Senior HR Business Partner - Talent focused

Oakleaf Partnership; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking a Senior HR Business Partner to drive organisational effectiveness and talent strategy. In this hybrid role, you will partner with senior leaders to design a people strategy and lead initiatives in workforce planning and cultural transformation. Must have extensive experience in HR Business Partnering and hold a CIPD Level 7 qualification. The position offers a competitive package including a salary of up to £85,000 and a bonus structure.

Qualifications

• Extensive HR Business Partnering experience, ideally in a complex or regulated environment.
• Proven success in talent strategy and workforce design.
• Strong leadership skills with experience in developing HR professionals.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and delivery of the people plan aligned with organisational goals.
• Act as a trusted advisor influencing workforce and succession decisions.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, engagement, and inclusion.

Skills

HR Business Partnering experience

Talent strategy

Succession planning

Leadership skills

Stakeholder management

Communication abilities

Data-driven mindset

Education

CIPD Level 7 or equivalent

Job description

Senior HR Business partner - Talent Focused

• up to £85,000 + 5-10% bonus
• Permanent
• Hybrid - 3 days on site, central London
• ASAP start

Are you passionate about shaping the future of talent strategy and people capability? This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced People Partnering & Talent Manager to take a leading role in driving organisational effectiveness, workforce planning, and cultural transformation within a purpose‑led organisation. In this strategic position, you’ll partner with senior leaders to design and deliver a people strategy that empowers growth, builds leadership capability, and ensures the organisation is equipped for the future.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic People Leadership

• Lead the design and delivery of a forward‑looking people plan aligned with organisational goals.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, influencing workforce, succession, and organisational design decisions.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, engagement, and inclusion.
• Deputise for the Head of People when required, playing a key role in shaping people and culture strategy.

Talent Strategy & Workforce Planning

• Lead the full talent lifecycle - from attraction and selection to onboarding and retention.
• Build and implement an employer brand that supports diverse and inclusive hiring.
• Drive strategic workforce planning, identifying future capability needs and succession gaps.
• Partner with business leaders to create talent pipelines and leadership development initiatives.

Organisational Capability & Development

• Work closely with Organisational Development specialists to align capability and learning initiatives to strategic priorities.
• Use people analytics to drive insight‑led decisions and measure impact across talent initiatives.
• Lead on succession planning, identifying and developing high‑potential talent across the organisation.

Reward, Performance & Governance

• Oversee performance management frameworks and job evaluation processes.
• Ensure reward structures and benchmarking remain competitive and fair.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of employment law and HR governance, ensuring compliance and best practice.

About You

You’ll be a forward‑thinking people leader with the credibility and confidence to influence at senior level. You’ll thrive in a role that blends strategic partnering with hands‑on delivery.

What we’re looking for

• Extensive HR Business Partnering experience, ideally within a complex or regulated environment.
• Proven success in talent strategy, succession planning, and workforce design.
• Strong leadership skills with experience developing and coaching HR professionals.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication abilities.
• CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent) qualification.
• Data‑driven mindset with the ability to translate insights into actionable strategy.