Role: Senior People Business Partner Location: Newcastle or Sheffield (reasonable travel to Group sites/offices as required) Salary: £45k-£55k Benefits: 30 days annual leave birthday off Free parking onsite Enhanced parental leave Income protection plan Private medical care Life assurance EAP and online/digital GP Wellbeing services Fantastic supportive culture We are The Edwin Group - a growing collective of like-minded education professionals, working together to positively impact the lives of young people. At the Edwin Group we are incredibly proud of the products and services we provide to our valued clients in the Education sector. Culturally, The Edwin Group is a people-driven organisation – leaders work with their teams in a supportive, inclusive and nurturing environment. We were proud to be awarded Sunday Times Best Place to Work for big companies in both 2023 and 2024. The role: Here at the Edwin Group, as a Senior People Business Partner (SPBP) you will play a pivotal role in aligning our people strategy and people services with business objectives to support the group’s success in delivering services to the education sector. As SPBP, you will provide expert advice and guidance to senior leaders, managers, and staff on a range of strategic and operational areas, including recruitment, onboarding, retention, workforce planning, employee relations, talent development, performance management, and organisational change. The SPBP will act as a trusted strategic partner to key stakeholders in one or more of the Groups services and support the Director of People in delivering on the People Strategy. Responsibilities: Strategic HR Planning: Collaborate with leadership teams to understand business objectives/priorities and develop people strategies that align with these. Workforce Planning: Plan, develop and implement workforce plans that meet the current and future needs of the business, ensuring appropriate staffing levels and skills to ensure our people thrive and perform to the highest standards. Employee Relations : Act as the primary point of contact for employee relations issues, including grievances, disciplinary matters, and conflict resolution. Provide coaching and guidance to managers in handling sensitive situations. Performance Management: Lead the implementation of performance management processes, including goal setting, feedback, appraisals, and career development plans. Talent Development & Succession Planning: Work with leadership to identify and develop high-potential employees. Design and deliver programs to ensure continuous professional development for staff across assigned business areas. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Support initiatives aimed at promoting an inclusive and equitable work environment, ensuring alignment with the company’s DEI strategy. Change Management : Support organisational changes, including restructurings, role transitions, and new program rollouts, providing clear communication and guidance to staff. People Policies and Procedures: Ensure compliance with relevant employment and health and safety laws, regulations, and company policies. Lead on the development and update of all people policies and practices in line with sector-specific needs. Data Informed Decision Making: Use defined people metrics, reports, and analysis to inform decision-making and track the effectiveness of people initiatives, providing insights to senior leadership to help shape and influence future people plans and initiatives. Employee Engagement and Wellbeing: Lead employee engagement and wellbeing initiatives to promote a positive culture and work environment, to aid recruitment and retention. Recruitment & Onboarding: Partner with the talent acquisition team to attract, select, and onboard top talent. Line Management: Develop, empower and lead a small team of People Advisors to ensure excellent service delivery to business areas and key stakeholders. Undertake regular CPD and training to ensure we continue to develop and remain at the forefront of people practice and initiatives. Act as an ambassador for the Group’s ESG Strategy ensuring both you and those whom you manage share a commitment to adopt, promote and comply with ESG policies, developments, and initiatives. Project work as assigned by the Director of People Requirements and skills Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (essential) CIPD Level 5 or above (essential) Master’s degree in HR or relevant qualification (desirable) Experience: Demonstrable experience in a HR/People Business Partner or similar strategic HR role (essential) Previous experience of company growth and M & A particularly in relation to supporting management teams with wider group integration of people processes and strategies. (essential) Strong background in employee relations, organisational development, and talent management (essential) Proven experience in implementing change management and organisational development strategies (essential) Previous experience of working in and supporting the Education and/or recruitment sector (Desirable) Skills & Competencies: Strategic Thinking: Ability to align HR/People strategies with business objectives, driving group success. Employment Law: Strong understanding of employment law and HR best practices Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels. Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and decision-making abilities, with a proactive approach to addressing challenges. Leadership & Coaching: Experience in coaching, mentoring, and developing managers and staff. Data Literacy: Proficient in using HRIS and people analytics to inform strategy and assess the impact of people interventions. Conflict Resolution: Ability to navigate and mediate sensitive employee relations issues effectively and to successful outcomes. Adaptability: Comfortable working in a dynamic environment with multiple priorities and ongoing changes. Team Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with different teams and departments. Personal Attributes: Positive, proactive, can-do attitude. Strong commitment to ethical practices and confidentiality Passionate about contributing to the success of the education services sector Innovative and willing to challenge the status quo to improve people practices and processes. Resilient and able to work well under pressure, managing competing demands Commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace culture. Click 'apply now' to be part of our exciting journey The Edwin Group do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community. internaledwin