HR People Partner in Takeley

Is this you? Are you the kind of HR professional who brings calm, clarity and confidence when businesses need it most? The person business owners trust because you combine commercial thinking with genuine empathy? At Breen & Associates, we believe HR should be people first. We’re an award-winning HR and People Development consultancy supporting ambitious SMEs across the UK. Our clients don’t want generic advice, they want trusted partners who understand business, communicate in plain English and help them build exceptional workplaces.

As we continue to grow, we’re looking for an exceptionally driven HR People Partner to join our team. This role is ideally suited to someone whose experience has primarily been gained within the UK private sector. Our clients are ambitious SMEs, owner-managed businesses and fast-growing organisations that need commercially focused, pragmatic HR support. You’ll understand the pace, priorities and realities of working in the private sector and be confident balancing employment law, commercial objectives and practical people solutions.

You’ll thrive here if you enjoy becoming a trusted adviser rather than simply providing HR advice. You’re also excited by the future of HR. Technology doesn’t intimidate you, it energises you. You’re naturally curious about emerging technologies, particularly AI, automation and digital tools, and you’re always looking for smarter ways to improve the way you work and the value you deliver to clients. You don’t see technology as replacing great HR. You see it as enhancing it.

You’re naturally fast-paced, comfortable experimenting, learning and embracing new ways of working, helping us remain at the forefront of modern, commercially focused HR consultancy.

About Us

What started at the kitchen table just a few years ago has grown into an award-winning consultancy that small businesses and SMEs love to work with. We provide HR services, training, coaching, and people development solutions across Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Bucks, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Wiltshire, London and beyond. We’re not your average HR consultancy. We’re passionate about people, bold in our thinking, and committed to delivering results through people.

This is an exciting opportunity to join Breen & Associates at a pivotal stage in our growth. We’re building something special and are looking for an exceptional HR People Partner who shares our ambition. This is more than just another HR role. It’s an opportunity to become a trusted adviser to ambitious business owners, help SMEs build stronger workplaces, embrace innovation, and play a genuine role in shaping the future of our consultancy.

We’re looking for someone who is commercially minded, driven by making a real impact, and excited by the opportunity to grow alongside us. If you thrive on building trusted relationships, solving complex people challenges, and helping businesses succeed through their people, we’d love to hear from you.

The Role

An exceptional HR People Partner, you will be the heartbeat of our clients’ people experience and to play a key part in helping our business grow. This isn’t your typical HR role. You will genuinely love people, enjoy variety, and want to make a real difference to businesses and the people who power them.

You’ll be the person our clients turn to when they need advice, reassurance, or a fresh perspective. Some days you’ll be drafting contracts, updating Breathe HR, or untangling a tricky employee issue. Other days you’ll be helping shape a people strategy, supporting a restructure, or running a workshop that leaves everyone feeling inspired and capable.

You’ll also get involved in the exciting bit, helping us grow. You’ll chat with potential new clients, walk them through what we do, and share the brilliant experiences and results our current clients have had. You’ll love connecting with people and helping them see how working with us makes their lives easier and their businesses stronger.

This role’s perfect for someone who’s naturally curious, down to earth, and not afraid to roll up their sleeves. You’ll balance the practical with the strategic, the people first with the business focused. You’ll spot opportunities to make HR more human, more effective, and more impactful and you’ll take real pride in doing the right thing for people and businesses alike.

Key Responsibilities

• Build trusted, lasting relationships with business owners, managers, and directors becoming their go to HR partner for practical advice and people solutions.
• Create a warm, approachable partnership experience where clients feel supported, understood, and confident in your guidance.
• Anticipate client needs and take initiative to improve processes, systems, and solutions before they’re asked for.
• Provide clear, down-to-earth HR advice that helps businesses stay compliant with UK employment law while treating people fairly and respectfully.
• Support clients with employee relations matters including disciplinaries, grievances, performance issues, and absence management with empathy and professionalism.
• Draft letters, update HR documents, and maintain HR systems such as BreatheHR, ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
• Help small and medium businesses build better workplaces by spotting opportunities to make HR more human, effective, and aligned with their goals.
• Champion Breen & Associates’ values - trusted, independent, impartial, creative, and courageous in every client interaction and implement our 3 Cs – Calm, Clarity and Confidence.

What You’ll need

• CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management (or equivalent) or working towards completion.
• Chartered Membership of the CIPD (Chartered MCIPD or FCIPD).
• Proven HR experience gained primarily within the UK private sector.
• Significant experience supporting SMEs, owner-managed businesses or fast-growing organisations.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance employment law with business objectives.
• Proven ability to operate strategically and provide expert guidance on complex HR and employment law matters.
• Strong understanding of organisational development, employee relations, and HR best practice within a UK employment law framework.
• Proven experience in an HR generalist, advisor, or business partner role ideally supporting small businesses or SMEs.
• Strong understanding of UK employment law, HR best practice, and people management principles.
• Confident in handling employee relations from disciplinaries and grievances to absence and performance management.
• Skilled in drafting contracts, policies, and letters, and experienced with HR systems such as BreatheHR.
• Comfortable facilitating HR workshops, training sessions, or people development programmes.
• Able to juggle multiple clients and priorities while maintaining quality and care in every interaction.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to translate HR speak into plain English that people actually understand.
• A proactive self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, growing consultancy environment.

Why Join Us Now?

Because you’ll be part of something special. We’re on a mission to change the way small and medium businesses see and experience HR, making it less about policies and paperwork, and more about people, performance, and possibilities. If you want to grow your career, make an impact, and have fun along the way, then Breen & Associates could be the place for you.

Ready to Make a Real Difference?

If you’re passionate about helping small businesses and SMEs thrive, love connecting with people, and want to play a key part in shaping how businesses look after their people, we’d love to hear from you.

To Apply

Send your CV and a short cover letter via BreatheHR telling us why this role feels like a great fit for you. We’d also love to hear about a time you made a real difference to a business or individual through your work, big or small, it all counts.

Breen & Associates is an equal opportunities employer, committed to championing Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB), creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive.