***Internal applicants only with a current contract at the University of Essex***
Do you have experience of working in a Senior HR role for a large organisation? If you have excellent attention to detail and customer service skills and are looking for a position working within a fast-paced HR environment, then this could be the job for you.
The Role
The Business Partner is the key relationship holder between the Departments/Faculties and People & Culture. They will represent HR and the people agenda and champion change, bringing together resource from across HR as required to support the customer as needed. You will be responsible for the following;
1. Building strong working relationships with stakeholders across the University, such as the University Steering Group and our Campus Trade Unions, based on credibility and open communication.
2. Providing professional strategic and escalated operational HR advice by interpreting policies and procedures and employment legislation, highly complex casework and managing change processes, including the analysis of risk.
3. Working closely with Organisational Development Team, taking opportunities to build shared understanding and ownership of the organisations vision, values, strategies, plans and desired culture.
4. Leading, coaching and motivating others in the development of robust, innovative and creative approaches to service provision, building ownership and engagement at all levels.
5. Leading on all processes associated with the various staffing committees and annual reviews.
6. Actively promoting cultural change, supporting new ways of working and continuous improvement within P&C and the Faculties and Sections to provide a quality, professional, consistent, and cohesive service.
The Business Partners promote new ways of working and empowering approaches to people management ensuring that this is underpinned by corporate policies.
A full list of duties is detailed in the jobpack.
The Person
You will have relevant successful HR experience at a senior level within a medium to large scale complex organisation in a generalist role (including working with and advising senior managers on people management issues), coaching others and providing constructive feedback. You will have a sound understanding and knowledge of current UK and retained EU employment legislation and good practice, alongside experience in workforce planning, restructuring and talent management.
If you have excellent oral, listening and written communication skills, demonstrating the ability to convey complex information accurately both internally and externally, we would like to hear from you.
A full list of essential criteria can be found in the Person Specification within the Job pack.
How to Apply:
Please complete the attached application form and send to before the closing date of 6 May 2026.
To support this commitment we have our, a staff-led network that promotes and celebrates the rich cultural diversity among Essex staff, and our Colchester campus based Faith Centre, which hosts regular services, meetings and events organised by our chaplains and faith representatives. For more information see: