise, business partnering experience, and a commitment to inclusivity. Candidates should have a postgraduate qualification in HR management and be chartered or pursuing chartered status. Competitive salary of £55,690 to £62,682 annually offered for this full-time, flexible position.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Evidential continuous professional development in HR.
• Experience in unionized environments.
• Proven track record in business partnering.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice aligned with our strategy.
• Lead a talented HR team for growth.
• Support organizational change and workforce planning.

Skills

Highly specialist knowledge in HR topics

Complex employee relations handling

Expertise in Agenda for Change job evaluation

Building effective relationships

Data analysis and interpretation

Education

Post graduate level qualification in HR Management

Chartered MCIPD or working towards this

Tools

HR information systems (e.g. ESR/NHS Jobs)

Job description

Overview

People Business Partner

This is an exciting time to join us as a People Business Partner. The Health Research Authority is leading the development of new services that will digitise the end-to-end research journey, allowing users to plan and prepare new research, make changes to existing research and review and approve research applications in a seamless way. We have recently launched our new organisational strategy and are at the early stages of developing a three year people strategy in support of this. As a senior member of our HR team, you’ll be at the heart of delivering the people strategy and partnering with key business areas, delivering innovative HR solutions and driving real impact across the organisation. If you’re a credible and pro-active People professional with relevant business partnering / HR experience, thrive on challenge and want to be part of a people focused organisation with consistently high levels of staff engagement, we look forward to receiving your application.

Interview date: 21 or 22 October

What You’ll Do

• Provide expert, pragmatic advice to leaders and teams, ensuring our people practices are aligned with our strategy and the latest employment legislation.
• Deliver a value-adding HR service that supports business goals and fosters a positive, high-performing culture.
• Lead a small and talented HR team, supporting their growth and development.
• Tackle complex workforce challenges, support organisational change, and help shape our approach to employment as the landscape evolves.
• Be a trusted advisor to senior managers, guiding them through change, transformation, and workforce planning.

About Us

Working at the HRA, we are reminded daily of how important life is. We are a flexible working friendly organisation and aim to let you work in a way that suits you and the work we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative workplace that helps us deliver the best services. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community and have policies in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.

When applying to work here, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for us, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Please note, if applying to our Manchester, Nottingham or Bristol locations, we are only able to offer the role as home based.

Details

Date posted: 06 October 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for Change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number: 980-HRA7493152-C

Job locations: 3 Piccadilly Place, London Road, Manchester, M1 3BN

Job Description

Job responsibilities: Please see the People Business Partner job description for further details of main responsibilities.

Person Specification

Essential criteria

• Post graduate level qualification in HR Management / similar or equivalent senior HR experience, with evidence of continuous professional development
• Chartered MCIPD or working towards this level of membership

Knowledge, Skills and Expertise

• HR manager / business partner with highly specialist knowledge and relevant experience of a range of HR topics in an NHS or other public sector context, underpinned by practical application of HR policies, current UK employment law and best practice. Expertise in handling a range of complex employee relations issues in a unionised environment.
• Expertise in Agenda for Change job evaluation including job matching and job analysis

Experience

• Experience of business partnering, understanding the strategic and commercial context of the business, building effective relationships and working with managers up to director level. Communicating effectively and able to work across all levels, using tact, persuasion and astuteness to present complex information or proposals to a range of audiences and achieve buy-in
• Evidence of successfully supporting organisational change processes including restructures and redeployments
• Line management experience
• NHS or Arms Length Body HR experience (Desirable)

Analytical And Judgement Skills

• Experience of using HR information systems (eg ESR/NHS Jobs) including data analysis, interpretation and insight and presenting it to support decision making

Other

• Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity
• Able to travel occasionally to other HRA offices or meeting venues, which may include very occasional overnight stays

Additional Information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a disclosure check will be required.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For more information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer: Health Research Authority

Address: 3 Piccadilly Place, London Road, Manchester, M1 3BN

Employer website: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/