Head of People Partnering & Talent

Location: Runcorn / Preston Brook

Working pattern: Hybrid – 3 days office, 2 days home

Salary: £80,000–£85,000 DOE

Car allowance: £11,500

Bonus: 15%

Benefits: Private healthcare + wider benefits package

An exciting opportunity to shape the people agenda of a leading international healthcare organisation

Mission Search is delighted to be supporting a large international healthcare organisation as they appoint a Head of People Partnering & Talent.

This is an exciting time to join the organisation as it continues to evolve its HR operating model and brings People Partnering and Talent together under one team.

Reporting to the HR Director, this is a broad and influential leadership position with responsibility across HR Business Partnering, Organisational Development, Learning & Development, Engagement, Reward and Talent.

You’ll have the opportunity to make a genuine impact on organisational performance, capability and colleague experience while working closely with senior leaders across a complex, multi-site healthcare environment.

The role

You will lead a team supporting a diverse workforce across operational, frontline and corporate functions, translating the wider people strategy into practical initiatives that support business priorities.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the HR Business Partnering and Talent agenda across the organisation.
• Developing and delivering people plans aligned to business priorities.
• Leading organisational design, workforce planning and restructuring activity.
• Delivering key people programmes including performance management, reward, job evaluation and annual pay cycles.
• Leading organisational change initiatives and complex employee relations activity.
• Managing trade union relationships and supporting pay negotiations.
• Strengthening leadership, management and colleague development programmes.
• Enhancing onboarding, internal development pathways and learning provision.
• Leading colleague engagement initiatives and action planning.
• Using engagement and people data to identify trends and improve retention.
• Leading reward, benefits, job evaluation and pay governance.
• Working closely with HR Operations, Shared Services and Centres of Expertise to ensure effective delivery.
• Building strong relationships with senior stakeholders and providing both support and constructive challenge.

About you

We’re looking for an experienced HR/People leader who can combine strategic thinking with strong operational delivery.

You’ll ideally bring experience of leading People/HR Business Partnering alongside areas such as Talent, L&D, Engagement and Reward within a complex, multi-site organisation.

You'll be able to demonstrate:

• Significant senior HR/People leadership experience.
• Experience leading HR Business Partnering and/or Talent functions.
• Strong commercial understanding and the ability to link people strategy to organisational performance.
• Experience of organisational design, workforce planning and change.
• Strong employee relations and trade union experience.
• Knowledge of reward, job evaluation and benefits.
• Experience supporting operational, frontline and geographically dispersed workforces.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• A data-led approach to people decision-making.
• The ability to balance strategic priorities with hands-on operational delivery.
• Experience of using technology and AI to improve HR efficiency and insight would be advantageous.

Why join?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a large, stable and purpose-driven international healthcare organisation at an important point in its development.

You’ll have broad responsibility across the people agenda, significant visibility with senior leadership and the opportunity to help shape and embed a modern HR operating model.

In return, you’ll receive:

£80,000–£85,000 salary + £11,500 car allowance + 15% annual bonus, alongside private healthcare and a wider benefits package.

The role offers a hybrid working model of 3 days in the Runcorn/Preston Brook office and 2 days from home.

Interested?

If you’re an experienced HR leader looking for a role where you can genuinely influence organisational performance, people capability and culture, we’d love to hear from you.