Senior HR Business Partner

Location: Stockton-on-Tees Bus Depot (with travel across the North East & Yorkshire Region)
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
 

Arriva UK Bus is seeking an experienced and commercially focused Senior HR Business Partner to play a key role in delivering our people strategy across the North East and Yorkshire Region.

Reporting to the HR People Operations Director, you will be a trusted advisor to senior operational leaders, providing strategic HR guidance and driving initiatives that support business performance, employee engagement, organisational development, and operational excellence. A key aspect of the role will be developing strong partnerships with recognised Trade Unions, ensuring effective consultation, constructive engagement, and positive employee relations across the region.

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly capable HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about building high-performing teams and creating positive workplace cultures.

As Senior HR Business Partner, you will act as a key strategic partner to the operational business, ensuring HR initiatives are aligned with business objectives. You will support significant people projects, lead organisational change programmes, and provide expert advice on all aspects of employment relations and people management.

You will play a pivotal role in developing management capability, supporting talent development, and ensuring the delivery of a professional, customer-focused HR service.

• Partner with senior leaders to develop and implement HR strategies aligned to regional and business objectives.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on organisational design, workforce planning, talent management, employee relations, and change management.
• Lead complex employee relations matters, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant outcomes.
• Support organisational change programmes, restructures, and transformation initiatives.
• Drive talent acquisition, succession planning, retention, and leadership development activities.
• Champion employee engagement initiatives and foster an inclusive, high-performing culture.
• Analyse people data and HR metrics to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with central HR functions including Reward, Learning & Development, and Recruitment to deliver integrated people solutions.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, company policies, and best practice HR standards.
• Promote Arriva's values and support the continuous improvement of people processes across the business.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with recognised Trade Union representatives, leading on consultation, negotiation, and engagement activities to support positive employee relations and business outcomes.
• Provide expert guidance to operational leaders on collective employment matters, ensuring effective management of unionised employee relations issues.

We're looking for a strategic HR professional with the credibility and expertise to influence at a senior level and deliver impactful people solutions.

You will have:

• Significant HR experience within a large and complex operational environment.
• Proven experience in a Senior HR Business Partner or equivalent leadership role.
• Experience of working within a heavily unionised environment, building effective relationships with Trade Union representatives and leading consultation and negotiation activities.
• Demonstrable experience managing complex employee relations issues involving Trade Unions, including collective consultation, organisational change, and dispute resolution.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and employee relations best practice.
• Experience leading organisational change, restructuring, and transformation programmes.
• Demonstrable success in talent management, organisational development, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to challenge and influence constructively.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make evidence-based recommendations.
• CIPD Level 7 qualification (or equivalent experience) is highly desirable.
• A degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related discipline is desirable.

At Arriva, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where employees can thrive and develop their careers.

In return, we offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• A collaborative and supportive working environment.
• The opportunity to make a significant impact on business performance and employee experience.
• The chance to work as part of a forward-thinking HR team within one of the UK's leading transport operators.

If you're an experienced HR professional looking for your next strategic challenge, we'd love to hear from you.

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