Senior People Business Partner in Milton Keynes

Are you a Senior People Business Partner, Senior HR Business Partner or Strategic People Partner looking for a Group role where your influence reaches well beyond day to day HR? As our Senior People Business Partner, you will work across Dawsongroup supporting Truck and Trailer, Vans, Energy Solutions, and Bus and Coach, partnering senior leaders across a nationwide, multi site organisation to turn business priorities into clear people strategies.

• Act as a trusted senior adviser to executive leaders and Managing Directors, bringing insight and constructive challenge across organisational design, workforce strategy, culture, leadership and transformation.
• Help embed our People operating model consistently across the supported Business Units, connecting business requirements with People Operations and our Centres of Expertise to create joined up, practical solutions.
• Lead the continued development of performance management, helping leaders have better conversations, address underperformance appropriately, strengthen accountability and create greater consistency through effective calibration.
• Shape our approach to talent, succession and workforce planning, identifying organisational capability needs, strengthening talent pipelines and helping leaders build meaningful development and succession plans.
• Lead and support significant people change programmes, using data, commercial insight and strong employee relations judgement to manage risk, understand impact and help leaders navigate change effectively.

About You

You will bring senior level HR business partnering experience from a complex, operational or multi site environment, with the credibility to influence senior stakeholders while remaining comfortable getting close to the detail when it matters. We know strong candidates do not always match every line of a job description, so if you bring relevant transferable experience, strong judgement and the potential to make an impact, we want to hear from you.

• CIPD Level 5 is the minimum requirement for this role, with further professional development, Level 7 study or progress towards Chartered status welcomed but not required as the starting point.
• You can translate commercial and operational priorities into practical people plans, balancing business performance, employee experience, risk and longer term organisational needs.
• You are confident influencing senior leaders, asking challenging questions constructively and building trusted relationships across Business Units that may have different priorities, cultures and levels of people maturity.
• You bring strong knowledge across areas such as organisational design, performance, talent, succession, change and complex employee relations, with the judgement to know when to coach, challenge, advise or escalation.
• Asset rental experience is not essential if your background has given you a strong understanding of operational businesses, dispersed teams and senior stakeholder partnering, and we welcome experience gained through different industries and career paths.

About Us

Dawsongroup has been operating in asset rental for over 50 years, helping customers build greater resilience and agility through smarter approaches to the assets they need, while our wider business now brings together around 1,250 people across 11 countries. This Group role sits at the heart of that organisation, giving you exposure to established operations including commercial vehicles and Bus and Coach alongside areas such as Energy Solutions that are helping shape what comes next.

• Our approach is built around Smarter Asset Strategy, using our experience, scale and specialist knowledge to help customers access the assets and solutions their businesses need.
• We believe sustainable business performance comes from investing in both assets and people, creating an environment where colleagues can develop, contribute and build meaningful careers.
• You will work across distinctive Business Units while helping create greater consistency, collaboration and connection across the wider Group People agenda.
• Integrity, legal compliance, continuous improvement, environmental responsibility, community involvement and providing safe, fulfilling and rewarding careers all form part of how we want to operate.

About Your Future

This is an opportunity to take a genuinely influential People role within a varied Group environment, helping strengthen leadership capability, talent, performance and organisational maturity while continuing to develop your own career. Dawsongroup is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

• 24 days standard leave allowance + Birthday + plus Bank Holidays + up to 10 days extra (time served and purchase scheme)
• 2x life assurance scheme alongside access to long term incentives.
• Internal progression pathways, nationally and worldwide, together with funded training and opportunities to continue your professional development.
• Wellbeing and mental health support, Cycle to Work schemes and seasonal gifts form part of our wider employee offering.
• Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to influence how our People function evolves, helping leaders raise standards, strengthen capability and create consistently positive people practices across the Business Units you support.

The company

Dawsongroup is a leading provider of asset rental, leasing, and management solutions across the UK, Europe, and beyond, offering a diverse portfolio from temperature control and transport to materials handling, specialist vehicles, and modular buildings. At the heart of its approach is the Smarter Asset Strategy, enabling businesses to access and optimise assets without the financial risks of ownership, supporting scalability, efficiency, and financial control.

With deep industry expertise, operational excellence, and a focus on innovation, Dawsongroup helps customers boost productivity, resilience, and sustainability to stay competitive in a changing marketplace.

"What I enjoy most about my role is the variety that each day brings and the chance to work collaboratively with such a supportive and knowledgeable team. We work well together, always willing to help one another, and it's rewarding to be part of a team that is focused on delivering great results while maintaining a positive and enjoyable working environment."

"Since joining Dawsongroup in 2008, I've progressed from Trainee Fleet Quality Controller to Area Sales Manager. The business has continually invested in my development, opening doors to new opportunities and challenges. It's a company where hard work is recognised and career progression is genuinely achievable."

• Head of Commercial Operations – EMC

"One of the things I value most about working at Dawsongroup is the opportunity to learn, grow and make a real difference. I've been trusted with new challenges, improvement projects and initiatives that benefit colleagues and customers. It's a rewarding environment that encourages innovation, ownership and long-term career development."

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