At a Glance
- Tasks: Support small businesses with practical HR advice and navigate people challenges.
- Company: Join a dynamic HR consultancy focused on growth and collaboration.
- Benefits: Flexible working, professional growth, and free snacks in the office.
- Other info: Enjoy a supportive team environment with opportunities to shape services.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while working closely with entrepreneurial leaders.
- Qualifications: Solid HR experience, strong employee relations skills, and CIPD Level 5 preferred.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Hybrid (WFH, Client Offices and minimum 1 day a month in Sevenoaks) Full time (4 days considers with a Tuesday or Wednesday as the day off). At The Fractional HR Department, we provide practical, flexible HR support for small businesses and growing teams, giving them expert people advice without the cost or complexity of a full‑time hire. Our approach is simple, human and effective. We focus on clear advice, no‑nonsense processes and HR that genuinely helps businesses grow. We don’t hide behind jargon or over‑engineered solutions; we give our clients what they actually need, when they need it. We work as an embedded extension of our clients’ teams, building close, trusted relationships with founders and leaders. Our clients are entrepreneurial, fast‑moving and values‑led, which means our roles are hands‑on, varied and full of opportunity to make a real impact.
The role involves being an experienced People Partner to join our Fractional HR team. This is a true generalist partnering role, ideal for someone who enjoys autonomy, variety and working closely with SME leaders. You’ll support your own portfolio of clients, helping them navigate growth, change and day‑to‑day people challenges with confidence and calm. Employee relations expertise is a core part of this role. While ER isn’t the majority of our work, you’ll need the confidence and judgement to lead on complex or sensitive situations when they arise, providing clear, practical and legally sound advice. Alongside ER, you’ll deliver and shape HR projects, contribute to account development and play an active role in evolving our services, all with the support of our wider People Partner and HR Support Teams.
What you’ll be doing:
- Acting as a trusted People Partner to founders and directors, supporting business growth through annual People Plans.
- Providing clear, practical and legally compliant HR advice across the employee lifecycle.
- Leading on employee relations matters including disciplinaries, grievances, performance, sickness, redundancies, restructures, TUPE, change processes and variations to terms.
- Bringing structure and calm to evolving or ambiguous people situations.
- Using HR data and insight to inform recommendations (e.g. absence trends, benchmarking).
- Identifying and delivering HR projects that strengthen people practices in ways that are simple, scalable and genuinely useful.
- Coordinating recruitment activity and supporting effective onboarding.
- Developing and embedding performance management approaches.
- Implementing and managing our partner HR systems.
- Coaching and supporting managers to build confidence in handling people issues.
- Preparing and reviewing contracts, policies and core HR documentation.
- Designing and delivering practical client training on topics such as appraisals, ER basics and manager capability.
Account management & new business support:
- Managing ongoing client relationships and undertaking periodic service reviews.
- Identifying opportunities for additional project work or enhanced support.
- Responding to inbound new business enquiries.
- Helping prepare realistic scopes, proposals and resource forecasts, with a commercially minded approach.
Contributing to our wider team:
- Sharing insight and best practice across the People Partner team.
- Contributing ideas to improve processes, tools and ways of working.
- Supporting the development of specific service lines or offerings as we grow.
- Delivering our training courses and holding webinars that build trust in our expertise, showcase our approach, raise brand awareness and naturally generate new opportunities.
About you:
- You’ll thrive in this role if you have solid UK generalist HR experience, ideally supporting SMEs.
- Bring strong employee relations experience and confidence leading on cases.
- Can provide clear, structured advice even when situations feel fast‑moving or unclear.
- Have good commercial judgement and understand the realities of small businesses.
- Communicate with clarity, warmth and professionalism.
- Can balance multiple priorities without losing sight of detail.
- Enjoy working autonomously while valuing collaboration and shared standards.
- Hold CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent).
- Experience within HR Consultancy.
What you’ll get from us:
- Exposure to a wide variety of industries and people challenges.
- Accelerated learning and professional growth across ER, projects and partnering.
- Flexible and hybrid working options.
- A collaborative, supportive HR team who share knowledge and back each other.
- Opportunities to shape services and influence how we work.
- Free refreshments and snacks in the Sevenoaks office.
Experience in a consultancy environment is welcome but not essential; what matters most is your ability to build trust, deliver practical HR and work confidently with SME leaders.
Working pattern:
This role is offered on a full‑time, Monday to Friday basis. However, we’re open to conversations about alternative working patterns (including part‑time or specific days/hours). Sharing your preferences won’t affect your application; it simply helps us understand potential flexibility as we review candidates.
People Partner employer: The Fractional HR Department
At The Fractional HR Department, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer by fostering a collaborative and supportive work culture that values autonomy and professional growth. Our hybrid working model allows for flexibility while providing exposure to diverse industries and meaningful challenges, ensuring that our People Partners can make a real impact in the lives of small businesses. With a focus on practical HR solutions and a commitment to employee development, we offer a unique opportunity to shape services and influence how we work, all within a friendly and dynamic team environment in Sevenoaks.
Contact Details:
The Fractional HR Department Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land People Partner
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or attend industry events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company and its culture. We want you to show up confident and ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. Don’t forget to have some questions ready to impress them!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms. We can’t stress enough how important it is to articulate your thoughts clearly and showcase your personality during the interview.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after your interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. We believe it shows your enthusiasm and professionalism, which can set you apart from other candidates.
We think you need these skills to ace People Partner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Yourself:When writing your application, let your personality shine through! We want to get to know the real you, so don’t be afraid to show your passion for HR and how you connect with people.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the People Partner role. Highlight your employee relations expertise and any relevant projects you've worked on.
Keep It Clear and Concise:We appreciate straightforward communication, so keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to see your key achievements and qualifications.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Fractional HR Department
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your generalist HR knowledge, especially around employee relations. Be ready to discuss specific cases you've handled and how you provided clear, practical advice in those situations.
✨Showcase Your Autonomy
This role values autonomy, so be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully managed your own projects or client relationships. Highlight your ability to work independently while still collaborating effectively with teams.
✨Understand the Business Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the challenges small businesses face, particularly in a fast-moving environment. Show that you can balance commercial judgement with HR best practices, and be ready to discuss how you've navigated similar situations.
✨Communicate with Clarity
Since this role involves providing structured advice, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. Use examples from your experience to demonstrate how you've communicated effectively with clients and colleagues in the past.
