Strategic HR Business Partner: Leadership & Talent

COWI; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days holiday

Private health care

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Maternity/Paternity leave

Job summary

COWI is seeking an HR Business Partner to work with UK & Ireland leadership, implementing the people strategy and driving performance and engagement across the business. You will partner with senior leaders, manage employee relations, advise on UK employment law, and support acquisitions and integrations while shaping organisational capability in a complex matrix environment.

This role is based in Derby or Glasgow with occasional travel, offering hybrid working, a strong benefits package,

Qualifications

• Significant HR/P&O Business Partner experience within a complex organisation.
• Experience working with leaders to provide guidance, support, and shape key decisions.
• Extensive knowledge of employee relations and experience handling complex cases.
• Comprehensive knowledge of UK employment law.
• Ability to interpret people data and provide meaningful business insight.
• Highly developed skills in communication, building relationships, and managing stakeholders.
• Experience supporting acquisition and integration activities.
• Fully CIPD qualified/chartered member or equivalent.
• Solid communication, persuasion and relationship-building skills.
• Experience within engineering, consultancy, construction or professional services environments.
• Experience working within a matrix or international organisation.

Responsibilities

• Provide trusted advisory to business leaders on people matters.
• Align people priorities with business objectives and support the People Strategy implementation.
• Translate business needs into practical people solutions to enhance performance.
• Coach leaders to build leadership capability and onboarding.
• Facilitate leadership development initiatives per the Leadership Pipeline.
• Support talent reviews and succession planning to grow and retain talent.
• Analyse people data to inform decision-making and monitor trends.

Skills

HR Business Partner experience

Employee relations expertise

UK employment law knowledge

Communication & stakeholder management

Acquisition/integration experience

Matrix/international organisation

Education

Fully CIPD qualified/chartered member or equivalent

Job description

COWI is seeking an HR Business Partner to work with UK & Ireland leadership, implementing the people strategy and driving performance and engagement across the business. You will partner with senior leaders, manage employee relations, advise on UK employment law, and support acquisitions and integrations while shaping organisational capability in a complex matrix environment.

This role is based in Derby or Glasgow with occasional travel, offering hybrid working, a strong benefits package,