Strategic HR Business Partner

About The Role

As a key member of the HR/OD Senior Management Team, you will play a central role in shaping and delivering the Council's people agenda, ensuring workforce strategies, organisational development activity and transformation programmes contribute directly to the delivery of corporate and service priorities.

Working collaboratively with senior colleagues across HR/OD, you will help develop integrated and sustainable solutions to workforce and organisational challenges, bringing together expertise from across the service to deliver the greatest impact for our customers, workforce and communities.

You will act as a trusted adviser, strategic partner and change leader, supporting Directors and senior leaders through complex workforce issues, organisational transformation, service redesign and cultural change. Combining strategic thinking with pragmatic delivery, you will influence decision-making, provide professional challenge and help leaders navigate an increasingly complex operating environment.

This role requires an individual with the professional credibility, leadership experience and strategic capability to make an immediate contribution, providing expert support across a broad portfolio of workforce and organisational priorities.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver the Council's people agenda, aligning workforce strategies with corporate and service priorities.
• Develop integrated and sustainable solutions to workforce and organisational challenges.
• Act as a trusted adviser and strategic partner to Directors and senior leaders on complex workforce issues, transformation, service redesign, and cultural change.
• Influence decision-making and provide professional challenge to senior leaders.
• Lead large-scale organisational change, transformation, and cultural development programmes.
• Manage complex employee relations matters and work effectively with Trade Unions in challenging environments.

Requirements

• Significant senior-level HR Business Partnering experience, working directly with senior leaders and leadership teams to shape organisational and workforce strategy.
• Demonstrable experience of leading large-scale organisational change, transformation, service redesign, and cultural development programmes.
• A strong track record of influencing strategic decision-making and delivering measurable organisational outcomes through people-focused interventions.
• Extensive experience of managing complex employee relations matters and working effectively with Trade Unions in challenging environments.
• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, support, and constructively challenge senior leaders.
• Strong commercial, organisational, and political awareness, coupled with sound professional judgement.
• A collaborative leadership style and commitment to working collectively to deliver high-quality, customer-focused services.
• The ability to operate with confidence, resilience, and credibility in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

Benefits

There is a real opportunity to make a difference at Cumberland Council. As one of the newest councils in the country, we are continuing to shape our organisation, strengthen our culture, and deliver ambitious plans for our workforce and communities. This role offers the opportunity to influence strategic priorities, shape organisational culture, and play a key role in delivering lasting change across the Council.

You will join a progressive and ambitious HR/OD leadership team that values collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, where your expertise, insight, and leadership will directly influence the future direction of the organisation.

Relocate to Cumberland

Cumberland is a special place - with the beauty of the lakes, combined with an amazing coastline, a thriving city, bustling towns, and a strong economy. Cumberland also has lower property prices and rental costs and better quality of air (compared to England overall). Get set for an exceptional quality of life, ambitious opportunities for growth and transformation, good connectivity with the rest of the UK, and a lifestyle like no other.

Closing date: Monday, 31st August 2026
Interview date: w/c Monday, 14th September 2026 (in person, Carlisle)