Senior HR Business Partner – AR

Department: Human Resources – Corporate and Legal Services
Reports to: Head of Human Resources
Grade: SCP 37–39
Location: Middlesbrough

About the Role

Middlesbrough Council is seeking an experienced Senior HR Business Partner to play a key role in delivering a proactive, strategic HR service across the organisation.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior managers and the Wider Leadership Team, providing expert HR advice and support while challenging existing ways of working and helping services achieve their strategic priorities.

You will play a leading role in developing and embedding the HR Business Partnering model, supporting organisational change, improving management practice and ensuring compliance with employment legislation and Council policies.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and specialist HR advice to senior managers and leadership teams across the Council.
• Lead on complex HR matters including employee relations, trade union consultation and negotiation, TUPE, job evaluation, pensions, equality and diversity, reviews and redundancy consultations.
• Build strong relationships with managers and senior stakeholders, providing credible advice while constructively challenging management practices where appropriate.
• Support organisational transformation and change, translating strategic requirements into practical HR actions.
• Manage staff within the HR Business unit and provide support and guidance to HR Business Partners dealing with complex cases.
• Review and develop HR policies in line with employment legislation, best practice and organisational requirements.
• Deliver manager briefings, coaching and training to improve people-management capability and reduce management dependency on HR.
• Provide specialist expertise on Local Government Job Evaluation, supporting the development and capability of HR colleagues.
• Contribute to the development of pay structures and associated consultations, taking account of national, regional and local requirements.
• Support the management of employee health and wellbeing services, including related contracts, budgets and external providers.
• Contribute to initiatives that improve employee engagement and embed the Council’s values and behaviours.
• Develop professional networks and work collaboratively with external organisations and partner bodies to share best practice.
• Promote equality and fairness across employment and service delivery.
• Deputise for the Head of Human Resources when required.

Essential Experience and Skills

• Significant experience working in a senior HR role, ideally within a large, complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge of current employment legislation and HR best practice.
• Extensive experience in employee relations, including complex cases and Trade Union involvement.
• Experience negotiating and consulting with Trade Unions on employment matters and terms and conditions.
• Experience working at senior level with managers and leadership teams.
• Strong strategic HR Business Partnering and relationship-management skills.
• Experience of Local Government Job Evaluation Schemes is highly desirable.
• Experience of working within a political/public-sector environment is desirable.
• Strong influencing, negotiation and communication skills.
• Ability to coach and develop managers and HR colleagues.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Good analytical, report-writing and IT skills, including Word, Excel and HR systems.

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent experience.
• Level 7 CIPD qualification or equivalent.
• Recognised management qualification or relevant management experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be an experienced Senior HR Business Partner, HR Business Partner or Senior HR Manager who can operate confidently at a strategic level while remaining hands-on with complex HR and employee relations matters.

Experience within Local Government or the wider public sector, particularly around Trade Unions, Job Evaluation, employment legislation, organisational change and senior stakeholder management, would be highly advantageous.

You will be a confident HR professional who can advise, influence and challenge senior managers, develop management capability and deliver practical HR solutions that support the Council’s wider objectives.