Human Resources Business Partner in Taunton

As GPSU continues to grow and develop, we are looking for an enthusiastic and people-focused HR Business Partner to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in helping shape our organisation and support our managers and employees through the next stage of our journey. Working closely with managers across the business, you will help build management capability, embed consistent people and recruitment practices, and contribute to creating a positive and inclusive workplace culture.

The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor to managers, providing practical HR support and guidance while helping to develop the people processes, systems and approaches that will support the organisation as it evolves.

About the Role

This is a varied role that combines operational HR support with opportunities to contribute to organisational development and workforce planning.

Main duties of the job

• Partner with managers to provide practical HR advice and support.
• Build manager confidence and capability through coaching, training and guidance on people management matters and policy application.
• Set up recruitment processes and procedures and train managers in interview skills, induction and probationary management skills, including ensuring onboarding is managed positively.
• Support employee relations casework, including attendance, performance, disciplinary and grievance matters.
• Assist with workforce planning and recruitment activities.
• Help develop and implement people policies, procedures and best practice.
• Support organisational change and service development initiatives.
• Contribute to projects focused on employee engagement, wellbeing and organisational culture.
• Use workforce data and insights to identify trends and support decision-making.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to continually improve the employee experience.
• Get involved in all sorts of exciting HR related initiatives and projects as the organisation grows and develops.

About us

The GP Support Unit (GPSU) exists to champion, support, and amplify general practice in Somerset. Acting as an extension of the practice team, we help GPs and primary care professionals navigate challenges, embrace innovation, and thrive. Through collaboration, shared expertise, and hands-on support, we deliver high-quality services that reduce burden, unlock system value, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Trusted by practices and recognised across the Somerset system, the GPSU is here to make general practice stronger - now and into the future.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of a fit-for-purpose People function that meets the current and future needs of GPSU.
• Develop, review and embed people policies, procedures, frameworks and guidance, training to ensure a consistent and effective approach to people management.
• Identify gaps in existing people processes and proactively design solutions that improve organisational effectiveness and employee experience.
• Contribute to the development of workforce strategies, plans and priorities aligned to organisational objectives.
• Support the creation of a positive, inclusive and values-driven culture that reflects the ambitions of GPSU.
• Establish systems and processes that enable managers to effectively lead and manage their teams.
• Promote continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance people services and organisational capability.

HR Business Partnering

• Build strong and trusted relationships with managers and teams across the organisation.
• Act as the first point of contact for managers on a wide range of people management matters.
• Provide professional, pragmatic and solution-focused HR advice and guidance.
• Support managers to make informed people decisions that balance organisational needs with employee wellbeing.
• Partner with leaders to identify workforce risks, challenges and opportunities and develop appropriate people solutions.
• Support the implementation of organisational and workforce priorities through effective people interventions.
• Develop workforce statistics with KPIs.

Leadership and Management Development

• Develop the confidence and capability of managers through coaching, advice and mentoring.
• Support managers in leading high-performing, engaged and resilient teams.
• Design and deliver management development initiatives, toolkits, guidance and training where required.
• Promote good management practice and ensure consistency across the organisation.
• Support managers in managing change, improving team effectiveness and addressing workforce challenges.

Recruitment, Workforce Planning and Talent Management

• Lead and support recruitment activities to attract and retain high-quality talent.
• Develop and implement recruitment processes that support fairness, inclusivity and a positive candidate experience.
• Work with managers to identify current and future workforce requirements.
• Support workforce planning initiatives to ensure GPSU has the skills, capacity and capability required to deliver its objectives.
• Develop onboarding approaches that support successful integration and retention of employees.
• Contribute to talent development, succession planning and career development initiatives.
• Support the development of GPSU's employer brand and reputation as an employer of choice.

Employee Relations and Workforce Wellbeing

• Provide expert advice and support on employee relations matters including attendance management, performance, disciplinary, grievance, capability and flexible working cases.
• Support managers through formal HR processes, investigations, hearings and meetings where required.
• Ensure employee relations matters are managed fairly, consistently and in line with legislation and organisational policies.
• Identify themes and trends arising from employee relations activity and develop preventative solutions.
• Support initiatives that promote employee wellbeing, engagement and inclusion.
• Contribute to creating a healthy working environment where employees feel valued, supported and able to perform at their best.

Organisational Development and Change

• Support organisational development programmes that strengthen organisational capability and performance.
• Work alongside leaders to identify opportunities to improve structures, ways of working and workforce effectiveness.
• Support organisational change, consultation and transformation activities.
• Help embed organisational values, behaviours and cultural expectations throughout the organisation.
• Contribute to engagement activities that encourage employee voice and participation.
• Support the development of a learning culture that encourages continuous improvement and innovation.

Data, Insight and Workforce Intelligence

• Collect, analyse and interpret workforce data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Produce reports and workforce intelligence to inform decision-making and strategic planning.
• Monitor key workforce metrics including recruitment, retention, absence, turnover and engagement.
• Use workforce insight to inform organisational development and people initiatives.
• Contribute to the development of meaningful people measures and performance indicators.

Governance, Compliance and Best Practice

• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, organisational policies and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of HR best practice and emerging workforce issues.
• Support the development and implementation of people-related governance arrangements.
• Contribute to audits, reviews and assurance processes as required.
• Ensure confidential and sensitive information is managed appropriately and in accordance with data protection requirements.

Person Specification

• Analytical and Judgement Skills: Able to interpret sets of information including colleague data, policy and best practice information as well as relationship-based information.
• Responsibility for Finance: Management of the Apprenticeship budget to ensure that applications can be supported and to encourage take up of apprenticeships.
• Physical Skills: Must be a car driver with a valid driving license or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance.
• Planning and Organisational Skills: Demonstrates strong organisational skills with the ability to plan, prioritise and manage a varied workload across multiple projects.
• Experience: Significant experience working in a HR Advisor, Senior HR Advisor or HR Business Partner role.
• Qualifications: CIPD Level 7 qualification in HR.
• Communication: Extensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders.