Interim HR Business Partner

Your new company
Leading higher education institute.

Your new role
In this role, you will provide HRBP support on a wide range of HR issues, analysing and defining problems to recommend both specialist and generalist HR solutions that meet service and departmental requirements. You will offer advice and guidance on HR best practices, procedures, and policies within a legal or organisational framework, developing solutions to meet service needs. Supporting managers in resolving issues and undertaking casework across the entire HR spectrum within reasonable timescales will be a key part of your responsibilities. Additionally, you will develop and implement HR solutions to manage organisational change, ensuring high-quality, customer-focused HR services that meet managers' needs.
The two key areas this role will focus on will be managing complex case work where you will be managing complex cases that could involve reputational or legal risk. These cases can often escalate and will need to be managed at pace throughout with changing risks/issues.

Similarly, you will be responsible for supporting organisational change, which could include large restructures, teams merging or splitting, job evaluation and consultation (end to end).
You will also be involved in researching, developing, and influencing the acceptance and implementation of best practice HR services, policies, and principles. Monitoring their ongoing application and commenting on their effectiveness will be crucial. Proactively identifying issues and improvements within the context of future service requirements and persuading challenging individuals will be part of your role.Building and developing strong working partnerships with managers, trade unions, colleagues, specialists, and other key stakeholders will be essential to deliver requirements and mitigate risk. You will act as an ambassador for the HR Division in these interactions. Additionally, you will coach and facilitate the development of skills and knowledge in others, enabling managers and colleagues to be self-reliant in dealing with people issues.
Leading and implementing self-contained projects or components of larger projects to deliver organisational objectives and enabling appropriate changes in HR policy or practice will be part of your project management responsibilities. You will provide leadership to HR teams, ensuring they understand the institution's drivers and can turn its service vision into action. Finally, you will maintain and develop your knowledge of employment law, HR best practices, and other relevant knowledge bases to enhance your professional capability.

What you'll need to succeed

To be considered for this role you should already be operating at HRBP level ideally CIPD Level 5 qualified. You should be able to demonstrate significant experience in managing complex cases which can escalate quickly and have proven experience in organisational change dealing with large restructures, team merging/splitting and consultation end to end. You will ideally have experience in the higher education sector or public services/not-for-profit, so you understand the nuances of working in such an environment.

The ideal candidate for this HR professional role should possess significant experience in either a generalist or specialist environment, with operational exposure to the application of employment law, case management, and organisational change management. They must demonstrate well-developed communication, influencing, and negotiation skills with both internal and external customers. Experience in advising and influencing senior management on HR strategy and practice is essential, as is the ability to implement project planning and management methodology, delivering work to quality and time autonomously and through others. Evidence of delivering innovative best practice techniques across the whole HR spectrum is also required.
Specialist knowledge and skills include good management and leadership abilities, acting positively, flexibly, and constructively, bringing energy and focus to the role and team. A collaborative approach that demonstrates mutual trust and support is crucial. The candidate should be able to analyse problems at both strategic and operational levels, using a positive and flexible approach to identify root causes and develop a range of creative and innovative solutions that add value. They must focus on customers, being innovative and creative, open to new ideas and challenges, and committed to individual learning and development. Building and maintaining effective working relationships at all levels to influence and strengthen communication and rapport with stakeholders is essential. Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to successfully present information verbally through formal presentations, are required. Strong analytical skills and the ability to produce and present clearly articulated, well-structured, concise reports, including the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, are also necessary. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant computer software is expected.Experience of working with unions is also highly advantageous.

What you'll get in return
This role is being offered as a long-term temporary role expected to last at least 12 months. The role is full-time Monday to Friday with flexible working hours of 37 hours per week. Hybrid working is offered where you are required to work in the office for 2 days per week and the rest is home working. The offices are central Cambridge with no parking but excellent public transport links. A very competitive hourly rate of £24-£30 per hour is offered DOE. We are looking for someone to start ASAP. This role is a fantastic opportunity to work for a leading organisation with a fantastic experienced HR team.

What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.

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