HR Business Partner | East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

As an HR Business Partner at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT), you will play a pivotal senior role supporting Divisions to deliver high‑quality patient care through an effective, engaged and well‑planned workforce. Working as a trusted adviser to Divisional leaders, you will shape and deliver strategic and operational HR solutions that align workforce capability, capacity and culture to the Trust’s priorities.

You will lead on workforce planning, organisational change and HR strategy, ensuring best practice, legal compliance and a strong focus on staff wellbeing, engagement and equality. The role works collaboratively across HR specialisms – including Workforce, Employee Relations, OD, Recruitment and Wellbeing .

This is a high‑impact, influential role for an experienced HR professional who wants to shape people strategy, enable transformation and make a tangible difference in a frontline healthcare environment.

• Strategic HR partnering
• Act as the HR lead to a Clinical Division, aligning people strategy with divisional and Trust objectives.
• Build trusted, influential relationships with Divisional leaders, senior managers and clinicians.
• Workforce planning and organisational change
• Lead and support strategic and operational workforce planning, including skill mix, succession planning and establishment control.
• Support large‑scale change programmes such as service transformation, restructuring, TUPE and right‑sizing initiatives.
• Employee relations leadership
• Lead on highly complex and sensitive employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, sickness absence, capability and MHPS matters.
• Implement a progressive, business‑focused employee relations strategy that promotes fairness, wellbeing, engagement and legal compliance.
• Governance, risk and compliance
• Ensure Divisions comply with employment law, Agenda for Change, Trust policies and NHS regulatory requirements.
• Implement effective HR risk management, escalation and assurance processes.
• Policy development and best practice
• Lead and contribute to the development, review and implementation of employment policies and procedures.
• Ensure HR practice reflects current legislation, national NHS guidance and best practice.

A wide range of staff benefits are available to our staff including staff development, enrolment in the NHS pension scheme, auto-enrolment to our Temporary Workforce Service, access to onsite nurseries. staff restaurants and accommodation.

In addition to an internal Occupational Health department, all staff also have access to free psychological support through our confidential Employee Assistance Programme. Onsite parking is available from only £50 a year.

There has never been a better time to join East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, submit your application today.

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The HR Business Partner is a senior, strategic role responsible for managing the relationship between a Clinical Division and the Trust’s People functions to deliver a high‑quality, integrated HR service. The post holder acts as a trusted adviser to Divisional leaders, proactively supporting them to achieve their strategic, operational and workforce objectives through effective people management and organisational development.

The role is central to aligning workforce capacity, capability and culture with the Trust’s priorities, ensuring East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is positioned as an employer of choice that attracts, retains and develops high‑performing staff who reflect the Trust’s values. The post holder provides expert leadership on workforce planning, organisational change and complex employee relations, while promoting staff wellbeing, engagement, equality and fairness.

Main responsibilities

The HR Business Partner is accountable for delivering a comprehensive range of strategic and operational HR responsibilities, including:

• Providing strategic HR leadership and advice to a Clinical Division, ensuring people strategies are aligned with Divisional and Trust‑wide objectives and support the delivery of safe, effective patient care.
• Leading the development and implementation of divisional workforce plans, including workforce modelling, skill mix reviews, succession planning and establishment control, working closely with finance and workforce colleagues.
• Supporting and leading complex organisational change and transformation programmes, including service redesign, restructuring, TUPE transfers and right‑sizing initiatives, ensuring appropriate consultation, risk management and staff engagement throughout.
• Acting as the senior lead for employee relations within the Division, managing and advising on highly complex and sensitive cases including disciplinary, grievance, sickness absence, capability and Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS) cases, ensuring consistency, fairness and legal compliance.
• Ensuring the Division complies with employment law, national NHS terms and conditions (Agenda for Change), Trust policies and relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Contributing to the development, review and implementation of HR policies and procedures, ensuring they reflect current legislation, national guidance and best practice and meet audit and governance standards.
• Working collaboratively across HR specialisms – including Workforce, Recruitment, Organisational Development, Education, Wellbeing and Employee Relations – to deliver a coordinated, efficient and responsive HR service aligned to Divisional needs.
• Building and maintaining effective partnership working with trade unions and staff‑side representatives, supporting consultation, negotiation, communication and employee engagement.
• Providing professional leadership within the HR function, contributing to Trust‑wide HR projects and priorities, supporting the development of HR colleagues and deputising for the Head of HR Business Partnering when required.

Skills, knowledge and experience required to deliver the role

To deliver this role effectively, the post holder must demonstrate a high level of specialist expertise, professional credibility and leadership capability, including:

• Extensive senior‑level HR experience, ideally within a large, complex and unionised organisation, with a strong understanding of healthcare provision and the NHS operating environment.
• Highly developed knowledge of employment law, national NHS terms and conditions, and best‑practice HR and employee relations approaches, with the ability to apply this knowledge to complex and sensitive situations.
• Proven ability to operate strategically, seeing the wider organisational picture while translating strategic objectives into practical, deliverable workforce and operational plans.
• Significant experience of leading and advising on complex employee relations and medical staffing cases, managing risk and maintaining fairness, integrity and professionalism.
• Strong leadership, influencing and negotiation skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and influence senior leaders, clinicians and stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data, assess risk, and develop pragmatic, evidence‑based solutions.
• Outstanding communication and relationship‑management skills, enabling the post holder to build trust, manage conflict, communicate highly sensitive information and foster effective partnerships.
• A strong commitment to staff wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion, demonstrating emotional intelligence, resilience and a values‑based approach to people management.
• Evidence of continuous professional development and professional HR registration (e.g. CIPD), reflecting a commitment to maintaining expertise and developing best practice.

This advert closes on Wednesday 20 May 2026

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