People Services Business Partner

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

People Services Business Partner

Closing Date: 20 May 2026

This is an exciting and challenging position, critical in driving a compassionate approach and organisational culture in the way we care for staff who experience difficulties at work, whether in respect of their conduct, performance, interpersonal relationships (including bullying and harassment) sickness absence or other concerns. A core element of the role will be to ensure that our policies and practices are compliant and in line with best practice.

Play a key role in developing a compassionate organisational culture in regard to our approach to the management of employee relations issues.

At the heart of this is embedding our values to how we approach difficult people issues. This includes a people focused approach and regard for restorative outcomes, supporting Collaboratives through a business partnering model, listening to understand the needs of the Trust & providing timely interventions through policy and OD support.

Lead a team of advisors & support on complex cases, maintaining relationships and consistency of approach as well as tracking and monitoring delivery of KPIs, activity and service level agreements, providing assurance to the Trust of the effectiveness and value of the service.

Main duties of the job

You will develop the knowledge and skills of the team to be not only technically expert but capable in coaching managers and staff in how they approach and respond to difficult people issues, so will have experience in leading and managing teams.

You will have the ability to provide highly complex human resources advice and be the HR lead of a generalist team of advisors providing support to senior managers within the Collaboratives.

You will have the ability to analyse complex data, in order to identify and monitor trends and develop and implement an approach to ensure continuous learning and quality improvement.

You will have experience of successfully building effective relationships and networks, including within the HR profession and with trade unions/staff side organisations, in a complex organisation.

You will have excellent report writing skills and the ability to make clear recommendations, including risk assessments, on best practice and compliance of statutory laws and guidance and Trust policy.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and negotiate at all levels within the organisation, giving complex advice and guidance to all levels of management and staff.

You will be a great team player able to work flexibly and contribute to the combined aims of People Services.

Qualifications

• Highly specialised knowledge to master's degree level or equivalent experience and training
• Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development
• Qualification relating to specialty area
• Chartered Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development

Knowledge

• Evidence of continual professional and/or managerial development
• Experience of delivery of significant HR advice and guidance
• Experience of working with managers at all levels on people management issues relating to significant change processes, and projects.
• Experience of effectively dealing with highly complex employee relations issues including dismissals, organisational change and TUPE
• Experience of trade union partnership working (up to regional level) in a complex organisation
• Knowledge of current employment law and HR good practice, and ability to translate into practice
• Experience of successfully building effective relationships and networks, including within the HR profession and with trade unions/staff side organisations
• Experience of working effectively within a highly unionised environment.
• Experience of dealing with staff groups with complex terms and conditions of service
• Experience or leading and managing teams
• Experience and understanding of matrix management
• Experience of managing change
• Requires good IT skills working with Microsoft Office and other related applications
• Experience of significant complex organisation change programmes
• HR experience within the NHS
• Experience of Maintaining High Professional Standards framework
• Detailed knowledge of NHS terms and conditions (all staff groups)
• Knowledge of national initiatives within the NHS to drive improvements
• Knowledge of Agenda for Change Job Evaluation

Skills

• Up to date HR knowledge, including current Employment and Data Protection legislation
• Up to date knowledge of employment law and national NHS HR, training and leadership strategies.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and negotiate at all levels within the organisation
• Team player able to work flexibly and contribute to the combined aims of the People Services and OD directorate
• Collaborative working across services/care groups to support and lead on change
• Resilient and the ability to maintain performance under pressure
• Empathy in relation to dealing with sensitive information and issues
• Excellent analytical skills with ability to grasp detail.
• Ability to effectively resolve conflict.
• Innovative and creative in producing future service developments.
• Ability to prioritise work to meet deadlines
• Able to use initiative appropriately.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to work to deadlines and manage a range of activities simultaneously
• Strong attention to detail
• Able to evaluate situations and assimilate information quickly
• Organisational Development knowledge and experience of leading cultural change.
• Up to date HR knowledge in relation to specific medical workforce related conditions and T&C's

Personal Circumstances

• Must be able to fulfil the mobility requirements of the post.
• Open, respectful and engaging
• Communication skills in order to build effective working relationships with a wide range of individuals and teams
• Self motivated.
• Able to be assertive when appropriate.
• Ability to demonstrate team leadership and show a commitment to the development of others.
• Political awareness and sensitivity.
• Committed to embedding inclusivity and diversity in all aspects of HR work
• Proactive.
• Committed to quality improvement.
• Team orientated.

Other

• Promote equality and value diversity
• Develop a culture that promotes equality and values diversity.

Benefits

• 27 day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
• NHS discounts
• Salary sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Vivup, a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work related problems

Subject to eligibility

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction.