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Senior HR Business Partner
Remote, the UK·Added today (last checked 2 Nov)
Our summary
- Work mode
- Remote, with limits
- Contract
- Contract role, inside IR35
- Experience
- Senior level
Skills
Nice to have
Requirements
What we're looking for
- Strong HR generalist experience, with the ability to operate strategically and provide HR leadership.
- Proven experience leading and delivering HR projects, ideally within change or transformation environments.
- Experience managing projects from initial scoping and design through to implementation.
- Ability to lead cross-functional or matrix project teams.
- Proven experience influencing, challenging and managing senior stakeholders.
- Experience engaging with trade unions and key organisational partners.
- Ability to establish effective project structures, governance and delivery plans.
- Strong communication, stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
- Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, assess risks and deliver at pace.
Nice to have
- Chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
- CIPD Level 5 Intermediate Diploma or Level 7 Advanced Diploma in HR, or equivalent qualification.
- Experience working within a government or wider public sector HR environment.
- Experience leading large-scale organisational change and business transformation programmes.
- Experience providing strategic HR advice and solutions to senior leadership teams.
The role
Defra is seeking an experienced Senior HR Business Partner to join its HR Project Delivery Team, providing strategic HR leadership and expertise across high-impact initiatives within the Defra group.
The role will focus on leading and shaping business-critical HR projects, supporting organisational change, transformation and cross-cutting HR improvements. You will provide HR leadership, direction and structure, working closely with HR Business Partners, HR Expert Services teams, senior leaders and trade union partners to deliver effective people solutions.
You will take ownership of project delivery from initial scoping and design through to implementation, influencing strategic outcomes and ensuring successful transition into business-as-usual operations where required.
What you'll do
As a Senior HR Business Partner your main responsibilities will be to:
- Lead and shape HR projects and provide HR input into large-scale business transformation programmes.
- Provide strategic HR leadership, direction and advice across complex organisational initiatives.
- Lead projects from initial scoping and design through to implementation and delivery.
- Establish effective project governance, structures, plans and delivery timelines.
- Lead engagement with senior stakeholders, trade union partners and key business representatives.
- Build and lead cross-HR matrix project teams to deliver effective people solutions.
- Work closely with HR Business Partners and HR Expert Services teams to drive project outcomes.
- Influence and challenge senior stakeholders to achieve successful project delivery.
- Identify, assess and manage project risks, issues and dependencies.
- Drive collaboration and joined-up delivery across different teams and functions.
- Support organisational change, HR transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Oversee project closure and ensure effective transition into business-as-usual operations.
Organisation
Our objectives are:
- To pass on to the next generation a natural environment protected and enhanced for the future.
- To lead the world in food, farming, and fisheries with a sustainable model of food production.
- To be an outstanding organisation focused on making a difference, with world class delivery capability.
Desirable
Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.
Disability Confident
As a Disability Confident employer, Defra encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates. Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.
In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".
About Public Sector Resourcing
- Industry
- Recruitment
In their own words
About the company & team
Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs
On behalf of Defra, we are looking for a Senior HR Business Partner x 4 (Inside IR35) for a contract up to end of March 2027 based remotely (with office attendance in any Nationwide Hub, as and if required)
In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people's lives. We are responsible for England's environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards. We have developed a set of three strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all the important work we carry out.
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs www.gov.uk.
25 Year Environment Plan - GOV.UK www.gov.uk.
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