Senior HR Business Partner
Salary: £50,000 per annum
Location: Avonmouth Port, Bristol (On-site)
Contract: Permanent, full time
Position Overvie
wWe are seeking a highly autonomous, proactive, and seasoned Senior HR Business Partner to take full ownership of our HR operations at our Bristol site. Operating in a standalone capacity, you will be the sole on-site HR presence, serving as the trusted advisor to the entire unit—from frontline operational teams to the Business Unit Director
.
While you will lead the site independently, you will be supported remotely by a centralised HR team (covering recruitment, admin, and specialist functions) based at our European headquarters in Portugal. This role is ideal for a hands-on HR professional who thrives on autonomy, possesses a continuous improvement mindset, and wants to shape HR processes from the ground u
p.
Key Responsibilit
iesStrategic HR & Stakeholder Managem
- entAct as the primary HR point of contact and trusted advisor for all site employees and leadership, including the Business Unit Direct
- or.Align HR strategies with local business objectives, driving engagement, performance management, and employee relatio
- ns.Provide coaching and guidance to line managers on UK employment law, policy interpretation, and best practic
es.Autonomous Site Managem
- entLead and manage all day-to-day HR processes autonomously on-site, ensuring compliance with UK legislati
- on.Partner with the remote HQ functions in Portugal to seamlessly implement global HR initiatives at the Bristol si
- te.Identify gaps in current processes and proactively design and implement continuous improvement initiativ
es.Payroll & Administration (Evolutionary Responsibili
- ty)Oversee the current outsourced payroll provider, ensuring accuracy and compliance for the Bristol workforce (currently <20 employee
- s).Future Scope: Take full internal ownership of the end-to-end payroll process for the Bristol site as the function transitions in-hou
se.Experience & Qualificati
- onsSenior HR Experience: Proven track record operating at a Senior HR Advisor or HRBP level, ideally within a standalone role or a decentralised, multinational organisati
- on.Industry Background: Experience working within industrial, logistics, manufacturing, or port-based environments is highly desirab
- le.Payroll Knowledge: Practical experience with UK payroll processing is a significant advantage/big plus, given the future transition of the payroll functi
- on.Legal Expertise: Strong, up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law and employee relatio
- ns.Education/Certification: CIPD qualification (Level 5 or 7) or equivalent experience is preferr
ed.Key Attributes for Succ
- essHigh Autonomy: Comfortable working as the sole HR representative on-site, managing reporting lines to a remote manager in Portug
- al.Proactive & Solution-Oriented: A self-starter who doesn't wait for direction, possesses strong initiative, and is driven by continuous improveme
- nt.Versatile Communication: Ability to build strong relationships and communicate effectively with a diverse workforce, from operational staff on the floor to executive directo