At a Glance
- Tasks: Partner with leaders to shape HR strategies and enhance employee experience.
- Company: Join WRBC Services, a key player in the insurance market with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on people strategies and foster a thriving workplace culture.
- Qualifications: CIPD qualified with strong knowledge of UK Employment Law and HR practices.
- Other info: Dynamic role with diverse responsibilities and excellent career advancement potential.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
WRBC Services is the Centralised Support Functions organisation for the WR Berkley Corporation’s UK and European businesses. We provide essential expertise across:
- HR
- Finance & Accounting
- Tax
- Legal & Compliance
- Facilities Management
By handling these core operational functions, we free our underwriting units to focus on client service, growth, and market excellence. Our model delivers:
- Operational Efficiency – Strong frameworks and consistent processes
- Flexibility – Local decision‑making within a decentralised business structure
- Business Enablement – Supporting underwriting teams to excel while we manage critical support functions
This role sits at the heart of that mission.
As an HR Business Partner, you will deliver a credible, strategic, and solutions‑focused HR partnering service to our UK‑based business units. You will work directly with senior leaders to understand their objectives, design people strategies, and embed a culture where individuals and teams can flourish. You will influence, advise, challenge, coach, and collaborate — acting as a true partner, not just a support function. This is a role with real breadth, covering Employee Relations, performance, talent, reward, payroll oversight, data insights, and organisational development. No two days are the same.
Key Responsibilities
- Employee Relations
- Provide expert guidance across the employee lifecycle, ensuring high‑quality, timely and compliant HR support.
- Advise on complex Employee Relations matters, working closely with the Director of HR and external legal counsel as needed.
- Mitigate risk proactively and ensure fair, consistent, and people‑centric decision making.
- Talent Management & Performance
- Coach leaders on talent acquisition, selection, onboarding and capability development.
- Support and strengthen our performance management culture.
- Identify trends using people data to support high performance and address areas for improvement.
- Partner with WRBC Talent Development to deliver learning programmes and progression pathways.
- Reward, Recognition & Payroll
- Support the HR Director in delivering reward strategies and annual compensation cycles.
- Provide insights on salary benchmarking and benefits competitiveness.
- Manage monthly payroll processing with our external provider — ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and robust controls.
- Oversee relationships with benefits brokers and providers.
- People Data, Reporting & Analytics
- Interpret people metrics to drive decision making and support business planning.
- Provide accurate, timely HR reporting across units.
- Culture, Engagement & Wellbeing
- Partner with leaders to promote engagement, belonging and empowerment.
- Support our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) strategy, embedding inclusive practices throughout the business.
- Champion wellbeing across social, financial, mental and physical pillars.
- Strategy, Change & Organisational Design
- Support development of People Strategies that align with business needs.
- Contribute to culture change initiatives, organisational design, and change management projects.
- Compliance, Governance & Regulatory Support
- Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, GDPR, SMCR, and governance frameworks.
- Support annual certification and regulatory processes where required.
Qualifications
- CIPD qualification (or equivalent experience).
- A background in the Insurance Market.
- Strong, current knowledge of UK Employment Law and Employee Relations.
- Broad generalist experience across HR disciplines.
- Experience partnering with leaders from multiple business units, ideally in a shared‑service or multi‑site model.
- Strong numerical skills and confidence with HR data (Excel at intermediate level).
- Experience managing or overseeing payroll.
- A collaborative, open‑minded and solutions‑driven approach.
- Ability to challenge constructively, influence credibly, and communicate with impact.
- Resilience, adaptability, and willingness to get hands‑on when needed.
HR Business Partner employer: WR Berkley
Contact Detail:
WR Berkley Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land HR Business Partner
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the HR field, attend industry events, and join relevant online groups. The more people you know, the better your chances of hearing about job openings before they even hit the market.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their culture, values, and recent news. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your interview skills with a friend or mentor. Get comfortable discussing your experience and how it aligns with the HR Business Partner role. The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel when it’s time to shine.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged in the process.
We think you need these skills to ace HR Business Partner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the HR Business Partner role. Highlight your experience in employee relations, talent management, and any relevant qualifications like your CIPD. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for WRBC Services. Share specific examples of how you've influenced leaders or improved HR processes in the past. Let us see your personality!
Showcase Your Data Skills: Since this role involves interpreting people metrics, don’t forget to mention your numerical skills and experience with HR data. If you've used Excel or other tools to drive decision-making, let us know how you did it!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at WR Berkley
✨Know Your HR Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of UK Employment Law and Employee Relations. Be ready to discuss how you've handled complex HR issues in the past, as this will show your expertise and confidence in the field.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare examples of how you've partnered with leaders to develop people strategies that align with business needs. Highlight your ability to influence and coach, demonstrating that you're not just a support function but a true partner in driving success.
✨Data is Your Friend
Familiarise yourself with HR metrics and be prepared to discuss how you've used data to drive decision-making. Whether it's about talent management or payroll oversight, showing your comfort with numbers will set you apart.
✨Emphasise Culture and Wellbeing
Be ready to talk about how you've promoted engagement, belonging, and wellbeing in previous roles. Discuss any initiatives you've led or contributed to that support Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, as this aligns perfectly with the company's values.