Ipsum Utilities Limited • West Sussex, West Sussex
About this role
HR Business Partner
Location
West Sussex (Hybrid working – 2–3 days office‑based)
Travel
Regular travel across the South of England required
Employment Type
Full‑Time, Permanent
Working Hours
Monday – Friday
What’s in it for you…
We believe in looking after our people, and it shows. When you join Ipsum, you’re not just taking a job — you’re starting a career with real support behind it.
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays with the option to buy more
Hybrid working
Group Personal Pension Plan
Car allowance
Career development & progression with the opportunity to earn professional qualifications
24/7 access to a virtual GP and Mental health support & counselling services
Cycle to Work scheme
Discount club - supermarkets, phone bills, gyms & more!
Life assurance cover
Long service recognition
Active local social committees
Regular social events
About the role…
As an HR Business Partner, you will play a pivotal role in translating the organisation’s people strategy into effective, commercially focused people plans across the South of England within the Water & Infrastructure division.
Working closely with the Head of HR and divisional leadership teams, you will act as a trusted advisor, challenger, and enabler of business performance through people. You will be accountable for delivering the divisional people agenda in line with the wider HR strategy set by the HR Director, driving workforce effectiveness, leadership capability, employee engagement, and organisational change. The role also leads on people aspects of business growth activity, including acquisitions, TUPE transfers, and integration programmes, ensuring outcomes are compliant, well‑managed, and commercially effective.
As an HR Business Partner you will…
Deliver targeted workshops to enhance line manager capability across key areas including leadership, employee relations, and absence management.
Support and enable managers to take ownership of day-to-day people matters, building confidence in managing their teams effectively.
Champion employee engagement and positive relations through proactive collaboration with managers
Partner with Head of HR (Operations) to implement engagement action plans that drive performance
Embed PeopleHR across divisions to strengthen accountability and enable cultural change
Maintain real-time accuracy of operational data within PeopleHR
Coordinate with Head of HR (Operations) on TUPE, acquisitions, integration, restructuring, and redundancy
Coach managers on handling difficult conversations and resolving issues informally
Provide pragmatic, risk-aware HR advice to managers, escalating to Head of HR (Operations) when needed
Prepare monthly HR reports for senior leadership and board-level business reviews
Use HR metrics to generate insights and drive performance improvements across operational teams
About you…
We are looking for a confident and experienced HR Business Partner who thrives in a fast-paced, matrixed environment. Ideally, you’ll bring experience from the utilities sector and have a strong grasp of employment law, with a proven track record of leading complex change projects such as restructures, TUPE, and variations to terms and conditions. You’ll be comfortable building relationships at all levels, influencing stakeholders, and driving meaningful business impact through strategic HR initiatives.
You’ll be CIPD qualified (Level 5 minimum) and educated to degree level, with excellent IT skills across Microsoft Office and SharePoint. Resilience, adaptability, and a proactive approach to personal development are key, as is the ability to navigate change with confidence. If you’re passionate about making a difference and ready to take ownership of your HRBP remit, we’d love to hear from you.
Our commitment to Equal Opportunities...
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