Strategic People Partner

Job overview

Strategic People Partner

Band 8b | Based in Crawley: regular attendance at SECAmb Regional Locations | Minimum 40% On-Site

Drive transformation. Champion culture. Shape the workforce of tomorrow.

At South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb), we’re navigating a period of significant change — and we’re looking for a Strategic People Partner who can lead with clarity, compassion, and courage.

This is more than a people role. It’s a chance to help rebuild trust, reshape culture, and reimagine what great looks like. This is a rare opportunity to join a service that’s rebuilding from the inside out — where your HR expertise, leadership, and influence will help lay the foundations for a stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient workforce.

You’ll lead the people strategy for one of our four divisional areas (Kent, Sussex, Surrey/Corporate, or Central Operations), working alongside newly forming leadership teams and supporting staff through significant change. You’ll need to be both a trusted advisor and a hands-on partner — someone who can see the bigger picture while getting stuck into the detail. Your ability to bring people with you — to listen, influence, and act — will be critical to success.

This is your chance to make a real difference — not just to our workforce, but to the communities we serve.

Main duties of the job

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Strategic and hands-on — equally comfortable advising at board level and rolling up their sleeves to get things done.
• Thrives in complexity - and brings calm, confidence, and clarity to uncertain environments.
• Change-savvy and people-focused — with a deep understanding of how to support individuals and teams through uncertainty and transition.
• A natural leader — ready to inspire, develop and guide a growing team in a fast-evolving environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You’re a credible, proactive people leader who thrives in dynamic, fast-paced environments. You combine strategic insight with operational delivery, and you’re passionate about creating positive, inclusive workplace cultures.

Essential:

• Chartered Member of CIPD (or working towards it).
• Significant, senior HR experience in a complex, customer-focused, unionised environment.
• Strong background in HR business partnering, workforce planning, organisational change and leadership coaching.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiating, and influencing skills — with the confidence to engage and challenge at senior levels.
• Able to analyse complex data, identify trends, and use evidence to drive decision-making.

Desirable:

• NHS or healthcare sector experience, though not essential if you bring comparable complexity.

If you’re ready to make a meaningful, visible impact on the people strategy of a vital NHS organisation — and help shape the future of our ambulance service workforce — we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today via NHS Jobs / Trac Jobs and bring your leadership to where it matters most.