Head of HR Business Partner

Job Title: Head of HR Business Partner

Location: Heathrow, London

Our client is a leading international cargo and freight handling business, playing a critical role in keeping global supply chains moving. As the organisation continues to grow, they are now looking for an experienced Head of HR Business Partner to provide strategic and operational HR support across a number of key corporate functions, including Finance, HSSE, Commercial, Facilities and Procurement.

This is a broad and highly visible role, acting as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders and providing support across employee relations, workforce planning, talent, performance, reward, compliance and organisational change. The role will also oversee payroll, HR systems and reporting, manage a junior HR team member, and deputise for the HR Director when required.

Key Responsibilities

HR Business Partnering

• Partner with senior leaders across corporate functions on all people-related matters.
• Provide pragmatic and commercially focused HR advice.
• Support business growth, restructuring and organisational change.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.

Employee Relations

• Manage complex and high-profile ER cases through to resolution.
• Advise managers on employment law, policies and best practice.
• Coach managers through challenging people situations.
• Provide ER expertise and guidance to the wider HR team.

Talent & Development

• Drive effective performance management across the business.
• Lead annual performance reviews, objectives and development planning.
• Identify high-potential talent and support succession planning.
• Develop high-performing teams and leadership capability.

Reward & Benefits

• Manage annual salary reviews and performance bonus processes.
• Oversee benefits renewals.
• Provide expertise on UK job grading and reward structures.

Recruitment & Workforce Planning

• Partner with functional leaders to understand current and future workforce requirements.
• Develop recruitment plans aligned to business needs.
• Support organisational design and workforce planning.

Payroll, Systems & Reporting

• Oversee the payroll function, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Manage HR systems and reporting.
• Produce HR analysis and insight to support decision-making.
• Manage and develop the HR Graduate responsible for reporting and systems.

Compliance

• Oversee UK HR compliance, policies and data protection requirements.
• Support employee communications and compliance training.
• Ensure appropriate reporting and governance processes are in place.

Wider HR Leadership

• Act as a key contact for wider EMEA and corporate HR requirements.
• Lead and support HR projects.
• Deputise for the HR Director when required.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on HRBP who is comfortable operating in a complex and fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will have:

• Strong HRBP experience with broad generalist HR expertise.
• Proven experience managing complex employee relations cases.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law.
• CIPD qualified.
• Experience partnering with senior stakeholders.
• Exposure to organisational change and transformation.
• Experience across talent, performance and reward.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Experience with HR systems, payroll and people reporting.
• Previous experience managing or mentoring junior HR professionals.

This is a high-impact HRBP position offering broad exposure across multiple corporate functions, significant senior stakeholder interaction, and the opportunity to play a key role in people strategy, organisational change and high-performance culture. Due to the nature of the business, this role is an on-site position, five days a week with some flexibly for home working on occasion.

The role would suit an HR professional who enjoys being close to the business, solving complex people issues, and having genuine influence across an organisation — within a business that keeps global trade moving.