People Partner (Maternity Cover)

Our purpose is inspiring and empowering our people to create a positive difference for themselves, our clients and the planet. Sustainable Energy First is an energy and sustainability consultancy, founded to solve energy management problems in very large, complex commercial estates. This remains the core of our business driven by a commitment to sustainability and the goal of reducing our clients’ carbon footprint.

This is a 12‑month maternity cover opportunity. At Sustainable Energy First, we’re redefining what a People Partner looks like. This isn’t traditional HR; it’s about a genuinely people‑first mindset, rooted in the belief that one size never fits all. We’re evolving how we work, with a strong commitment to inclusivity, sustainability, and high performance. In this role, you’ll be a key player in that journey, working closely with leaders and teams to bring our people strategy to life in ways that are practical, human, and genuinely impactful.

You’ll partner with managers across the business to deliver meaningful outcomes across performance, engagement, talent planning and inclusion, always keeping the employee experience at the heart of what you do. From supporting cultural alignment to improving collaboration across hybrid and remote teams, you’ll help turn our people ambitions into real, lived experiences.

• Translate company strategy into practical people plans that are tailored and business-focused.
• Work closely with leadership teams to align structure, talent, and capability to future needs.
• Coach and enable managers.
• Be a trusted coach to leaders, helping them grow their people leadership confidence and impact.
• Support managers in performance conversations, career development, and team health.

• Help leaders ensure we’ve got the right people in the right roles at the right time.
• Assist in building a pipeline of skills and capabilities for future growth.

• Use people and commercial data to pre‑empt issues, drive engagement, and measure outcomes.
• Identify hotspots and partner on initiatives to improve team dynamics, performance, and retention.

• Support the design and launch of change programmes across the colleague lifecycle.
• Help teams adapt and move through transition successfully.

• Embed equity, diversity & inclusion.
• Embed inclusion and belonging across all people practices, from onboarding to performance.
• Be intentional in amplifying underrepresented voices and challenging status quos.

• Collaborate with People Operations to ensure seamless moments in the employee lifecycle.
• Promote a culture of feedback, recognition, and personal development.
• Help create clarity in our evolving remote‑first/hybrid culture, ensuring consistent connection.

• Experience as a People Partner (or similar role) in a fast‑moving business.
• CIPD Level 5 (desirable).
• A track record of delivering people strategies that improve culture and performance.
• Strong coaching, facilitation, and influence skills, with the ability to balance challenge and support.
• A confident grasp of UK employment law.
• A calm, pragmatic, and proactive approach to problem‑solving.
• The ability to build trust quickly and work across functions with empathy and clarity.
• A bias for action, with the judgment to prioritise what matters most.

• Experience using HiBob and Workable, or similar people systems.
• Exposure to Agile ways of working, and how they can be applied to People practices.

• Salary Range: £35,000 - £45,000.
• Holidays: 25 days + bank holidays + your birthday off, increasing to 30 days on length of service.
• Hybrid working (at least 2 days per week working from our Fulwood, Preston office).
• Flexible working - including the ability to bank up to 5 extra days off per year.
• Gym contribution.
• Long service awards.
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Enhanced paternity/non‑pregnant colleague and maternity/pregnant colleague leave.
• Simply Health scheme.
• EV Scheme.

We believe that diversity is more than a commitment; it’s at the heart of who we are. We aim to create an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. We celebrate different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences because we know they make us stronger, bolder and more imaginative, which link to our core values. By fostering a culture of belonging, we aim to provide a workplace where every voice is heard, and every individual can thrive. Our culture has been set up to bring the best out of our people. If we sound like the kind of business where you’re ready to take the next step, then we look forward to hearing from you!