Human Resources Business Partner

Current vacancies

Main area: Human Resources

Grade: NHS AfC: Band 8b

Contract: Fixed term: 12 months (maternity cover from 27/06/2025 to 30/06/2026)

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Job ref: 309-UCLH-6028-A

Site: UCLH

Town: London

Salary: £70,387 - £80,465 Per annum inclusive of HCAS

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 29/04/:59

The use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it, then they are required to declare this in their supporting statement.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced HR Business Partner to undertake a secondment or fixed term contract to join the corporate workforce team at UCLH. This position is maternity leave cover estimated to commence July 2025.

Partnering with corporate directorates with approximately 750 staff, you will be responsible for providing high quality strategic and operational workforce expertise, guidance, and advice. You will oversee best practice people management within your areas of responsibility and contribute towards the development of a positive, compassionate, and inclusive working culture.

As part of the corporate workforce team, you will also lead on wider workforce initiatives and programmes.

There is scope for working hours to be flexible to fit around the preferred candidate's commitments. We ask for a minimum of one day a week on site. We would welcome conversations with candidates about flexible working as part of the recruitment process.

Please note that an assessment will form part of the selection process.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for providing high quality strategic and operational workforce support to ensure best practice people management within your areas of responsibility and across the wider workforce function. Your duties will include:

1. Local workforce strategy/plans in place which reflect the business, opportunities for growth, plans for redesigned services, and alignment to the overall Trust workforce strategy.
2. Corporate and managerial leaders are supported and equipped with the skills, confidence, and expertise to lead their teams effectively.
3. Effective and efficient use of staff resources across all staffing groups, resulting in high quality and safe patient services and value for money.
4. High performing and motivated teams within Directorate/Functional areas, with agreed performance objectives and development plans in place.
5. Compliance with employment legislative framework and NHS and Trust workforce-related policies and best practice.
6. Workforce risks within Directorate areas are anticipated and mitigated to protect the Trust's reputation, through proactive stakeholder engagement and in-depth understanding of service/operations.
7. Supervision/coaching of HR staff within Corporate Services, as required, and sharing of learning within the HRBP community.

Working for our organisation

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:

• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women's health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world-class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.

We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Insight, strategy and solutions
Develop actionable insights and solutions, prioritised and tailored around a deep understanding of the business, contextual and organisational understanding.

Leading HR
Provide active, insight-led leadership: owning, shaping and driving themselves, others and activity in the organisation.

Organisational design
Ensure that the Directorates are appropriately designed to deliver Trust objectives in the short and long-term and that structural change is effectively managed.

Organisational development
Ensure the Directorates has a committed, 'fit for the future' workforce needed to deliver its strategic ambition.

Resourcing and talent planning
Ensure the Trust is able to identify and attract key people with the capability to create competitive advantage.

Learning and talent development
Ensure that people at all levels of the Trust possess and develop the skills, knowledge and experiences to fulfil the short and long-term ambitions of the Trust.

Performance and reward
Build a high-performance culture by delivering programmes that recognise and reward critical skills, capabilities, experience and performance.

Employee engagement
In the context of the Trust's objectives, ensure that in all aspects of the employment experience is positive and understood.

Employee relations
Ensure that the relationship between the Trust and its staff is managed appropriately within a clear and transparent framework.

Service delivery and information
Ensure that the delivery of all HR Services and information to leaders, managers and staff is accurate, efficient, timely and cost-effective.

Corporate Services consists of approximately 1300 staff across a variety of directorates.

As HR Business Partner you will be responsible for some of the directorates, working closely and collaboratively with your other corporate workforce colleagues.

There will also be opportunities to get involved in interesting projects and programmes of work.

Person specification Knowledge and Qualifications

• Educated to degree level
• Masters Level or equivalent knowledge acquired by experience
• CIPD qualified or equivalent
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Workforce planning expertise acquired through formal training or equivalent experience
• In-depth knowledge of current thinking and policy affecting the workforce in the health and public sector

Experience, Skills and Abilities

• Proven track record of operational and strategic HR achievement at a senior level
• Sound, up to date knowledge of HR best practice, employment law
• Experience of leadership of complex change management
• Quality focused with an innovative, flexible approach
• Demonstrated attention to detail and risk management expertise
• Experience of implementing new policies and new ways of working across a service
• Ability to design and deliver training
• Advanced analytical and judgement skills
• Sound IT skills (Microsoft Office, Word)
• Ability to respond to urgent situations in a calm, empathetic and logical manner
• Proven NHS/public sector experience and knowledge

Communication

• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Strong strategic influencing, persuading and negotiating skills

Personal and People Development

• Ability to work with and through others
• Demonstrable record of successful line management of staff

Resource Management

• Demonstrable experience of working with financial management systems

Values

• Demonstrate ability to meet Trust Values of safety, kindness, teamwork and improving

Responsibilities towards promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion

• Demonstrable understanding of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

At UCLH, we have a real 'One Team' ethos, and our values are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff and has a dedicated policy which allows staff to apply for flexible working right from the beginning of employment.

We offer our permanent staff an interest-free season ticket loan for travel, free independent and confidential support, large retail discounts, and on-site accommodation.

This vacancy may close before the current listed closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.

Please note that all correspondence regarding your application will be via email. The emails will be sent to you via TRAC.jobs and not via NHS Jobs.

For an informal discussion regarding the role and/or flexible working possibilities please contact Deeksha Sood, Head of Workforce at