People Partner – Charity

Great people practices start with great partnerships.

As a People Partner, you’ll work alongside our leadership team and managers to help them get the best from our people and create an environment where colleagues can thrive.

You’ll be a trusted advisor, bringing professional expertise, sound judgement and a practical approach to people matters. From planning and organisational change to performance, engagement and complex employee relations, you’ll help our leadership make confident, informed decisions while keeping our people and organisational priorities in view.

This is an opportunity to influence beyond individual cases. You’ll use insight, coaching and your understanding of the organisation to identify emerging challenges, strengthen management capability and develop people solutions that support both colleague experience and the delivery of Norwood’s services.

You’ll also contribute to the continued development of our People practices, policies, systems and ways of working, helping us build an inclusive, high-performing culture where our values of Kindness, Respect, Belonging and Empowerment can be experienced every day. 

Who We Are Looking For

You’ll be an experienced People professional who enjoys being close to the organisation and building trusted relationships with the people you support.

You’ll bring credibility and confidence when advising senior leaders and managers, alongside the judgement to understand when to challenge, when to coach and when to find a pragmatic way forward.

You’ll have strong experience managing complex employee relations matters, but you’ll think beyond the immediate case. You’ll look for patterns, understand underlying causes and help managers build the confidence and capability to manage their people effectively.

You’ll also be comfortable working with data and insight, using evidence to identify risks, spot opportunities and make clear recommendations.

Change will be an important part of your experience. You’ll understand how to support restructures, consultation and organisational change professionally and sensitively, balancing employment law and organisational requirements with the experience of the people affected.

Above all, you’ll be approachable, collaborative and solutions-focused, with the ability to build relationships at every level while maintaining professional independence and sound judgement.

Your Day to Day:

• Partner with senior leaders and managers to align people plans with organisational priorities
• Provide pragmatic, commercially focused People advice that supports effective decision-making
• Coach managers and strengthen their confidence in managing performance, attendance, wellbeing and engagement
• Lead complex employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, sickness absence and performance cases
• Provide People support for organisational change, restructures and transformation
• Lead consultation processes where required
• Support workforce planning, organisational design and succession planning
• Use workforce data and trends to identify risks, opportunities and potential solutions
• Support leaders to attract, retain and develop high-performing people
• Contribute to performance review, talent and succession activity
• Identify development needs and work with Learning & Development colleagues to put appropriate support in place
• Support pay, reward, recognition and performance review processes
• Help turn colleague feedback and engagement insight into meaningful action
• Champion inclusion, wellbeing and a positive organisational culture
• Develop and review People policies and practices, ensuring they remain aligned with employment law and regulatory requirements
• Identify opportunities to improve People processes, systems and colleague experience
• Line manage People & Culture colleagues, supporting their skills, knowledge and confidence 

Qualifications, Training & Experience

Essential:

• CIPD qualification or equivalent expertise gained through relevant professional experience
• Experience partnering with teams, departments and senior managers on a broad range of People & Culture matters
• Strong experience managing complex employee relations cases, including organisational change
• Demonstrable experience coaching and advising leaders and managers
• Experience resolving issues pragmatically and improving working relationships, performance and retention
• Experience managing a small team
• Up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation, case law and equality legislation
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to identify patterns and trends and make evidence-based recommendations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to influence and negotiate with stakeholders who may hold different perspectives
• Strong organisation, planning and prioritisation skills
• Confidence working under pressure and responding to changing priorities
• A collaborative, flexible and approachable working style
• The ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately

Desirable:

• CIPD Level 5
• Chartered membership of the CIPD
• Experience working within social care or the third sector
• Knowledge of Jewish culture, or a willingness to learn
• Reward & Benefits

We believe great support starts with great staff. 

We offer:

• Comprehensive induction and ongoing training
• 21 days annual leave plus 8 Bank Holidays + Jewish Festival & Holy Days (pro rata for part time)
• Enhanced parental pay
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health cash plan covering dental, optical and therapy treatments, plus virtual GP access via My Medicash
• Blue Light Card access
• Cycle to Work scheme
• £300 refer-a-friend bonus
• Career development pathway
• Free on-site parking
• A supportive, experienced team and management culture

For more information about the role, or to receive a personal recommendation, please contact our recruitment team. Melissa – melissa@theworkavenue.org.uk or Yael – yb@theworkavenue.org.uk

Code: J-04+