HR Business Partner

Interim HR Business Partner
3-Month Interim Contract with Potential FTC Opportunity
Salary: £50,000 - £60,000
Hybrid – 2 days in the office / 3 days at home with some flex
Location: Cambridge
Start Date: By 3rd August at the latest
 
About the Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced and commercially focused HR Business Partner to join the HR team on an initial three-month interim assignment. This role has arisen due to a secondment within the team and offers an excellent opportunity for the successful candidate to gain valuable exposure to a complex and rewarding HR environment, with the potential to apply for the longer-term fixed-term contract role covering the full secondment period.
 
The successful candidate will join a close-knit HR team and work closely with senior stakeholders across a dynamic client group. Given the complexity of the business area, cultural fit is critical. We are looking for someone who is collaborative, pragmatic, resilient and able to navigate situations that are rarely straightforward.
 
Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner, you will partner with leaders and managers, providing expert HR guidance across a broad range of employee relations and organisational change activities.
 
Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted HR Business Partner to leaders and managers across your client group.
• Manage a varied and complex employee relations caseload, typically handling 5-6 cases at any one time.
• Coach and support managers through employee relations matters, including capability, disciplinary, grievance and absence management cases.
• Lead and support organisational change projects, restructures and redundancy programmes.
• Manage both collective and individual redundancy consultation processes.
• Partner with stakeholders to deliver pragmatic people solutions aligned to business needs.
• Work effectively with recognised trade unions, navigating consultation and engagement processes.
• Support organisational effectiveness and continuous improvement initiatives.

 
About You
We're looking for a confident and experienced HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys working through complex people challenges.
 
Essential Experience

• Significant experience operating as an HR Business Partner within a complex organisation.
• Strong employee relations expertise, including managing complex and sensitive cases.
• Proven experience supporting restructures, organisational change and redundancy consultations.
• Experience coaching and influencing demanding senior stakeholders.
• Ability to navigate situations where solutions are not always clear-cut and require balanced judgement.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working under pressure whilst managing competing priorities.
• Experience working in unionised environments with recognised trade unions.

 
The Person
Success in this role will come from your ability to:

• Build credibility quickly with stakeholders.
• Take a proactive and engaging approach.
• Operate with agility and pragmatism rather than rigid adherence to process.
• Effectively assess the "grey areas" of employee relations and provide balanced recommendations.
• Collaborate with colleagues and contribute positively to team culture.
• Remain calm, professional and solutions-focused when dealing with demanding stakeholders.

 
Recruitment Process

• Two-stage interview process
• Interviews taking place next week
• Immediate availability preferred
• Successful candidate should be able to start no later than 3rd August to allow for a comprehensive handover.

 
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR Business Partner looking to make an immediate impact within a supportive team and a people-focused organisation, with the potential for longer-term opportunities for the right individual.