Dalton Recruitment is extremely pleased to have been instructed by one of their top clients to identify an exceptional Senior HR Business Partner to join a complex, fast-paced and operationally focused business, working in close partnership with the Chief Operating Officer and senior leadership team to shape and deliver the people agenda across its UK and European operations.
This is a maternity cover contract and is offered on an initial 12 month FTC basis.
Reporting directly to the People Director, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in aligning people strategy with commercial objectives, driving organisational performance, developing leadership capability and supporting a significant programme of cultural and business transformation.
This is a genuine business partering opportunity requiring an individual who can operate confidently at both strategic and operational levels, challenge and influence senior stakeholders, and deliver pragmatic, commercially focused people solutions.
The Role
As Senior HR Business Partner, you will act as a trusted advisor to the Chief Operating Officer and senior operational leadership team, providing strategic direction and expert guidance across all aspects of the people agenda.
Working across a diverse, multi-site and heavily unionised environment, you will be instrumental in developing high-performing teams, driving organisational effectiveness and ensuring the people strategy actively supports the delivery of business objectives.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Partnering with C-suite executives and senior operational leaders to develop and deliver commercially aligned people strategies.
- Leading strategic workforce planning, organisational design, talent management and succession planning initiatives.
- Driving leadership development, employee engagement and performance improvement across multiple business units.
- Providing expert guidance on complex employee relations and industrial relations matters within a highly unionised environment.
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with multiple trade unions, including leading negotiations and supporting annual pay review processes.
- Supporting significant organisational change and cultural transformation programmes, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement and sustainable outcomes.
- Coaching and influencing senior leaders to develop leadership capability, strengthen accountability and embed a high-performance culture.
- Identifying organisational capability gaps and implementing targeted initiatives to improve business performance.
- Working collaboratively with specialist HR teams to deliver consistent, commercially effective people solutions.
- Using people data, insights and performance metrics to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
About You
We are seeking an established and credible Senior HR Business Partner who brings a strong combination of strategic thinking, commercial awareness and operational HR expertise.
You will be comfortable operating in a complex international organisation, influencing at executive level and navigating the challenges associated with large-scale operational environments and multiple trade union relationships.
The role is based out of Woking 3 days with 2 days working from home but will require fairly extensive travel to their other UK and European sites and so the successful candidate must be in a position to be able to commit to this.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A substantial track record in a senior HR Business Partnering or equivalent strategic HR leadership role.
- Proven experience partnering directly with C-suite executives and senior operational leadership teams.
- Strong experience working within a complex, multi-site and international organisation.
- Significant employee relations and industrial relations expertise, ideally gained within a heavily unionised environment involving multiple trade unions.
- Excellent commercial acumen, including a sound understanding of business performance and P&L considerations.
- Demonstrable experience delivering organisational change, cultural transformation and performance improvement initiatives.
- Strong knowledge of workforce planning, talent management, succession planning and organisational design.
- Exceptional communication, relationship-building and influencing skills, with the confidence to constructively challenge senior stakeholders.
- A pragmatic, resilient and solutions-focused approach, with the ability to operate effectively in a demanding and constantly evolving environment.
- A relevant HR degree, CIPD qualification or equivalent professional qualification.
Experience gained within a large-scale operational, logistics, transport, maritime or similarly complex industrial environment would be particularly relevant.
The Opportunity
This is a high-profile appointment offering genuine scope to influence business performance and shape the people agenda within a substantial international organisation.
The successful individual will enjoy significant exposure to executive leadership, the opportunity to contribute to major strategic and transformation initiatives, and the autonomy to deliver meaningful and measurable business outcomes.
The role will particularly appeal to an ambitious, commercially minded HR professional who thrives on building trusted relationships, influencing organisational direction and making a tangible difference in a challenging operational environment.
Dalton Recruitment Ltd is acting as a recruitment agency in relation to this vacancy.
