Director of People Business Partnering (Ops)

The Director of People Business Partnering is responsible for leading the operational People Business Partnering function, ensuring the delivery of a strategic, commercially focused people service across the organisation's operational business.

Partnering closely with the Chief Care Officer and Operational leadership, the role provides strategic leadership on workforce planning, organisational performance, employee relations and leadership capability, ensuring the People Strategy supports operational priorities and business growth. The role also has overall accountability for the people workstream of acquisitions, leading all people related activity from due diligence through to operational integration. This includes project managing people integration plans, employee consultation, TUPE, organisational design and workforce readiness.

Responsibilities

• Strategic People Leadership & Operational Performance
  • Develop and deliver the operational People Strategy with the CPO, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives, growth plans, and operational priorities.
  • Partner with the Chief Care Officer and Operational leadership to influence business performance through effective people strategies and workforce planning.
  • Lead workforce planning, organisational design, and succession planning to ensure the operational business has the capability and capacity to deliver high quality services.
  • Use people analytics and workforce insights to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, driving data‑led decision making across the operational business.
  • Drive improvements in key people metrics, including retention, engagement, absence, workforce utilisation, and leadership capability.
  • Ensure people initiatives deliver measurable improvements in operational performance and employee experience.
  • Sponsor and lead strategic people initiatives that support business growth, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Leadership & Business Partnering
  • Lead, coach, and develop the People Business Partner team, ensuring a consistent, high quality service across the operational business.
  • Oversee complex employee relations matters and organisational change activity, providing strategic guidance and governance.
  • Ensure consistency in the application of employment legislation, policies, and HR best practice.
• Mergers, Acquisitions & Integration
  • Lead the people workstream for mergers, acquisitions and operational integrations from due diligence through to operational handover.
  • Project manage all people related acquisition activity, ensuring delivery against agreed timelines, governance and business objectives.
  • Lead workforce due diligence, organisational design, employee consultation, TUPE transfers and workforce readiness activities.
  • Coordinate cross‑functional delivery across People, Operations, Recruitment, Payroll, IT, Finance and Quality to ensure successful mobilisation and integration.
  • Identify, manage and elevate people related risks throughout acquisition programmes, ensuring appropriate mitigation plans are implemented.
  • Develop and oversee integration plans, ensuring acquired colleagues transition successfully into the organisation.
  • Following operational integration, transition responsibility to the regional People Business Partner whilst maintaining strategic oversight of integration outcomes, cultural alignment and people related risks until acquisition objectives have been achieved.
• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build trusted relationships with Executive Directors, Operational Directors, and senior leaders across the organisation.
  • Work collaboratively with Recruitment, Learning & Development, HR Operations, Finance, Quality, and Integration teams to deliver organisational priorities.
  • Represent the People function in strategic forums, governance meetings, and acquisition programmes.
  • Act as the senior escalation point for complex people matters across the operational business.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 7 qualification or equivalent experience.

Experience

• Significant senior HR Business Partnering experience within a large, multi‑site organisation.
• Experience leading and developing HR Business Partner teams.
• Experience partnering with Executive and Board level stakeholders.
• Experience leading organisational change, restructures, TUPE transfers, and consultation processes.
• Experience leading the people workstream for mergers, acquisitions, or large scale integrations.
• Experience developing and delivering strategic people plans aligned to business objectives.
• Experience using workforce data and analytics to influence strategic decision making.
• Experience within a regulated environment, ideally health and social care.

Skills and Competencies

• Strategic Business Partnering: Ability to align people strategy with operational objectives, providing strategic advice and challenge to senior leaders to drive organisational performance and sustainable growth.
• Leadership & People Development: Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop high‑performing People Business Partner teams, building capability and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Commercial & Operational Acumen: Strong understanding of operational performance, workforce planning, and commercial drivers, with the ability to balance people priorities with business objectives.
• Change, Integration & Project Leadership: Proven ability to lead complex organisational change, acquisitions, TUPE transfers, and large‑scale people programmes, ensuring effective planning, governance, and delivery.
• Stakeholder Management & Influencing: Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and collaborate effectively with Executive leaders, operational stakeholders, and cross‑functional teams.
• Analytical & Decision Making: Highly analytical, with the ability to interpret people data and business insights to inform strategic decision‑making, manage risk, and drive continuous improvement.

General Company Responsibilities

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): Employees are expected to promote and uphold the organisation’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion by fostering a respectful and inclusive working environment.
• Health and Safety: Employees must ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and organisational policies, and take responsibility for their personal safety and the safety of others.
• Training and Development: Employees must engage in all relevant Company mandatory training, workshops, and learning opportunities.
• Policies and Procedures: Employees must adhere to all organisational policies and procedures.