Senior Human Resources Business Partner

UPP; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

UPP, a leading UK provider of on-campus residential and academic infrastructure, seeks an experienced Senior HR Business Partner for a 12-month fixed-term contract in London. You will report to the Chief HR Officer and partner with the Executive Leadership Team to shape and deliver our people agenda.

You will drive organisational performance, leadership capability, talent development and engagement, while guiding complex employee relations and workforce planning.

Qualifications

• Significant HR Business Partnering experience, including support to senior stakeholders and corporate functions.
• Extensive knowledge of UK employment law and complex employee relations case management.
• Strong experience across organisational design, workforce planning, talent management and organisational change.
• Experience influencing Executive Leadership Teams and Senior Leadership Teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management, coaching and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to use data and insight to inform decisions and drive business outcomes.
• Commercial awareness, sound judgement and pragmatic problem-solving.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, evolving environment and balance multiple priorities effectively.

Responsibilities

• Partnering with senior leaders to develop and deliver commercially focused people plans.
• Providing expert advice and guidance on complex employee relations matters and employment legislation.
• Leading organisational design, restructuring, workforce planning and change management initiatives.
• Supporting talent management, succession planning and leadership development activities.
• Using people data and insights to influence decision-making and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Driving employee engagement, wellbeing and inclusion initiatives across the business.
• Coaching and developing leaders to strengthen people management capability.
• Working collaboratively with HR specialist teams to deliver effective people solutions and services.
• Contributing to strategic HR projects and business-wide initiatives.

Skills

HR business partnering

UK employment law

Organisation design

Workforce planning

Talent management

Organisational change

Leadership development

Data analytics

Stakeholder management

Commercial awareness

Coaching

Job description

At UPP, we’re proud to be the UK’s leading provider of on-campus residential and academic infrastructure. We create places where students can live, learn and thrive, working in long-term partnership with 15 universities across the UK.

We’re looking for an experienced and commercially minded Senior HR Business Partner to join our HR team on a 12-month fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. Reporting directly to the Chief HR Officer, this is a high-profile role that will partner with our Executive Leadership Team, Senior Leadership Team and corporate business leaders to shape and deliver our people agenda.

As our interim Senior HR Business Partner, you’ll act as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders, providing strategic and pragmatic people support across a diverse portfolio of corporate functions.

You’ll play a key role in driving organisational performance, leadership capability, talent development and employee engagement, whilst leading on complex employee relations matters, organisational change and workforce planning activities. Working closely with leaders across the business, you’ll help ensure our people strategy supports the delivery of UPP’s wider business objectives.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR professional who enjoys operating at both a strategic and operational level, influencing senior decision-making and delivering meaningful business outcomes.

The role is based at our London office near London Bridge, Cannon Street, Monument and Bank stations and offers hybrid working, with three days per week in the office and travel to other locations as required.

Key responsibilities include:

• Partnering with senior leaders to develop and deliver commercially focused people plans.
• Providing expert advice and guidance on complex employee relations matters and employment legislation.
• Leading organisational design, restructuring, workforce planning and change management initiatives.
• Supporting talent management, succession planning and leadership development activities.
• Using people data and insights to influence decision-making and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Driving employee engagement, wellbeing and inclusion initiatives across the business.
• Coaching and developing leaders to strengthen people management capability.
• Working collaboratively with HR specialist teams to deliver effective people solutions and services.
• Contributing to strategic HR projects and business-wide initiatives.

We’re looking for you to be experienced HR professional with a strong track record of partnering senior business leaders and delivering strategic people initiatives within a complex organisation, along with:

• Significant HR Business Partnering experience, including support to senior stakeholders and corporate functions.
• Extensive knowledge of UK employment law and complex employee relations case management.
• Strong experience across organisational design, workforce planning, talent management and organisational change.
• Experience influencing Executive Leadership Teams and Senior Leadership Teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management, coaching and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to use data and insight to inform decisions and drive business outcomes.
• Commercial awareness, sound judgement and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
• The ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, evolving environment and balance multiple priorities effectively.

You’ll be a credible and resilient HR professional who combines commercial thinking with strong people expertise. You’ll enjoy building trusted relationships, influencing at senior levels and finding practical solutions to complex challenges. Most importantly, you’ll share our values and be passionate about creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture.

In return, we are offering

a competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package including: 29 days' holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata), private medical insurance, pension scheme, life assurance, hybrid working and access to a range of wellbeing and lifestyle benefits.

UPP welcomes all applications and recognises the value of having a diverse and inclusive culture that reflects the communities we work with and positively impacts our people, student residents and university partners.

We understand that all disabilities, impairments and conditions are unique, so please let us know about any adjustments that would support you through our recruitment process and help you thrive at work.

Our core values of Innovation, Sustainability, Community, Partnership and Respect are fundamental to our culture and summarise what is important to our business and our people.