Arrivais one ofthe largest transportservicesorganisations inEurope,employingmore than35,000people and deliveringmorethan1.5billion passengerjourneys across 11 European countries every year.
We have strong roots dating back to 1938, an ambitious growth agenda, and a continuously developing relationship with our new shareholder I Squared Capital who acquired Arriva in May 2024.
The People Business Partner for corporate functions is responsible for delivering a comprehensive HR service to the Corporate Centre & Corporate Services business units, via a strategic partnership and for championing our employee experience vision.
This role will be on a hybrid working basis, a minimum of 3 days per week in the Sunderland office, the rest focusing on where you can best deliver for your customers, whilst still allowing for the required work life balance.
Direct responsibilities:
• Translating business strategy into actionable people plans, ensuring full alignment with organisational objectives, employment legislation and our employee experience vision.
• Partnering with leaders to shape organisational design, workforce planning, and succession strategies to create a sustainable organisation.
• Acting as a strategic advisor to senior leaders, delivering integrated, forward- thinking and innovative HR solutions in collaboration with HR Corporate Services and providing guidance on complex employee relations matters and other organisational challenges.
• Coaching leaders and managers to build organisational capability, confidence, and accountability.
• Using data-driven insights and HR expertise to identify trends, inform recommendations and/or influence decisions that drive continuous improvement in our people-management approaches.
• Horizon-scanning and using external insights to identify risks and opportunities and challenge the status quo to ensure we remain competitive and deliver real tangible value.
• Collaborating with the Arriva Professional Services and Shared Services teams to deliver a customer-focused, approach to HR, ensuring timely, high-quality outputs and operational excellence and full alignment with the Arriva people Plan.
• Building strong relationships with key stakeholders across the business to gather insights, anticipate needs, and drive action to mitigate/manage people- related risks and identify opportunities for introducing new approaches that support the delivery of our business objectives.
• Championing our vision for the employee experience, role modelling the culture we want to create and supporting employee engagement, wellbeing and ED&I initiatives.
• Ensuring HR practices are compliant with policies, procedures, employment legislation and reflect our employee experience vision.
• Leading or supporting change initiatives, including restructures, mergers and acquisitions, TUPE, process improvements, and cultural transformation, ensuring effective communication and stakeholder engagement throughout change programs.
• Leading and participating in cross-functional projects aligned to the people agenda.
Knowledge, skills & experience:
Essential Experience
• Proven experience as an HR Business Partner or similar HR Generalist role
• Strong understanding of HR disciplines including employee engagement, employee relations, talent management and succession planning and organisational development.
• Ability to interpret and leverage data to inform decisions and drive outcomes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Demonstrable organisational skills, including planning, organising self and others, multi-tasking, and managing competing priorities.
Desirable Experience
• Workday or similar HRIS
Other Skills and Behaviours
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills
• Ability to deal with multiple issues, make sound judgements/decisions whilst remaining calm under pressure.
• Adaptability and resilience with the ability to work effectively across complex cultures.
• Comfortable leading and managing change.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills.
• Integrity and confidentiality
• Customer focus
• Analytical thinking
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Ability to build rapport and credibility with stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion and sound judgement.
• Project Management
• Inclusive and culturally aware
Technical Knowledge and Qualifications
• Good Cognitive agility
• Good awareness of current and emerging people-management considerations
• Proficient in MS Office and HR information systems.
• Good awareness of existing and emerging UK employment law
• CIPD qualification or equivalent (desirable)
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 4th March 2026. Arriva Group reserves the right to close this vacancy early.