Senior HR Business Partner

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A major university NHS trust in the UK is seeking a Senior HR Business Partner to join its Workforce & OD team. This role involves providing strategic HR support to enhance workforce management and improve patient service delivery. The ideal candidate will have a strong HR background, experience in the NHS, and proven leadership skills. This is a permanent, full-time position offering a salary range of £64,455 to £74,896 per annum. Flexible working patterns are available.

Qualifications

• High level of general education to degree level or equivalent.
• Extensive operational experience, working within the NHS and gained in a progressive HR function.
• Understanding of national NHS agenda and contributions at a strategic level.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality strategic workforce support service.
• Ensure best practice people management across the workforce function.
• Lead on organisational development and change initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Employee relations

Change management

Strategic planning

Education

Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management

Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Masters level qualification in Human Resources Management

Job description

Go back Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Senior HR Business Partner

The closing date is 30 December 2025

A dynamic opportunity has arisen for a Senior HR Business Partner to join our Workforce & OD team with the Specialist Hospitals Clinical Group covering Saint Mary's MCS, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and Royal Manchester Children's Hospitals.

You will work alongside and support the HR Business Partners and wider Workforce and OD team in the provision of a high quality strategic and operational people management support service to ensure best practice people management.

The role will provide an excellent opportunity to develop and expand your skills and experience as an HR professional and senior HRBP role leading a team and driving workforce KPIs and OD workstreams.

Main duties of the job

The Senior HR Business Partner will be responsible for:

• The provision of high quality strategic and professional workforce and OD support service in a clinical group that employs over 6,500 employees.
• Ensuring best practice people management within their areas of responsibility and across the wider workforce function.
• HR expertise to business decision making and develop innovative people solutions to support business plans and strategy, in partnership with Hospital & Divisional leads.
• Management and oversight of large scale and complex case load and employment tribunal cases.
• Ensuring the operational and transformational Workforce & OD services are aligned with Annual Plans and the SHCG Workforce Strategy and to lead on organisational development and change initiatives including Trust-wide workstreams.
• To promote partnership working and the delivery of a proactive and customer‑centred service, which improves both the service, workforce and the patient experience.

About us

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe – what better place to shape and develop your leadership career. We deliver care to over 1 million patients & users each year through our 10 hospitals and extensive community services. Our 30 000 plus strong workforce is central to our success and innovation. You will play a pivotal part in supporting our operational excellence and strategic ambitions. You'll work collaboratively with clinical and non‑clinical teams, driving improvements that enhance patient experience, staff wellbeing, and service efficiency across the Trust. MFT offers a dynamic, inclusive environment where your leadership, ideas, and expertise are valued. You'll have access to professional development, digital tools and opportunities to contribute to transformational projects that shape the future of healthcare delivery. We are committed to supporting your growth and wellbeing, recognising the vital role you play in our organisation's success. Join us and help shape the future of our Trust – make a real difference to our teams, our services, and our communities, and fundamentally, our patients.

Job responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information you’ll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application: Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re 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.

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.

Person Specification

Education

• High level of general education to degree level or equivalent
• Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management or equivalent relevant professional qualification
• Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
• Masters level qualification in Human Resources Management or equivalent knowledge, training and experience
• Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Experience

• Extensive operational experience, working within the NHS and gained in a progressive HR function. This will include evidence of leading on complex disciplinaries, grievances, discrimination complaints and multi‑faceted investigations.
• Evidence of the development and implementation of strategies to proactively manage sickness absence within Divisions/Trustwide.
• Extensive experience of Trade Union consultation and negotiation on local and Trustwide policies and changes.
• Experience of managing an HR team and responding to a rapidly evolving workforce agenda.

Knowledge

• An understanding of the national NHS agenda and the Human Resource contribution at both a strategic and operational level
• Advanced understanding of the principles of change management and able to demonstrate a successful track record of major organisational change
• Detailed understanding of Employment Law, current HR Practice and medical employment issues
• Knowledge of Medical Staffing employment issue

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full‑time, Job share, Flexible working, Compressed hours