Senior HR Partner

This is an opportunity to join a large, complex public sector organisation in Cornwall with a strong commitment to its people. The organisation is value-led, ambitious and focused on continuous improvement, innovation and creating positive outcomes for those it serves. This post sits in the People & Organisational Development function, which is at the heart of shaping organisational success, ensuring the workforce is equipped, engaged and supported to deliver strategic priorities.

About the role

This pivotal position is responsible for the delivery of excellence in people matters across the organisation. You will be a senior HR and OD trusted advisor, working strategically with leadership teams to ensure workforce plans and people strategies align with organisational objectives. This role offers the chance to influence decision-making at the highest levels while contributing to a culture that values collaboration, inclusion, wellbeing and leadership excellence.

Responsibilities

• Workforce Planning: Forecasting future workforce needs, addressing skills gaps, and aligning staffing with service priorities. Ensuring workforce priorities (e.g., resourcing, engagement, development) are integrated into the strategic objectives.
• Organisational Development: Designing structures, roles, and processes to improve efficiency and service delivery.
• Talent Management: Developing succession plans, leadership pipelines, and staff development programmes.
• Employee Engagement & Well-being
• Change Management: Leading organisational change projects and supporting managers through transformation.
• Policy & Compliance: Advising on employment law, handling complex employee relations cases, and ensuring best practice.
• Data Analysis: Using workforce metrics to inform decisions and improvement plans.
• Leader, mentor and coach, influencing culture and behaviours.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with managers across the function and organisation, working collaboratively to provide support, guidance and development.

Requirements

• Proven track record working with senior leadership - setting long and short-term objectives, creating strategies and overall goals for service managers to clearly define and deliver.
• Significant HR & OD knowledge coupled with substantial experience in HR & OD.
• Ideally, experience in a more senior role within a large, complex organisation.
• Expertise in workforce planning, organisational development, change management, embedding required culture and behaviours, as well as employee relations.
• Proven experience influencing senior stakeholders and leading strategic projects.
• Strong analytical, coaching and leadership capabilities.
• Experience ensuring proper financial and governance controls are adhered to and using such controls to measure cost-effective delivery of services.
• Experience leading complex projects which require coordination with other departments and senior managers.
• Ideally, CIPD qualified (or willing to work towards it).

Benefits

• Competitive salary up to £77k pa.
• Generous public sector pension scheme - highly regarded pension.
• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service.
• Potential relocation packages for some roles.
• Salary sacrifice schemes (e.g. cars, bikes).
• Staff discounts (retail, travel, etc.).
• Generous annual leave.
• Ability to buy or sell extra annual leave.
• Flexible working options (part-time, remote, flexible shifts depending on role).
• Structured policies supporting work-life balance.
• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave/pay, special leave policies and family-friendly working arrangements.
• Opportunity to live and work in Cornwall's high-quality lifestyle environment (coastline, outdoor activities, strong community feel).
• Strong training and development opportunities.
• Extensive opportunities for continuous professional development (CPD) and study leave policies.
• Opportunities for career progression and skills development.
• Access to health and wellbeing initiatives and employee support programmes.
• Access to occupational health services and counselling.
• Supportive peer environment.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Travel expense support.
• Staff accommodation options (where available).
• Staff extras such as lotteries or local perks.
• Work within a large, established organisation with a strong sense of purpose.
• Opportunities to engage in research and innovation.
• Hybrid working arrangement with a blend of remote and on-site working.
• A collaborative, inclusive and values-driven culture where people can thrive and make a genuine impact.