HR Business Partner in Poole

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced HR Business Partner to join an established organisation and play a key role in supporting its wider people agenda. This is a varied and highly visible HR position that combines hands-on Employee Relations with broader HR Business Partnering. You will work closely with managers and senior stakeholders across the organisation, providing expert HR advice, supporting complex people matters and helping leaders build the confidence and capability to effectively manage their teams.

Employee Relations will form a significant part of the role, making this an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys managing complex cases but wants a position that goes beyond traditional ER casework. Alongside providing specialist Employee Relations support, you will become a trusted partner to the business, contributing to workforce planning, organisational change, employee engagement, performance management, policy development and wider organisational development activity.

As HR Business Partner, you will provide professional and commercially considered HR advice across a broad range of people matters. You will develop strong relationships with managers and leaders, taking the time to understand their operational priorities, people challenges and future talent requirements. A central part of your position will be taking ownership of Employee Relations cases from initial issue through to resolution. This will include disciplinary matters, grievances, performance and capability concerns and attendance management. You will guide managers through the appropriate processes, ensuring cases are handled fairly, professionally and consistently whilst remaining aligned with employment law, internal policies and organisational values.

You will undertake and support thorough and impartial investigations where required, ensuring that relevant information is appropriately considered and that case documentation is clear, comprehensive and accurate. Where particularly complex or high-risk matters arise, you will work alongside Legal or external advisers as appropriate.

Importantly, this role is not simply about managing cases. You will coach and develop managers so that they are increasingly confident in handling people's matters effectively themselves. You will provide constructive challenge when appropriate, encourage early intervention and help managers understand both the immediate and wider implications of their people decisions.

You will also monitor Employee Relations activity to identify recurring themes, trends and potential areas of risk. Working collaboratively with leaders, you will use this insight to understand root causes and develop proactive solutions that can improve the employee experience, workplace culture and overall approach to people management.

We are looking for an experienced HR professional who has previously worked at HR Advisor or HR Business Partner level and has developed strong practical experience of managing Employee Relations cases. You will be comfortable handling a broad range of ER matters and capable of providing managers with clear, pragmatic and professional advice.

You will have a strong working knowledge of employment law and HR best practice, together with the judgement required to apply that knowledge effectively to individual workplace situations. Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills will be essential. You will need to be comfortable building relationships at different levels of an organisation and able to coach, influence and constructively challenge managers when required.

Given the nature of the position, you will also demonstrate a high degree of discretion and professionalism when dealing with confidential and sensitive information. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills will enable you to recognise patterns and recurring themes within HR activity and recommend practical solutions. You will be comfortable working in an environment where priorities can change and will be able to balance multiple pieces of work without compromising accuracy or attention to detail.

A CIPD Level 5 qualification or above would be advantageous, although equivalent professional experience will also be considered. Experience within a complex, fast-paced or multi-site working environment would be beneficial, as would previous involvement in organisational change or restructuring. A driving licence is also desirable.

This is a strong opportunity for an experienced HR professional who wants to combine specialist Employee Relations knowledge with a genuinely broader HR Business Partnering remit. The position offers the opportunity to work closely with leaders, influence how people matters are managed and contribute to wider HR initiatives rather than focus exclusively on reactive case management.

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.