Senior HR business partner

Band 8a · Human resources business partner · 544 job evaluation points

Business partners several directorates, or the largest and most complex ones, such as digital and technology, and leads people programmes that reach across the organisation.

Responsibilities

Advise executive and senior leaders of several directorates on people strategy, risk, and organisational design.
Lead large or sensitive organisational changes, including service transfers and changes to 24/7 working patterns.
Lead an organisation-wide people programme, such as a digital careers framework or a retention plan for scarce skills.
Handle the most sensitive cases, such as those involving senior staff or a risk of legal claims, with legal advisers.
Shape people policies and consult on them with staff representatives.
Lead, coach, and develop HR business partners and advisers.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Organisational change and consultationThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: lead organisation-wide restructures and service transfers design the organisation's approach to change, including partnership working advise the board on the people impact and risk of major change
Workforce planningThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: lead workforce planning for a directorate, linking it to service and financial plans identify skills gaps and recommend ways to close them plan new roles, career pathways, and skill mix
Employee relations caseworkThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: lead the organisation's approach to employee relations and partnership working handle the most sensitive or high-risk cases, including employment claims negotiate collective agreements and resolve collective disputes
Employment law and people policyThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: interpret employment law and policy for complex cases and advise on risk draft and review people policies, with equality impact assessments consult on policy changes with staff representatives
Organisational developmentThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: diagnose organisational issues and design interventions to address them lead team development, leadership development, and engagement programmes evaluate the effect of interventions using evidence
Skills frameworks and career pathwaysThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: run skills gap analysis for a team or profession and report the results design career pathways and development routes using framework levels use framework skills to write consistent job descriptions and assessments
People strategy and HR leadershipThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: write and lead people plans for a directorate in line with the people strategy advise senior leaders on people risks and priorities lead part of the HR function, setting its standards and priorities
Stakeholder relationship managementUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: work with the team to develop and maintain an understanding of stakeholders work with the team to develop and implement stakeholder communications strategies identify and resolve issues, influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders
People managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: line manage a team, setting objectives and running appraisals support wellbeing and manage attendance, performance, and conduct plan the team's development and succession
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: analyse how a service fits into care pathways across organisations work with clinicians, care staff, and patients to shape digital services explain the effect of digital decisions on care, safety, and staff workload

Typical qualifications and experience

A recognised HR professional qualification at advanced level, or a master's degree in HR or a related subject, or equivalent experience.
Extensive experience of HR business partnering at senior level.

Band 8a outline

Knowledge: Expert knowledge of a discipline and its management.
Autonomy: Interprets organisational policy for a service; sets the team's direction.
Scope: A service area or a discipline across the organisation.
Leadership: Manages a team, or leads a discipline without line management.
Accountability: A service area, its staff, and its budget.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	5	Gives highly complex or contentious information needing developed persuasion and negotiation, presents to large groups, or communicates where there are significant barriers to acceptance.	45
Knowledge, training, and experience	7	Highly developed specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (master's level or equivalent).	196
Analytical and judgemental skills	5	Judgements on highly complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	60
Planning and organisational skills	4	Plans a broad range of complex activities or strategies, adjusting them as needed.	42
Physical skills	2	Skills gained through practice, such as standard keyboard use or driving.	15
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	4	Implements policy and develops policy or services for a service or several areas.	32
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	2	Handles cash or valuables, looks after equipment used by others, controls stock, or authorises small payments.	12
Responsibility for people	4	Line manages a function or department, designs training programmes as a main duty, or delivers a full range of HR services.	32
Responsibility for information resources	3	Takes formal minutes, regularly writes reports or queries, or maintains information systems as a significant duty.	16
Responsibility for research and development	1	Carries out surveys or audits for own work; occasionally takes part in research or testing.	5
Freedom to act	5	Works within general policies, and in most cases decides how to interpret them.	45
Physical effort	1	Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.	3
Mental effort	3	Frequent concentration on unpredictable work, or occasional prolonged concentration.	12
Emotional effort	3	Frequent exposure to distressing circumstances, or occasional exposure to highly distressing ones.	18
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 8a: 540 to 584)			544