HR Business Partner

About the role

We are seeking a hands‑on HR Business Partner to join a leading international manufacturing business at its key production site in Sunderland. Working within a global HR function, you will act as a trusted advisor to the Site Leadership Team, driving cultural change, employee engagement and high‑performance behaviours.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with the Site Leadership Team on all people‑related matters and provide strategic and operational HR support across the employee life‑cycle.
• Coach and develop managers to build confidence, accountability and leadership capability.
• Lead complex employee‑relations cases, including disciplinaries, grievances, absence and performance management.
• Support workforce and succession planning, organisational change, and staffing forecasts.
• Build positive relationships with trade unions and employee representatives in a unionised environment.
• Drive employee‑engagement initiatives and continuous‑improvement programmes.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, HR policies and regulatory standards.
• Use HR data and insights to identify trends and inform business decisions.
• Act as the link between the site and the wider global HR function.

Required profile

• Current experience as an HR Business Partner, HR Manager or Senior HR Generalist in a manufacturing, engineering or production environment.
• Strong generalist HR knowledge with extensive employee‑relations experience.
• Proven ability to influence, coach and constructively challenge senior stakeholders.
• Collaborative, pragmatic and commercially focused approach.
• Experience working within a unionised or collective‑bargaining environment (advantageous).
• Passion for developing leaders and improving workplace culture.
• CIPD qualification (or equivalent).

Required skills