Are you an HR leader ready for your next challenge who thrives on developing teams and inspiring others?

We're looking for an experienced people professional with proven management skills to join us as our HR Lead in Business Partnering. In this senior role,you'll use your HR expertise to lead, develop and support a strong, motivated team, helping them succeed in delivering excellent services across our Trust.

Your role will include:

• Managing and coaching our People Business Partners and their teams
• Partnering with divisions to deliver workforce solutions across priorities such as planning, recruitment, retention, wellbeing and engagement
• Being part of an experienced leadership team with opportunities for development

You'll help shape people culture and strategy, working closely with divisional directors & senior managers to provide strategic and operational HR leadership. You'll enjoy a challenge and bring a positive, can-do attitude, using a coaching style to get the best from your team and ensure high-quality outcomes.

This is a full-time role, based at Upton Hospital. We are happy to consider part-time applications.It's offered on a fixed-term basis initially, with a view to becoming permanent.We offer hybrid working with plenty of opportunity to work from home. You'll need flexibility on hours and ability to travel to sites across Berkshire to support divisional needs.

Join our 'Outstanding' Trust - recognised for our supportive culture where staff feel valued.

Main duties of the job

Leading, developing and supporting our People Business Partners and their teams to provide consistent, high-quality HR support

Partnering with divisional directors and managers to build and deliver effective workforce plans aligned to service needs

Overseeing key people priorities including workforce planning, recruitment, retention, wellbeing, engagement and staff development

Embedding HR policies, systems and procedures to ensure fairness, consistency and best practice across divisions

Providing expert HR advice on complex and sensitive issues, and deputising for the Deputy Director of People when required

Using workforce analytics and insight to inform decision-making and measure success against agreed objectives

Driving staff engagement initiatives and ensuring divisions have strong action plans in response to surveys and feedback

Building positive working relationships with colleagues, staff, and trade unions to foster a culture of collaboration and trust

Supporting change management programmes and advising on workforce transformation and organisational development initiatives

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

Substantial experience of leading a multidisciplinary HR team

Significant experience of role-modelling and coaching an operational HR team to ensure their development and the delivery of objectives

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Tracey Slegg on 07824 821844 or email: tracey.slegg@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.

Please note, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Interview will be held on 1st October 2025

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

• Educated to Master's level in HR field, or equivalent experience and knowledge in range of generalist areas, including employee relations and operational people management
• CIPD qualification or equivalent experience

Continuous Professional Development

• Evidence of continued professional development

Previous Experience

• Substantial experience of leading a multidisciplinary HR team
• Significant experience of role-modelling and coaching an operational HR team to ensure their development and the delivery of objectives
• Previous experience in implementation of HR strategy, change management, and measurement of performance against KPIs

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Good coaching skills, as part of upskilling line managers with their people management and the operational HR team in their development

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.

£66,653 to £77,094 a yearper annum ( Incl of HCAS)