Job Description
Senior HR Business Partner - Job Description
Holborn
Full time, perm
People Team
The People team is responsible for the design and delivery of the organisation's people strategy across Europe. The function encompasses Recruitment and Onboarding, HR Business Partnership and Learning and Development, working in close partnership with senior stakeholders across the business.
Role Overview
The Senior HR Business Partner plays a key role in shaping and delivering the People agenda across European offices. Acting as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, you will work closely with the People leadership team to embed people strategies, policies and processes consistently and effectively across practices.
As line manager to an HR Business Partner, you will provide day-to-day guidance, coaching and development support. You will also lead on complex employee relations, performance and organisational change matters, balancing commercial priorities with organisational values and culture.
HR Business Partnership
- Build trusted, proactive relationships with senior leaders across practices
- Partner with practices on workforce planning and talent management
- Line-manage and coach the HR Business Partner to deliver consistent HR support
- Act as escalation point for complex or sensitive people matters
- Represent the People function in senior leadership discussions, providing insight and recommendations
Performance and Employee Relations
- Lead complex or high-risk ER cases including investigations, disciplinaries, grievances and exits
- Oversee performance management and capability processes, ensuring fair and consistent application
- Coach leaders to manage performance and conduct issues in line with organisational feedback culture
- Promote proactive management of underperformance and early resolution of issues
- Partner with the wider People team on ER-related policy updates and training
Talent Management and Development
- Partner with practices during annual pay, bonus and promotion cycles
- Identify talent trends, progression opportunities and retention risks
- Support longer-term talent and succession planning initiatives
- Collaborate with Learning and Development to align development activity with talent priorities
Insights and Project Leadership
- Use HR data and analytics to identify trends, risks and opportunities
- Lead or contribute to people-related projects, ensuring high-quality delivery
- Use insight and feedback from practices to drive continuous improvement
- Prepare data, analysis and papers for leadership and committee discussions
Culture, Alignment and Collaboration
- Strengthen alignment between the People team and the wider business
- Champion consistent application of people policies across all locations
- Support a highly aligned and high-impact HR Business Partnering model
- Role-model clear, honest and approachable communication
Essential Requirements
- Proven experience in a senior HR Business Partner role
- Strong coaching and relationship-building capability with senior stakeholders
- Experience managing or developing HR professionals
- Sound employment law knowledge and experience handling complex ER cases
- Excellent communication, judgement and influencing skills
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into action
- Experience operating across multiple jurisdictions
- Fluent English (C2 level)
Desirable
- Experience within professional services or a complex, people-focused organisation
- Familiarity with Workday
- Additional European language (French, German or Spanish - C1/C2)
Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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