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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Support HR initiatives and build relationships with teams across the UK and Ireland.
- Company: Avantor, a global leader in life sciences, focused on innovation.
- Benefits: Fully remote role with flexible hours and opportunities for career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a meaningful scientific environment while advancing your HR career.
- Qualifications: 5+ years of HR experience and strong knowledge of UK employment law.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for travel and professional development.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Avantor Powering the Future of Life Sciences. Avantor’s Lab and Production Services (LPS) team is the engine behind our customers' scientific and manufacturing success. LPS delivers on-site laboratory, production, and operational support across world-leading research, biopharma, and advanced technology environments. As our HR Business Partner for UK & Ireland, you’ll support the people who keep these critical scientific operations running. This is a fully remote role, ideally based near Cambridge or Stevenage, with regular UK travel and ad-hoc travel to Ireland, so full flexibility is essential. You will report directly to the HR Manager UK & Ireland.
The Opportunity
You’ll partner with the UK HRSP and HRBP LPS Europe to deliver HR support across a population of 350 colleagues in the UK and 50 in Ireland. You’ll be the key HR contact for LPS teams, engineers, and Managers in both the UK and Ireland, supporting them with day-to-day HR needs and BAU activity. This role blends hands-on operational HR with the opportunity to grow your strategic capability in a global life sciences organisation.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Strategic HR Support
- Deliver HR initiatives aligned with business needs across UK & Ireland.
- Partner with global HRBPs and Centres of Excellence to support regional goals.
- Provide guidance on HR processes, policies, and best practices.
- Support engagement, communication, and change initiatives across multiple sites.
- Build strong relationships with Managers in both countries.
- Employee Relations & Compliance
- Act as the primary contact for escalated ER matters across UK & Ireland LPS sites.
- Lead consistent ER processes, investigations, and case management.
- Support conflict resolution, grievances, and disciplinary actions.
- Ensure compliance with UK and Irish employment legislation.
- Rework and align Irish policies using appropriate legal resources.
- Absence, Wellbeing & Occupational Health
- Own absence management across LPS, including long-term sickness support.
- Partner with Occupational Health and H&S to support wellbeing.
- Implement reasonable adjustments, including mental health and chronic conditions.
- Align Irish absence processes with UK frameworks.
- Onboarding & Compliance
- Conduct Horus screening, RTW checks (via third-party portal), and OH screening.
- Ensure accurate new starter documentation and requisition management.
- Support compliance processes, including those handled by HRSSC.
- Projects & Operational Excellence
- Support HR due diligence for M&A activity.
- Contribute to enterprise-wide HR initiatives and process improvements.
- Help track HR metrics and support data reporting.
- Assist with transitioning work to HRSSC or overseas teams.
What You Bring
- 5+ years of HR experience, ideally in a generalist or multi-site role.
- Strong ER capability and confidence handling complex cases.
- Knowledge of UK employment law; Irish employment law highly desirable.
- Strong data and HR systems skills.
- Ability to balance hands-on admin with strategic support.
- A full driving licence and flexibility to travel weekly in the UK and ad-hoc to Ireland.
- A proactive, detail-focused approach and a desire to grow as an HRBP.
Who you are
You’re organised, people-focused, and comfortable working independently in a fully remote role. You enjoy variety, build trust quickly, and thrive in environments where science, operations, and service delivery come together. You’re motivated by supporting teams who contribute to meaningful scientific and operational outcomes.
Your First 36 Months
- Take ownership of absence management across LPS.
- Build strong relationships with Managers across the UK and Ireland.
- Integrate H&S into HR processes.
- Streamline OH and absence processes across both countries.
- Establish credibility within the LPS Ireland environment.
Ready to Join Avantor?
If you want to support teams shaping the future of science and grow your HR career in a global, purpose-driven organisation, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and help us advance science for a better world.
HR Business Partner in Cambridge employer: Avantor
Contact Detail:
Avantor Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land HR Business Partner in Cambridge
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Avantor on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching Avantor's culture and values. Think about how your experience aligns with their mission in life sciences. We want to see that you're not just a fit on paper but also in spirit!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your responses to common HR scenarios. Be ready to discuss your approach to employee relations and compliance issues. We love candidates who can demonstrate their problem-solving skills with real-life examples.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Avantor.
We think you need these skills to ace HR Business Partner in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the HR Business Partner role. Highlight your relevant experience, especially in employee relations and compliance, and don’t forget to mention any specific knowledge of UK and Irish employment law.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to showcase your passion for HR and how you can support Avantor's mission. Mention your ability to build strong relationships and your proactive approach to HR challenges.
Showcase Your Strategic Thinking: In your application, emphasise your experience with strategic HR initiatives. We want to see how you've contributed to business goals in the past and how you plan to do the same at Avantor.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Avantor
✨Know Your HR Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of UK and Irish employment law. Be ready to discuss how you've handled complex employee relations cases in the past. This role requires a strong understanding of HR processes, so be prepared to share specific examples from your experience.
✨Show Your Strategic Side
This position blends operational HR with strategic support, so think about how you can demonstrate your ability to align HR initiatives with business needs. Prepare to discuss any previous projects where you contributed to HR process improvements or supported change initiatives.
✨Build Relationships
Since you'll be working closely with managers across the UK and Ireland, it's crucial to show that you can build strong relationships. Think of examples where you've successfully collaborated with teams or resolved conflicts, and be ready to share those stories during the interview.
✨Flexibility is Key
Given the remote nature of the role and the travel requirements, highlight your flexibility and adaptability. Be prepared to discuss how you've managed your time and priorities in previous roles, especially when it comes to balancing hands-on tasks with strategic responsibilities.
