HR People Partner

We are partnering with a large, well-established organisation to recruit a HR People Partner to join a fast-paced operational site. This is a varied and highly visible role within the wider People function, offering the opportunity to support both day-to-day HR operations and wider people initiatives that drive engagement, performance, and culture.

We are looking for someone who is adaptable, proactive, and comfortable working in a dynamic environment where priorities can shift. The successful candidate will enjoy balancing operational HR support with strategic people-focused activity, building strong relationships across the business and providing practical, commercially focused advice.

This is a hands-on role where no two days are the same. You will work closely with site leaders and managers to support a positive, high-performing working environment while contributing to ongoing improvement initiatives across the organisation.

This is a contract role for around 3 months, offering hybrid working, with 1–2 days per week from home, alongside flexible working arrangements such as the option of a four-day week.

Duties and Responsibilities

* Build strong and credible relationships with operational leaders to understand business priorities and support delivery of the people agenda

* Act as a trusted HR partner to managers, providing pragmatic and solutions-focused advice across a broad range of people matters

* Manage employee relations casework including absence, conduct, grievance and performance matters, ensuring a fair, consistent and commercially balanced approach

* Adapt quickly to changing business needs and support managers in a fast-moving operational environment

* Analyse HR data and people metrics to identify trends, risks and opportunities to improve performance and engagement

* Coach and support managers to build confidence and capability in people management

* Support workforce planning, organisational change and operational people initiatives

* Contribute to employee engagement activity and help foster an inclusive and positive workplace culture

* Work collaboratively with employee representatives and support consultation processes where required

* Support recruitment activity and talent pipeline planning across operational teams

* Ensure performance management processes are effectively embedded and completed within required timescales

* Contribute to HR projects, process improvements and wider organisational initiatives

* Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation and ensure compliance across all HR activity

Essential Criteria

* Proven experience within a generalist HR role in a fast-paced operational environment

* Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to manage changing priorities and a varied workload

* Strong working knowledge of core HR disciplines including employee relations, engagement, workforce planning and performance management

* Confident managing complex and sensitive employee relations matters

* Ability to interpret HR data and use insights to support practical decision-making

* Strong communication and influencing skills with the confidence to build relationships and challenge constructively where required

* Organised, proactive and comfortable working both independently and collaboratively

Desirable Criteria

* CIPD qualified or working towards

* Experience working within a unionised environment

* Exposure to learning and development or talent initiatives

* Familiarity with HR systems and reporting tools

What’s on Offer

* A varied and hands-on HR role with genuine opportunity to make an impact

* Exposure to both operational and strategic HR activity within a large organisation

* Opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and influence the people agenda

* Hybrid working model with flexibility, including a four-day week option

* Strong focus on learning, development and career progression

* Supportive and collaborative working environment with involvement in meaningful people projects