HR Business Partner in Birmingham

Your Role

As a

Description

Your Role

As a Gensler HR Business Partner, you will be based in our Birmingham office and will play a key role in delivering a responsive, organised and commercially aware HR service to the Birmingham team. Reporting to the Senior HR Manager and working closely with the Regional HR Director and London HR team, you will act as the primary local HR point of contact for the Birmingham office, supporting team members, managers and office leadership with both day-to-day HR administration and first-line HR advice.
While you will be the primary HR representative based in Birmingham, you will not be working in isolation. You will sit alongside our established Birmingham Admin team, providing a collaborative and supportive local working environment, while also being connected to the wider regional HR team. The role offers a high degree of autonomy, and you will be trusted to take ownership of local HR matters, manage priorities independently and use your judgement to resolve issues or determine when escalation is appropriate.
This is a hands-on and varied role within a fast-paced, creative and collaborative environment. The role combines a significant administrative remit with advisory responsibility, requiring someone who is highly organised, detail-focused and confident managing a broad range of HR processes, documentation, employee lifecycle activities and people-related queries. You will be expected to work proactively, anticipate the needs of the Birmingham office and confidently manage day-to-day HR activity with minimal supervision, while handling sensitive or complex situations with professionalism, discretion and care.
You will work closely with the wider regional HR team to support a consistent employee experience across the Europe region, while taking day-to-day ownership of ensuring the Birmingham office receives effective local HR support. You will provide first-line advice to managers and employees, maintain accurate HR records and documentation, support HR processes and initiatives, and assist the Senior HR Manager and Regional HR Director with employee relations matters, performance processes and wider people priorities.

What You Will Do

• Act as the local HR point of contact for the Birmingham office, responding to day-to-day HR queries from team members, managers and office leadership.
• Provide first-line HR advice on policies, procedures and employment practices.
• Support Birmingham office leadership in an advisory and administrative capacity, helping ensure people matters are managed fairly, consistently and in line with agreed processes.
• Maintain accurate HR records, employee files and documentation, ensuring information is up to date, confidential and managed in accordance with data protection requirements.
• Coordinate and administer employee lifecycle processes, including onboarding, probationary reviews, contract changes, family leave, flexible working requests, absence processes, leavers and exit documentation.
• Prepare HR letters, meeting notes, process documents and follow-up correspondence, ensuring accuracy, consistency and appropriate tone.
• Assist with employee relations matters, including performance concerns, conduct issues, grievances, sickness absence and other sensitive workplace situations.
• Assist with the coordination of ER processes by organising meetings, preparing documentation, taking notes, tracking actions and ensuring timely follow-up.
• Support managers with performance management administration, including preparation of support plans, documentation of expectations, meeting records and review timelines.
• Work collaboratively with Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Benefits, Payroll and other HR colleagues to ensure joined-up support for Birmingham team members.
• Support local implementation and administration of regional and firmwide HR initiatives, including engagement, wellbeing, inclusion, learning and development, and professional development programmes.
• Assist with annual HR processes such as performance reviews, promotions, compensation review activities, engagement surveys and employee communications.
• Produce and maintain HR reports, data trackers and employee information, using HR data to identify themes, support decision-making and ensure effective follow-up.
• Contribute to the improvement of HR processes, templates and workflows to support efficient service delivery across the Birmingham office and wider Europe region.
• Support office culture and engagement activities, working with local leadership and the wider HR team to promote a positive, inclusive and collaborative working environment.
• Manage competing priorities in a busy environment, remaining calm, organised, responsive and solutions-focused.
• Other duties and responsibilities as appropriate.

Your Qualifications

• 5+ YOE experience in an HR Business Partner, HR coordinator, HR assistant or HR advisory role, ideally within a professional services, design, creative or fast-paced commercial environment.
• Strong HR administration experience, with the ability to manage HR records, documentation, correspondence, trackers and process coordination accurately and efficiently.
• Knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice, with experience applying policies and procedures in a practical and consistent way.
• Experience supporting employee relations processes, including performance, conduct, absence, grievances and workplace concerns.
• Ability to handle sensitive and complex situations with discretion, sound judgement and emotional intelligence, escalating appropriately where required.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the confidence to build credibility and trusted relationships with employees and leaders at all levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear, accurate and appropriately toned HR correspondence and documentation.
• Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities, deadlines and competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Proactive, resilient and solutions-focused, with the ability to work independently while remaining closely connected to the wider HR team.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records, reports and documentation.
• Comfortable working with HR systems, data, trackers and Microsoft Office tools.
• CIPD qualification or working towards CIPD qualification preferred.

Life at Gensler

Gensler is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Through our Five Strategies to Fight Racism, we continue to create a just and equitable future for our colleagues and our communities with our clients. We are a solid voice for social change as we impact people’s lives and fight racism. At Gensler, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace environment.
We encourage every person at Gensler to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical insurance, season ticket loans, pension and twice annual bonus opportunities.
As part of the firm’s commitment to professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional qualifications and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programmes or classes. We view our professional development programmes as strategic investments in our future.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative Action employer of choice. All aspects of employment decisions will be based on merit, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of any status protected under applicable regulatory laws.
Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable regulatory laws.
Gensler endeavors to make gensler.com/careers accessible to all applicants. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us.
Regarding Gensler’s approach to recruiting new talent, we will never ask an applicant for sensitive or personal financial information during the recruitment process. We advise all applicants seeking employment with Gensler to review available information on recruitment fraud. Anyone who suspects that they have been contacted by someone falsely representing Gensler should email talentacquisition@gensler.com.