Job overview
Head of HR Business Partnering
Department Workforce – Human Resources
Band 8b
Hours 37.5 hours per week, all MKUH roles will considered for flexible working
Are you an inspiring HR leader who is passionate about creating positive workplace cultures, enabling organisational success, and supporting people to thrive?
Guided by our values of We Care, We Communicate, We Collaborate and We Contribute, we are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking HR professional to lead our HR Business Partnering and Employee Relations teams
As the Head of HR Business Partnering, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the Trust's people agenda. You will provide strategic HR leadership and expert advice to senior managers, Executive Directors and leadership teams across a broad range of workforce matters, helping to ensure our people strategy supports outstanding patient care and organisational performance
Leading a team of HR Business Partners and Employee Relations professionals, you will work collaboratively with colleagues across the Trust to develop innovative workforce solutions that support recruitment and employee relations, retention, attendance, talent management, organisational change and workforce planning
If you are an inspirational HR leader who enjoys building relationships, solving complex people challenges and shaping the future workforce, we would love to hear from you
Interview 16 September 2026
Main duties of the job
'Administrative and Clerical staff feel supported with flexible working at MKUH, reporting 6.82 out of 10, and a 76% feel strongly about approaching their managers regarding flexible working.' 'NHS Staff Survey 2024'
At MKUH, we believe that great patient care starts with great people.
This is a highly influential role where you will use workforce intelligence, data analysis and professional insight to identify trends, develop solutions, and provide meaningful reports and recommendations that support strategic decision-making at the highest levels of the organisation.
You will have the opportunity to shape workforce policies, lead complex organisational change programmes, and ensure the delivery of a high-quality, responsive and values-driven HR service. You will also have a passion for continuous improvement and a commitment to developing inclusive, fair and positive workplace cultures.
As the Lead for the HR Business Partnering and Employee Relations Teams the post holder will provide strategic HR advice and guidance to managers and their team on the full range of workforce issues including employee relations, recruitment and retention, attendance, change management, workforce planning, talent management, medical staffing, terms and conditions of employment and policies and procedures.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Deliver the Strategy
Work with the Divisional HRBPs to support and lead them in developing a workforce strategy aligned to the Trust’s Business Plan ensuring workforce solutions are centred on patient safety, patient experience and staff experience
Work with the Divisional HRBPs to ensure a high standard of workforce plans and talent management strategies are created and aligned to current and future business requirements.
Managing Services
Lead on people aspects of change management across the corporate areas, assisting with the development of consultation papers, advising Executive Directors and senior managers on the consultative process and manage the effective delivery of all programmes.
Be accountable for consistency of approach for Employee Relations, ensuring best practice is applied, that national changes to standards and processes are quickly and successfully adapted by the Trust.
Improving Services
Contribute to the analysis of the results of the annual staff survey and develop and support the roll out of an agreed action plan for the Trust and corporate areas of influence.
Lead and role model on working in partnership with staff side/trade unions to ensure that employee relations issues are managed constructively and with effective outcomes.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Highly numerate, with the ability and analyse and interpret numerical and/or statistical workforce data.
- Ability to write coherent reports, policies and policies.
- Evidence of effectively interpreting and implementing national initiatives and changes to policy and process
- Evidence of the development of services, using own initiative to identify areas of improvements and successfully make change on an organisational level
- Able to deliver results through successful collaboration
Desirable
- Ability to effectively design training and development programmes using interactive approaches to aid learning.
Experience
Essential
- Significant generalist HR management experience in a large, complex and unionised organisation
- Demonstrable experience of independently managing complex and sensitive cases of poor performance, ill-health, attendance and misconduct, including disciplinary procedures up to dismissal.
- Experience of Job Matching in the NHS
- Demonstrable experience of supporting executive and non-executive directors at appeal and grievance hearings
- Experience of policy consultation, development & implementation.
- Demonstrable experience of preparing and presenting cases at employment tribunals
- Experience of acting as a change agent, working proactively to make departmental and organisational change happen
- Experience of designing, supporting and implementing HR interventions at a strategic level.
- Experience of HR information systems and reporting, including ESR.
Communication
Essential
- Excellent communicator - using a range of media across different levels.
- Strong influencer, able to contribute to shaping service strategies.
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Degree level education or equivalent, CIPD Level
- Chartered CIPD member; relevant postgraduate qualification
- In depth knowledge of Agenda for Change and medical and dental terms and conditions of employment.
- Up to date knowledge of employment law and best practice including TUPE, equality etc.
- An advanced understanding of core employment policies and practices to enable the training and coaching of others
- Knowledge and appreciation of strategies to overcome resistance to change.
Personal and people development
Essential
- Significant line management experience
- A positive approach to working with others in a team environment
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Head of HR Business Partnering with Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in HR - Business Partners (Dept). The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 Per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 07 Sep 2026.
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