Senior People Business Partner in Shefford

We are Central East ICB, the new organisationentrusted with serving more than 3.5 million people across Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and Hertfordshire.

We are responsible for making sure that the NHS can continue to support our community – now, and in the future. Everything we do will be guided by our core purpose: to do what best serves the population of this area.

We promise to focus on what makes the biggest difference to people’s lives – acting earlier to help prevent illness and detect disease and making it easier for our community to get the health care they need, closer to home, whenever that’s possible.

If you need support with the application process, please contact our People Team at [emailprotected] .

Read about our priorities in our strategy document, Our Way .

Job overview

The Senior People Business Partner will provide both strategic and operational people leadership across designated directorates within the Integrated Care Board (ICB). Acting as a trusted advisor to Directors and Senior Managers, the postholder will deliver expert guidance on employee relations, organisational change, workforce planning, and policy implementation. This role is pivotal in ensuring fair, timely, and legally compliant outcomes that protect patient care and uphold the organisation’s reputation, while driving a culture of engagement and continuous improvement.

Interviews for this role are planned for 22nd September 2026 and will take place in person at Priory House, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5TQ

Main duties of the job

Working in partnership with senior leaders, trade unions, and staff representatives, the Senior People Business Partner will translate ICB people priorities into actionable workforce plans that align with service objectives, financial constraints, and safe staffing requirements. They will lead on the development and implementation of workforce policies, performance management frameworks, and equality impact assessments, ensuring consistency and compliance across the organisation. Through data-driven insights, the postholder will identify workforce trends and hotspots, designing targeted interventions to improve organisational performance and staff experience.

This role requires a proactive and influential leader who can champion modernisation and best practice people management. The Senior people Business Partner will lead key change programmes, build managerial capability through coaching and development, and foster an inclusive and supportive working environment. By embedding Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion principles and promoting restorative approaches, the postholder will help position the ICB as an employer of choice, ensuring that people strategies enable the delivery of high-quality patient care and organisational objectives.

Working for our organisation

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities to achieve equity of access, experience and outcomes and to recognising and valuing people’s differences. We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity; we see this as a strength and part of our founding mission, values and behaviours. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers patient outcomes.

We are committed to creating the best place to work, where your contribution is valued, your wellbeing is supported and all our colleagues can reach their full potential. We welcome and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of their protected characteristic. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone, including making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition and support with the recruitment process for people with lived experience.

We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles.

We operate a Carer friendly working environment that is supportive and inclusive. We actively encourage Carers to self-identify themselves.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and commit to shortlisting suitable applicants who meet the essential criteria for an interview. Please inform us of any adjustments you may require.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This role will be providing directorate support to the Clinical Advisory and Population risk directorate which includes teams such as;

• Total Quality Management
• Quality Planning
• Quality Improvement & Patient Safety
• Research & Impact
• All Age Continuing Care

To lead and manage the day-to-day delivery of services or programmes within a defined portfolio, ensuring that objectives and performance standards are achieved. This includes the development of relevant policies and procedures related to the delivery of the service/programme.
To support the Head of Service and Lead Business Partner in implementing ICB and system strategies that improve quality, outcomes, and efficiency that may impact beyond own area of work.
To provide visible and supportive leadership, promoting collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement across teams and partners.
To contribute to system integration and service transformation through effective planning, delivery, and partnership working, working beyond own work area and providing expertise where required.

Person specification

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in a relevant field (e.g., health, care, public services, or management).
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, able to present complex information clearly to varied audiences.
• Significant experience in senior management within a complex organisation, ideally in health or public services.
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualification or equivalent
• Demonstrable success in delivering change, transformation, or service improvement programmes.
• Strong relationship-building and partnership-working skills across organisational boundaries.
• Champions inclusive leadership practices and addresses behaviours or systems that create barriers to equity or belonging.
• Experience of operating in politically sensitive environments and managing competing priorities.

Please Note:

• This vacancy may close before the advertised closing date if a sufficient number of suitable applications are received. We recommend submitting your application early to avoid disappointment.
• Successfully shortlisted applicants will be contacted by email with an invitation to interview.
• Please note that we do not pay interview expenses, all costs are incurred by the candidate.

Notes on completion of applications:

• All reference requests will be made to your employer/previous employers' HR Department, covering the previous 3 years of activity.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.
• All eligible staff will need to have gained clearance through a standard/enhanced DBS check prior to working.
• All posts are subject to a probationary period.