Strategic HR Business Partner

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council; Oldbury; On-site; GBP 57,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandwell Council is seeking a Strategic HR Business Partner to help shape the future of the council and its workforce. In this senior role, you will work with Executive Directors and senior leaders to use insights and workforce data to drive strategic decisions.

The role focuses on organisational transformation, workforce planning, leadership capability and culture change, supported by Centres of Excellence.

Qualifications

• Significant experience operating as a senior HR Business Partner or equivalent strategic people leadership role.
• Proven track record of influencing senior leaders and supporting organisational transformation and change.
• Experience of workforce planning, organisational design and people strategy development.
• Strong commercial and organisational awareness, with the ability to balance long‑term priorities with operational realities.
• Excellent analytical capability, with the ability to interpret workforce data and translate insight into meaningful action.
• Outstanding relationship‑building, coaching and influencing skills.
• The confidence to challenge constructively whilst building credibility and trust.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted adviser, coach and critical friend to Executive Directors and senior leaders.
• Anticipate future challenges, identify opportunities and make informed decisions that support long-term organisational success.
• Use workforce intelligence and analytics to translate insights into workforce strategies and solutions.
• Work with Centres of Excellence to deliver tailored HR interventions and support strategic partnering.
• Influence at the highest levels to shape organisational transformation and workforce planning.

Skills

Senior HRBP

Influence senior leaders

Workforce planning

Organisational design

People strategy

Analytical capability

Relationship building

Coaching

Leadership capability

High-performing cultures

Job description

Job Title:Strategic HR Business Partner

Salary: Band I, SCP 44-47 (£57,444 - £60,973 per annum)

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: Sandwell Council House, Freeth Street, Oldbury, B69 3DE

Contract: Permanent, Full time

Ready to help shape the future of Sandwell Council, we're building something special.

This is more than a traditional HR Business Partner role.

This is an opportunity to play a leading role in helping Sandwell Council achieve its ambition of becoming an Outstanding Council, working alongside Executive Directors, senior leaders and elected members to shape the future of our organisation, our workforce and the services we deliver to our communities.

Following a retirement and career progression, we have two permanent Strategic HR Business Partner opportunities available within our People Services team.

If you're an experienced strategic HR professional who thrives on influencing at the highest levels, enjoys using insight to drive better decision-making, and is passionate about helping organisations achieve their full potential, we'd love to hear from you.

Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to operate as one of the Council's most senior people professionals.

Working directly alongside Executive Directors, Corporate Leadership Team members and senior leaders, you'll have the freedom and autonomy to shape thinking, bring fresh perspectives and help shape strategic decisions that impact the organisation as a whole.

You’ll be part of a forward-thinking HR & OD function that is moving beyond traditional HR support to become a truly strategic partner to the business. You’ll help leaders move conversations away from instinct and toward insight, bringing meaningful workforce data, evidence and future-focused thinking to the table. You’ll provide the challenge, support and strategic perspective needed to make better decisions and achieve better outcomes.

This is an opportunity to influence the big agenda; organisational transformation, workforce planning, leadership capability, culture, organisational design and the future shape of our workforce.

About the Role

You’ll act as a trusted adviser, coach and critical friend to Executive Directors and senior leaders, helping them anticipate future challenges, identify opportunities and make informed decisions that support long-term organisational success.

This role isn’t just about solving today’s challenges. It is about shaping the future, helping leaders anticipate tomorrow’s world and making a difference.

You’ll use workforce intelligence, labour market insight, people data and organisational analytics to identify emerging trends, risks and opportunities, translating them into workforce strategies and solutions that improve organisational performance and resilience.

A key feature of this role is our new HR operating model. Working alongside specialist Centres of Excellence across Organisational Development, Learning & Development, Workforce Planning, Talent Acquisition and HR Policy, you’ll focus on strategic workforce priorities while drawing on expert support to deliver tailored solutions. Acting as the link between business needs and specialist expertise, you’ll commission interventions at the right time and in the right place, creating the space for genuine strategic partnering

About You

We’re looking for a strategic thinker, trusted adviser and influential leader who is comfortable operating at the highest levels of a complex organisation.

You will bring:

• Significant experience operating as a senior HR Business Partner or equivalent strategic people leadership role.
• A proven track record of influencing senior leaders and supporting organisational transformation and change.
• Experience of workforce planning, organisational design and people strategy development.
• Strong commercial and organisational awareness, with the ability to balance long‑term priorities with operational realities.
• Excellent analytical capability, with the ability to interpret workforce data and translate insight into meaningful action.
• Outstanding relationship‑building, coaching and influencing skills.
• The confidence to challenge constructively whilst building credibility and trust.
• A passion for organisational improvement, leadership excellence and high‑performing cultures.

Most importantly, you’ll be ambitious for Sandwell, excited by change and motivated by the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the future of our organisation.

Why Sandwell?

This is an organisation with ambition, momentum and a genuine commitment to improvement. You’ll join a Council that is challenging itself to think differently, work differently and continually improve as we work towards becoming an Outstanding Council.

In return, you’ll have the opportunity to influence strategic decisions, shape workforce priorities, develop future leaders and help create an organisation where people and services can thrive.

Thank you for your interest in joining Sandwell Council. There has never been a more exciting time to be part of our journey. Building on significant improvements over recent years, we are continuing to modernise, innovate and strengthen the way we work as we strive to become an Outstanding Council. Join us and help shape the next chapter of our success story.

We reserve the right to close vacancies prior to their advertised date if we receive a large number of applications. Therefore, you are strongly advised to complete and return your application as soon as possible. Please note that we are only able to contact those applicants who have been shortlisted. If you do not hear from us within 14 days after the closing date you been unsuccessful on this occasion. We expect a high number of applications for this role. We apologise and hope you understand.

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