People Business Partner

NHS; Slough; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust seeks an experienced People Business Partner to join its HR team on a fixed-term contract. This role involves expert HR advice, operational support, and leading HR initiatives to foster staff engagement and well-being within a forward-thinking team.

Benefits

27 days' annual leave

NHS pension scheme

Learning and career development opportunities

Flexible working options

Discounts at popular retailers

Cycle to Work scheme

Access to well-being tools

Support for diversity and inclusion

Generous maternity/paternity leave

Free parking across Trust sites

Qualifications

• HR expert with extensive operational HR experience.
• Experience in managing complex casework in unionised environments.
• Proven track record of supporting senior leaders in HR.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist HR advice on people management.
• Oversee HR casework and maintain performance targets.
• Lead and mentor the HR Advisor within the division.

Skills

Problem-solving

Strategic mindset

Expert HR advice

People management

Employee engagement

Education

CIPD Level 7 diploma or equivalent

First degree or equivalent knowledge

Tools

IT systems and software skills

Job description

Job summary

Are you an experienced HR professional looking for your next challenge in a forward-thinking NHS Trust? We have an exciting opportunity for a skilled and proactive People Business Partner to join our operational HR team on a fixed term contract.

We are seeking a motivated and highly skilled HR professional with a proven track record in operational HR. You will bring strong problem-solving skills, a strategic mindset and a genuine passion for driving organisational success through effective people management.Confident in navigating complex HR issues, you will provide hands on support to senior leaders, helping to build a culture of high performance, staff engagement, and well-being.

As the trusted People Partner for your division, you will provide expert, proactive advice across all areas of people management. This includes employee relations casework, workforce planning, engagement initiatives, and organisational development.You will also be responsible for the day-to-day line management of the HR Advisor within your division offering you the opportunity to coach, mentor and support their development. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence at a senior level, contribute to organisational improvement, and join a supportive and inclusive team committed to making a difference.

You will be based at Upton Hospital, Slough, with travel to other Trust sites across Berkshire as required, although the role is predominantly home-based.

Main duties of the job

HR Expertise: Provide specialist HR advice on all aspects of people management, ensuring consistent, objective, and customer-focused service delivery.

Casework Management: Ensure timely resolution of casework, particularly disciplinary and early resolution cases, and meet Trust performance targets. Act as a point of escalation for complex queries.

Operational Support: Work with service managers to address people issues at the lowest level, facilitating mediation and coaching where needed. Provide guidance on handling sickness absence, monitoring metrics, and ensuring best practice.

Leadership: Supervise the HR Advisor and provide day-to-day guidance, ensuring alignment with Trust policies and procedures.

Data & Reporting: Analyse workforce data on sickness, turnover, and other key metrics, producing reports and identifying actions to address hot spots.

Organisational Development: Assist managers with OD interventions and staff engagement strategies. Work closely with the Learning & Development team to identify training needs and ensure delivery of relevant programs.

Policy & Compliance: Support bi-annual policy reviews, ensuring best practices are embedded and aligned with employment legislation. Help managers apply HR policies in complex business scenarios.

Employee Engagement: Assist in analysing the Staff Survey results, develop action plans for improvement, and work closely with managers to enhance employee engagement across the division.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Details Date posted

30 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,877 to £62,626 a year per annum ( Incl of HCAS)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-CS269

Job locations

Operational HR, Upton Hospital

Slough

SL1 2BJ

Job description Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Level 7 diploma or equivalent HR qualification or experience.

Extensive experience in providing HR advice to managers on all aspects of operational case work.

Extensive experience of working in a complex unionised environment and demonstrable experience of developing effective relations and partnership working across a diverse range of unions and professional associations.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Tracey Slegg on 07824 821844 or email: [e-mail] who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Interview will be held on 17th June 2025. Secondment option will be considered for the BHFT employees

Job description Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Level 7 diploma or equivalent HR qualification or experience.

Extensive experience in providing HR advice to managers on all aspects of operational case work.

Extensive experience of working in a complex unionised environment and demonstrable experience of developing effective relations and partnership working across a diverse range of unions and professional associations.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Tracey Slegg on 07824 821844 or email: [e-mail] who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Interview will be held on 17th June 2025. Secondment option will be considered for the BHFT employees

Person Specification Education/Qualifications/Training Essential

• First degree, or equivalent knowledge and skills gained through any combination of alternative study or employment
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) post-graduate Diploma in Personnel Management or equivalent HR or management qualification (Level 7) or experience

Desirable

• Further knowledge of specialist areas acquired through experience and/or attendance at courses.

Previous Experience Essential

• Experience of staff management, either as a line manager or in an HR advisory/management role. Sufficient experience to advise and line managers on dealing with the full range of staffing issues likely to be encountered in a large and complex organisation
• Experience of leading on or providing the HR expertise to organisational change programmes and projects
• Extensive experience of working in a complex unionised environment and demonstrable experience of managing effective relations and partnership working across a diverse range of unions and professional bodies

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Essential

• Expert knowledge of current and impending employment law and ability to apply to the working environment
• Competent IT skills and the ability to navigate around various systems and software packages (such as ESR, NHS Jobs, outlook, databases, MS office and the internet). Able to analyse, interpret and manipulate data and information

Desirable

• Able to deliver training to different groups, being able to modify the delivery and content to suit the needs of the audience

Person Specification Education/Qualifications/Training Essential

• First degree, or equivalent knowledge and skills gained through any combination of alternative study or employment
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) post-graduate Diploma in Personnel Management or equivalent HR or management qualification (Level 7) or experience

Desirable

• Further knowledge of specialist areas acquired through experience and/or attendance at courses.

Previous Experience Essential

• Experience of staff management, either as a line manager or in an HR advisory/management role. Sufficient experience to advise and line managers on dealing with the full range of staffing issues likely to be encountered in a large and complex organisation
• Experience of leading on or providing the HR expertise to organisational change programmes and projects
• Extensive experience of working in a complex unionised environment and demonstrable experience of managing effective relations and partnership working across a diverse range of unions and professional bodies

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Essential

• Expert knowledge of current and impending employment law and ability to apply to the working environment
• Competent IT skills and the ability to navigate around various systems and software packages (such as ESR, NHS Jobs, outlook, databases, MS office and the internet). Able to analyse, interpret and manipulate data and information

Desirable

• Able to deliver training to different groups, being able to modify the delivery and content to suit the needs of the audience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Operational HR, Upton Hospital

Slough

SL1 2BJ

Employer's website

https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Operational HR, Upton Hospital

Slough

SL1 2BJ

Employer's website

https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)