Join us in shaping the future of care for women, children and families. We're looking for a People Partner who believes exceptional care starts with exceptional people, and who wants to help build a positive, high‑performing culture across one of the Trust’s most impactful service areas. Women’s & Children’s services include maternity, neonatal, paediatrics and specialist teams – fast‑paced, emotionally rich environments where strong leadership and a supportive culture make a real difference. In this role you’ll partner closely with leaders to strengthen workforce development, drive cultural improvement and support meaningful organisational change. You’ll be part of a forward‑thinking People Services team with the autonomy to influence how our teams work and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the experience of families at some of the most important moments of their lives. If you’re ready to bring your expertise, creativity and leadership to a role with real purpose, we’d love to hear from you.
Key Areas You’ll Lead: Strategic People Leadership
* Turn the Trust’s People Strategy into action for Women’s & Children’s services.
* Lead OD and workforce transformation aligned to service priorities.
* Represent People Services at senior leadership, CMG and Directorate meetings.
Organisational Development & Culture
* Deliver OD interventions that strengthen leadership, teamwork and improvement.
* Support the Becoming the Best journey through coaching and constructive challenge.
* Embed values‑based leadership and build an inclusive, empowering culture.
Workforce Planning & Redesign
* Develop integrated workforce plans for safe, sustainable services.
* Use workforce data to inform redesign and innovative workforce solutions.
* Build leaders’ capability to manage and develop their teams.
People Expertise & Employee Relations
* Provide expert advice on complex employee relations issues.
* Lead People policy development and ensure fair, consistent practice.
* Champion equality, diversity and inclusion across the employee lifecycle.
Leadership Development & Wellbeing
* Design and deliver training that builds capability across the CMG.
* Support wellbeing initiatives that help staff thrive.
* Lead, coach and develop your own team.
UHL Strategic Goals (2023‑2030)
The new strategy has four primary goals:
* High‑quality care for all
* Being a great place to work
* Partnerships for impact
* Research and education excellence
Values
* We are compassionate
* We are proud
* We are inclusive
* We are one team
People Partner Focus
* Plan, drive and provide OD support to Becoming the Best initiatives, which focus on collective leadership development and enabling staff to improve service delivery and outcomes in line with strategic and operational plans.
* Build leadership capacity and capability and identify initiatives to support continuous improvement through coaching, training and facilitating interventions with quality improvement teams and organisational improvement agents.
* Challenge and change behaviours at all levels of the organisation through influencing key stakeholders and raising awareness around current mental models.
* Provide OD expertise to support the ongoing development of values, behaviours and principles required to achieve cultural and transformational change.
* Champion best practice People Management and influence key business decisions to ensure effective management of staff, training and coaching managers in Workforce and OD policy and practice.
* Foster a positive climate of employee relations and maintain good working relationships with Trade Unions and Professional Organisations.
* Work in partnership with the wider People Services Team to investigate and resolve complex or high‑profile employee relations issues and lead recommendations for process and people transformation.
Strategic
* Understand and translate key drivers and challenges in the delivery of the UHL People Strategy.
* Act as an advocate of change and transformation in support of business, workforce and OD strategies and service changes.
* Attend CMG / Directorate / Executive business meetings with other key stakeholders, supporting the workforce and OD transformation agenda.
Workforce Development
* Develop mechanisms to inform local plans to ensure leaders possess the skills, confidence and expertise to lead and manage effectively.
* Facilitate and contribute to local integrated workforce plans and implementation plans, including service, financial and workforce plans.
* Plan and redesign workforce by analysing complex workforce information and seeking alternative workforce solutions to ensure quality and patient safety.
* Respond to current and projected workforce needs.
Policies and Procedures
* Lead the development, review and implementation of People policies and procedures, taking into account legislation, good practice and NHS guidance.
* Advise managers on effective implementation of People policies and procedures, ensuring they are coached and equipped to improve confidence in dealing with complex People issues.
* Participate in equality impact assessment of policies and procedures.
* Actively contribute to designing, implementing and evaluating People processes, systems and procedures which improve People practice.
Health and Wellbeing
* Support local implementation of the national, system and Trust health and wellbeing agenda, including development of action plans.
Training and Development
* Design, develop and deliver training programmes on relevant People and OD issues.
* Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
Line Management
* Take full management responsibility for any staff reporting to this post, providing leadership, recognising and developing the team, mentoring, coaching and training them to utilise strengths.
* Assess staff performance against agreed performance standards/objectives or competencies annually and develop personal development plans.
* Be responsible for self‑development of skills and competences through participation in learning and development activities, maintaining up‑to‑date technical and professional knowledge.
Recruitment and Retention
* Provide advice and leadership in all aspects of the recruitment and retention process within agreed quality standards in designated areas of responsibility.
* Assist managers in ensuring induction of new recruits is carried out appropriately, effectively and in accordance with the purpose to ensure both technical and People skills are identified and supported for the role.
Other Duties
* Fully participate in the Trust’s performance review and personal development planning process on an annual basis.
* Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
* Undertake delegated project work, including research and preparation of project plans and implementation, in line with good practice.
* Work collaboratively with the wider People Services team to ensure effective integration of the team, sharing of information and knowledge to deliver a seamless service.
* Undertake any other duties, including projects, specified by the People Service Leads and proceed as commensurate with the role.
* Deputise for the People Service Leads, attending meetings on behalf of the Directorate as directed.
* Represent the Directorate and organisation at internal and external meetings and events.
* Due to the Trust’s commitment to continuous improvement, it is likely that the post will evolve over time; these duties will be subject to regular appraisal and any amendments will be made in consultation and agreement with the post holder.
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