John Sisk & Son Ltd
HR Business Partner

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Overview
At John Sisk & Son, we’re more than a construction company, we’re a family-owned business with a global reach, committed to building excellence in every project. We deliver trust, certainty and value to our clients while embracing innovation and shaping the future of construction.
Reporting to and working closely with the Senior Business Partner, the HR Business Partner will work in close partnership with the other key HR disciplines (Reward, Talent and L&D) to ensure programmes and processes delivered by HR are aligned with business and HR strategies. They will manage and lead employee relations cases in partnership with BU management, (grievances, disciplinaries, sickness absence, capability) and be responsible for leading key strategic projects in collaboration with members of the HR team and key stakeholders from across the business.
This role will be based in Bristol and work with our Sisk Rail and Fuse Rail businesses, experience managing a workforce including trades and labour would be beneficial.
Responsibilities
Stakeholder engagement & driving high performance
- Build strong relationships with managers, employees and cross-functional teams. Act as a trusted partner and operate in a manner that’s supportive of the business and the key priorities of that business but do so in a manner that ensures that there is control, governance and appropriate challenge.
- Work closely with Recruitment, HR operations, Reward and Learning and Development to deliver an integrated HR solution.
- Work with Senior BP & business leaders to design and deliver strategic people plans to enable business outcomes.
- Partner with leaders to create solutions which build a high-performance culture, in turn driving higher employee engagement and performance
- Keep close contact with people across the assigned business portfolio, maintaining a ‘finger on the pulse’ and sharing any emerging themes with the Senior BP, Senior leaders and wider team (as appropriate)
- Be an effective business partner - maintain a sound understanding of the wider business and local Business Unit strategies, understanding the business challenges and opportunities (not just within the People space), has a fundamental understanding of how the business operates commercially, wins work and delivers projects to help provide relevant and impactful support.
Employee relations
- Manage and support Managers on addressing employee relations matters (disciplinary, grievance, sickness absence, probationary management etc..) dealing with issues promptly and leading to a positive conclusion providing the Senior BP with regular updates.
- Manage and investigate employee relations concerns and issues as they arise in a timely fashion, in line with company policy and employment legislation and in partnership with management.
- Coach and advise managers both proactively to build capability and reactively as they manage their teams.
- Drive learnings from case management, best practice and developments in industry and legislation and share any learnings across the area you are assigned to and across the wider People team as appropriate.
- Manage long-term sickness absence cases to satisfactory conclusions for the business and employee People strategy
- Support management with resourcing strategy for projects during planning, ramp up, transition and project completion.
- Support the delivery of change initiatives in collaboration with the business and HR Leadership
- Assist managers with implementing HR strategies and priorities.
- Contribute to projects across the HR Strategy
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
People trends and analytics
- Manage exit interviews and report on the outcomes/trends of same
- Provide key HR metrics/data and insights where appropriate, ensuring GDPR compliance
- Analyse data and identify trends within their Business Unit(s), leading discussions with BU leadership teams to address issues/concerns and develop actions/strategies to mitigate risk.
Talent management & Engagement
- Support learning and development initiatives for teams and individuals. Partner with leaders on their plans.
- Encourage engagement and participation in wellbeing, recognition and inclusion programmes. Help embed and achieve EDIB ambitions.
- Support early talent, mentoring and internal mobility programmes.
- Support resourcing meetings with Recruitment Manager, BU Managing Directors and COO (as appropriate)
- Support Leaders on organisational design and succession planning initiatives
- Support the development of employee survey action plans with business leaders, and help to drive plans that address employee feedback.
Reward
- Support the annual pay review process in conjunction with BUMD and BU Leadership.
- Ensure consistent reward principles are applied across the employee lifecycle and support the rollout of all reward initiatives across the Business Units
- Manage the out of cycle process, providing advice/recommendations and ensuring appropriate approvals are in place in respect of all changes to terms and conditions of employment.
Experience
- Exemplary inter-personal skills with an engaging, approachable style
- Able to confidently and sensitively challenge employees at every level (including senior leaders) and hold their position under pressure
- Role model the Sisk Company values of Care, Integrity and Excellence and challenge when these are not being upheld or role modelled
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and an ability to listen well.
- Excellent organisational skills; able to juggle a number of priorities
- Self-starter, with high energy, initiative and a solution focused
- Can-do attitude
- Resilient
- Commercially astute understanding the financial implications and risks associated with decisions
- Adept at liaising with people and building relationships across the business
- Willingness to travel to various projects and offices as required
- Previous experience in a similar role and a broad understanding across different areas of HR
- Commitment to continual learning and development
- An ability to balance the need for immediate solutions with the requirement to think and act longer term.
- Adopts a proactive approach, able to look forward and plan effectively.
- Experience in the sector desirable


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Qualifications
- A degree ideally in HR or Business/Management Studies (desirable)
- Robust and up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation
- Skilled at all Microsoft tools; Word, PowerPoint & Excel in particular
- Working towards or holding CIPD Chartership (desirable)
Additional Information
- Competitive salary
- 26 days annual leave plus additional company days
- Pension and benefits
- Unlimited learning and development opportunities
- Much more
Our People and Recruitment Commitment
At Sisk Group our people are at the heart of our success. We offer the chance to work with purpose, build a career with no limits and be part of a great team.
All vacancies are managed directly by our Internal Recruitment Team. Unsolicited contact or speculative CVs from unapproved agencies will not be accepted and no introductory fees will apply.
We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, or any other protected characteristic. Reasonable adjustments are available during the recruitment process.
We know the confidence gap and imposter phenomenon can stop talented candidates applying. You do not need to meet every criterion – your skills and potential matter. Don’t hold back we want to hear from you.
All recruitment materials comply with legal and regulatory requirements including the EU Pay Transparency Directive and the Equality Acts UK and Ireland.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location