Hays
Senior HR Business Partner

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Interim Senior HR Business Partner (Potential for Temp-to-Perm)
North West/Bolton/Warrington with ad hoc National Travel
Hybrid - 2/3 days per week on site
£60,000 - £75,000 + Benefits
Shape the people agenda for a growing infrastructure and utilities business.
Hays HR is delighted to be partnering exclusively with a major infrastructure and utilities organisation to appoint an Interim Senior HR Business Partner. This is a newly created strategic leadership role designed to support business growth, organisational transformation and workforce capability across a complex, multi-site operational environment.
This opportunity would suit an experienced Senior HR Business Partner, Senior People Partner, Head of HR or Regional HR Manager who thrives in fast-paced, project-based organisations and has experience supporting operational or field-based workforces. The organisation is seeking a high-calibre HR professional who can make an immediate impact during a period of growth, change and continued investment. The role is initially offered on an interim basis, with the potential to become permanent for the right individual.
The Role
Reporting to the People Director, you will act as a strategic business partner to senior leaders across the organisation, leading the delivery of commercially focused people solutions that support business performance, workforce capability and long-term growth.
You will play a key role in shaping people strategy while providing leadership across employee relations, workforce planning, organisational design, talent, engagement and change programmes. The position also has responsibility for leading a multidisciplinary people team to deliver a consistent and high-quality employee experience.
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.
Key Responsibilities
- Partner with senior leadership teams to drive people strategy and business performance.
- Lead complex employee relations and organisational change activity.
- Support business growth through workforce planning, succession planning and talent strategies.
- Lead TUPE transfers, consultations, mobilisation and integration programmes.
- Influence senior stakeholders on organisational design, performance and capability initiatives.
- Utilise people data and workforce insights to inform business decisions.
- Lead and develop a team across HR partnering, HR operations and talent acquisition.
- Drive engagement, inclusion and leadership capability across multiple business areas.
- Support mergers, acquisitions and business transformation projects.
- Ensure consistent application of policies, governance and people processes across the organisation.
About You
We are keen to speak with experienced HR professionals who have operated in large, complex and operationally focused environments.
You will ideally bring:
- Significant experience as a Senior HR Business Partner, Senior People Partner, Head of HR or equivalent.
- Proven experience partnering Executive and Senior Leadership teams.
- Strong employee relations expertise, including complex and sensitive case management.
- Experience leading organisational change, restructures, consultation and transformation activity.
- Strong knowledge of workforce planning, recruitment strategy and talent management.
- Experience managing or leading HR teams.
- Excellent commercial acumen and ability to align people initiatives to organisational objectives.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to utilise people metrics and workforce data.
- Ideally CIPD Level 7 qualified or working towards a relevant qualification.


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Sector Experience
Candidates from the following sectors are particularly encouraged to apply:
- Utilities
- Infrastructure
- Civil Engineering
- Construction
- Water
- Energy
- Highways
- Rail
- Facilities Management
- Telecommunications
Experience supporting operational, project-based, unionised or geographically dispersed workforces would be highly advantageous. Being involved in the utility/infrastructure sector, sector knowledge is particularly valuable.
Location
Applicants should be within reasonable commuting distance of either location and willing to travel nationally on an ad hoc basis to support operational teams and major customers.
Package
- £60,000 - £75,000 salary equivalent
- Interim role (to start by end of October 2026); potential temp-to-perm opportunity
- Strategic leadership role with significant visibility
- Opportunity to shape a growing people function
- Nationally recognised infrastructure and utilities environment
- Flexible future permanent opportunities available for exceptional performers
Due to the high volume of expected applications to the role, the most efficient response will be gained by applying in the first instance to start a conversation. Managing consultant, Julia Peat
Desired Skills and Experience
HR business Partner, Complex ER, strategic advisory
Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk
“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
Location