People & Culture Business Partner

Oak View Group; Manchester; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Oak View Group in Manchester is seeking a people-generalist Business Partner focused on Employee Relations to coach managers, lead ER casework, and oversee payroll while contributing to performance, engagement, and inclusion initiatives.

You will partner with HR teams and stakeholders to ensure compliant, values-led people practices across a diverse workforce, supporting wellbeing and change programmes.

Qualifications

• Proven ER casework management in a fast-paced, high-volume environment (hospitality, events, or similar).
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience overseeing payroll function.
• Experience coaching and influencing managers on people issues.
• Experience working with both permanent and casual workforces.
• Exposure to engagement, wellbeing, or culture programmes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trust at all levels.
• Pragmatic, balanced, and solutions-oriented approach to employee relations.
• Strong organisation and time management skills; comfortable managing multiple cases and priorities.
• Emotionally intelligent, empathetic, and resilient in navigating sensitive situations.

Responsibilities

• Manage ER casework (conduct, performance, grievance, attendance, and capability) to ensure fair, timely outcomes.
• Act as trusted advisor and coach to line managers to handle people issues effectively.
• Oversee payroll accuracy, controls, deadlines and performance.
• Oversee pay frameworks, pay reviews, benefits, and incentive structures.
• Oversee or assist with investigations and hearings, ensuring policy compliance and employment law.
• Maintain accurate, confidential ER documentation and reporting.
• Monitor ER data and trends to identify root causes and interventions.
• Support ER policies, guidance, and toolkits development and communication.
• Contribute to ER upskilling through workshops and guidance materials for managers.
• Partner with CFG/MCFC and EVSL HR teams for policy alignment.
• Partner with leaders on performance expectations and strategies.
• Facilitate talent reviews, succession planning, and high-potential development.
• Monitor and advise on performance improvement plans (PIPs).
• Ensure employment practices comply with legal requirements and internal policies.
• Identify people-related risks and mitigate with leaders.
• Keep leaders informed of HR policy updates and implications.
• Support annual reward cycles and alignment to internal frameworks and budgets.
• Promote wellbeing programs and champion diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Produce monthly/weekly reporting and identify improvement opportunities.
• Use HR metrics to identify trends and propose actions.
• Contribute to internal communications promoting connection and awareness.
• Translate data into strategic recommendations for the business.
• Support org restructures, role redesigns, and cultural change programmes.
• Work with local stakeholders including Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, Manchester City Council, City Football Group and OVG.
• Manage relationships with external service providers including staffing agencies.
• Demonstrate passion for planet-friendly spaces and driving positive change.

Skills

ER casework management

UK employment law

Payroll oversight

Coaching managers

Engagement & wellbeing

Data analysis

Communication

Organisational skills

Diversity & inclusion

Flexibility for evenings/weekends

Education

CIPD Level 5 qualification

HR systems experience

Tools

HR systems

Job description

This is an exciting, people‑generalist business partner role where every day brings new challenges as part of a busy, fast‑paced P&C team.

The primary focus of the role is Employee Relations (ER): managing and coaching managers through cases and staff issues, building capability, and ensuring consistent, legally sound, and values‑led people practices.

Alongside this, the role oversees payroll and reward and contributes to the delivery of performance management, employee engagement, and our inclusion and culture agenda, supporting initiatives that strengthen connection, wellbeing, and communication across our diverse workforce.

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee ER casework (conduct, performance, grievance, attendance, and capability) to ensure fair, timely, and consistent outcomes.
• Act as a trusted advisor and coach to line managers, building confidence and capability to handle people issues effectively.
• Oversee payroll accuracy, controls, deadlines and performance.
• Oversee pay frameworks, pay reviews, benefits, and incentive structures
• Oversee or assist with investigations and hearings, ensuring full adherence to policy, best practice, and employment law requirements.
• Maintain accurate, confidential ER documentation and ensure outcomes are properly recorded and reported.
• Monitor and analyse ER data and case trends to identify root causes and proactive interventions.
• Support the development, implementation, and communication of ER policies, guidance, and toolkits.
• Contribute to ER upskilling through workshops, coaching sessions, and guidance materials for managers.
• Partner with CFG/MCFC and EVSL HR teams to ensure shared standards and policy alignment.
• Partner with leaders to set performance expectations and strategies.
• Facilitate talent reviews, succession planning, and high‑potential development.
• Monitor and advise on performance improvement plans (PIPs).
• Ensure employment practices comply with legal requirements and internal policies.
• Identify people‑related risks and partner with leaders to mitigate them.
• Keep leaders informed of HR policy updates and implications.
• Support annual reward cycles and ensure alignment to internal frameworks and budget.
• Promote wellbeing programs and champion diversity and inclusion initiatives, driving inclusive practices into everything we do.
• Produce monthly/weekly reporting in your areas of responsibility as required, identifying opportunities to continuously improve what we do and think outside the box.
• Use HR metrics (turnover, sickness, DEI data, etc.) to identify trends and propose action.
• Contribute to internal communications activity that promotes connection and awareness across our team.
• Translate data into strategic recommendations for the business.
• Support org restructures, role redesigns, and cultural change programmes.
• Work with key local stakeholders including Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, Manchester City Council, City Football Group and OVG.
• Manage relationships with external service providers including staffing agencies.
• To have a genuine passion for creating a planet friendly space, challenging the norm, driving positive change, and acting as an ambassador for change to help us reach out target of carbon neutral by 2038.

Essential

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Proven experience managing ER casework in a fast-paced, high-volume environment (hospitality, events, or similar).
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience overseeing a payroll function
• Experience coaching and influencing managers on people issues.
• Experience working with both permanent and casual workforces.
• Exposure to engagement, wellbeing, or culture programmes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trust at all levels.
• Pragmatic, balanced, and solutions-oriented approach to employee relations.
• Strong organisation and time management skills; comfortable managing multiple cases and priorities.
• Analytical mindset — able to use data and feedback to drive improvements.
• Emotionally intelligent, empathetic, and resilient in navigating sensitive situations.
• Collaborative and inclusive; a role model for Co-op Live values and culture.
• Genuine passion for fostering a culture of belonging and respect across a diverse workforce.
• Flexible to work evenings and weekends to support events
• CIPD Level 5 qualification or equiv. minimum
• Good working HR systems experience

Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

We recognise the importance of safeguarding our people, fans and artists, you will be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS), details of which will be shared with you at interview/offer stage.

If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the ‘Eligibility to Work in the UK’ requirements.