Location and Details
Location: Chelmsford / Maidstone
Advert Closing Date: 07/07/2026
Starting Salary: £53,451.00 (pro‑rata for part‑time vacancies)
Part/Full Time: Full Time
Contract Type: Secondment/fixed‑term
Working Pattern: Mon‑Fri
Weekend/Evening Working: No
Role Overview
Kent Police and Essex Police are seeking an experienced and resilient HR Business Partner to provide high‑impact, strategic HR support within a complex, high‑profile public sector environment. This is a senior advisory role, working closely with Chief Officers, senior leaders and operational managers, where you will influence decision‑making, shape workforce strategies and support organisational change across two Forces. You will operate as a trusted professional adviser, balancing operational urgency, legal compliance and organisational risk in a policing context.
Responsibilities
- Provide expert HR advice across the full employee lifecycle, managing complex and sensitive employee relations cases including discipline, grievance, capability, absence management and family‑related matters.
- Act as a strategic partner to senior leaders, supporting workforce planning, organisational design and change initiatives aligned to Force priorities.
- Interpret and apply employment law, police regulations, terms and conditions and HR policy, ensuring consistency, fairness and legal compliance.
- Support and influence leaders through periods of organisational change and transformation, ensuring people risks are identified and effectively managed.
- Work collaboratively with HR and Learning and Development colleagues to deliver integrated people solutions.
- Build constructive relationships with staff associations and trade unions, contributing to consultation and negotiation processes.
- Use workforce data and management information to identify trends, support evidence‑based decision‑making and shape strategic HR interventions.
Qualifications and Experience
Strong people professional with experience planning and delivering a high‑performing HR/ER service, with a background in changing operating environments that require the service to adapt and develop. Experience at this level, strong technical knowledge of UK employment law, ability to apply pragmatically in high‑risk situations, proven experience managing complex employee relations casework, confidence working with senior leaders, coaching and influencing at executive level, ability to work at pace balancing competing priorities while maintaining professional judgement and accuracy. Desired but not essential experience within policing, emergency services, public sector or similarly complex operational environments and supporting large‑scale organisational change or workforce transformation programmes. Must hold Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (MCIPD) status. Base location of work: Essex Police Headquarters, Chelmsford or Kent Police Headquarters, Maidstone; candidate must be able to travel within Essex and Kent.
Benefits and Development
- Opportunity to work at the heart of public service, influencing how policing organisations support and develop their people.
- Exposure to complex, varied and high‑impact HR work that goes well beyond a traditional HR role.
- Supportive HR leadership and a collaborative, professional HR community.
- Flexible and hybrid working options, balancing operational needs with wellbeing.
- Competitive public sector benefits, including pension and leave entitlement.
Equal Opportunities
Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status. Essex Police is a Disability Confident Leader. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are central to the values of our organisation. We are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.
