Overview

Putting the Human into Resources. Doing things differently. Associate HR Business Partner

Grade H (£39,162 - £44,052 p.a. pro rata) • Full Time/ Permanent

Are you an experienced HR professional who thrives in a dynamic, people-focused environment? At Nottingham Trent University (NTU), we're seeking an Associate HR Business Partner to play a pivotal role in supporting our academic and professional services teams. This is your chance to make a real impact—helping to shape organisational culture, drive change, and enable colleagues to achieve their full potential.

Responsibilities

• As part of our HR Business Partnering team, provide proactive, customer-focused HR support across a diverse portfolio of departments. Work closely with leaders, managers, and staff to deliver effective HR solutions that align with NTU's strategic objectives.
• Support managers with resourcing, reward, and performance management.
• Build strong, influential relationships as a trusted partner on people and business issues.
• Champion and facilitate change management to support NTU's long-term goals.
• Partner with specialist HR colleagues in policy, reward, health & safety, EDI, and organisational development.
• Lead on projects and initiatives that enhance employee engagement and organisational effectiveness.
• Act as a mentor and coach to managers, supporting them with job design, recruitment, performance, and complex employee relations matters.
• Guide and advise on formal processes, including discipline, grievance, redundancy, and settlement agreements.
• Provide workforce insights and analysis to inform strategic planning.
• Manage and motivate colleagues to ensure high-quality service delivery across the HR Business Partnership team.
• Keep up-to-date with HR best practice, sector trends, and legislative changes.
• Deputise for the HR Business Partner when required.

Qualifications

• CIPD qualification (or working towards it) is highly desirable.
• Strong experience across the full HR lifecycle, ideally within a large or complex organisation.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach, with the ability to balance competing priorities.
• Up-to-date knowledge of employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience of handling complex employee relations cases.

About NTU

Nottingham Trent University is a successful and ambitious university that is recognised for its innovation and inclusivity and being bold enough to do things differently. This is an exciting time to join the HR team focused on "Empowering People" a key theme in delivering the strategic plan "University, reimagined". Our HR team covers a wide range of HR and Organisational Development services, including Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Resourcing and Reward and Recognition.

Join Us

• Hybrid working – we encourage and offer a mixture of office working and working from home. You're empowered to define how you work best for the benefits of your stakeholders.
• Flexibility – take ownership over how you get your work done. We're open to different working patterns and approaches.
• 25 – 30 days annual leave, plus statutory bank holidays and 5 university closure days pro rata.
• Salary Sacrifice Retirement Savings Plan with life assurance and income protection. Available to colleagues who choose to opt out of the contractual pension scheme. Minimum colleague contributions of 0% matched with minimum NTU contributions of 8%.
• Range of health and wellbeing services, including a Health Cash Plan, voluntary benefits, discounts, and savings for all colleagues.
• Access to a wealth of formal and informal professional development opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career.
• And a whole lot more…

For any informal queries about the role or the HR team, please contact Claire Smalley, Human Resources Business Partner at claire.smalley@ntu.ac.uk