Job HR Business Partner

Hours and location

This is a full-time role based in Leeds, UK. We offer hybrid working and flexible hours to everyone in the team, but this is not a fully remote opportunity. The role will require you to work from our office in Leeds for at least 3 days each week.

Benefits package

As part of our commitment to making Engage a great place to work, we’ve built a comprehensive benefits package that fuels our thriving culture and delivers an exceptional, well-rounded employee experience. Some of our most popular perks are:

• We’re employee owned
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays (rising after 5 years)
• Company performance linked bonus scheme
• Comprehensive private health insurance
• 5% company pension scheme
• Access to your own financial coach
• Free on-site gym
• Hybrid working
• An award-winning office
• Your birthday off
• Regular socials and summer conference

What we’re looking for

You thrive from getting the best out of people and want to work with a dynamic and energised team. You know that HR isn’t just about rules, policies, procedures, and handbooks. Of course that stuff’s important, but creating an environment where a team can do their best work is what it’s really about.

This role suits those currently working in a HRBP role/HR Manager role, with over 3 years of experience. Agency experience would be key to this role along with a CIPD L5 qualification.

You will be responsible for undertaking a broad range of HR-related responsibilities, covering most of the HR functions, including talent attraction, hiring, training and development, employee engagement, employee performance, and compensation and benefits. You will be involved in every aspect of the employee life cycle.

Duties & responsibilities

Recruiting and onboarding tasks which will include but not limited to:

• Coordinating job adverts, sourcing candidates, screening CVs
• Administrative work regarding scheduling interviews with the hiring team, conducting interviews, putting together an employment offer
• Guiding the salary negotiations in collaboration with the relevant individuals e.g. Board/HODs/Head of PDC/Finance
• Conducting reference and background checks
• Managing the employee onboarding process
• Serving as an advisor to hiring managers
• Working with immigration for visas for foreign hires (if required)
• Leading on our internship program
• Leading on any work experience initiatives within the business
• Support managers in the effective staffing of their teams ensuring inclusivity in how we recruit, how we develop and who we promote

Employee administration and support

• Maintain accurate employee records, including staff files, HRIS data, and other HR documentation. You will be the first point of contact for employees who have any questions or concerns regarding contracts, paperwork, and more.
• Leaves of absence, whether for medical or personal reasons will also fall under your responsibilities. This can mean administering leave policies, keeping on top of paperwork, and complying with all government regulations.

You will have a good idea of different types of leave so you can properly classify/approve leave or have relevant discussions with line managers where needed.

Benefits administration

• handle any queries and administration tasks related to employee benefits and perks, including healthcare, pensions, retirement, Vitality etc.
• analyse competitors’ compensation and benefits packages so Engage can attract top talent through an attractive rewards strategy.
• work closely with the networks Engage already has to promote organic recruitment wherever possible.

Employee relations

• Management training – You will be the main contact in manager/employee relations and in training managers on how to give feedback and build and maintain strong relationships with their team.
• Discrimination/harassment investigations – Supporting the business to conduct an investigation and deciding how it should proceed on sexual harassment, gender discrimination, age discrimination, race discrimination, and national origin discrimination claims in consultation with the MD/Board and our insurers.
• Misconduct investigations – You will be able to advise, guide and support managers to conduct any investigations relating to misconduct.
• Formal hearings – You will be present as a support and a witness in formal hearings alongside the line managers.
• Conducting exit interviews – When employees leave Engage, you will conduct exit interviews prior to the individual’s leave date to discuss why they are leaving. You will use the information to identify trends and report back to the MD/Board on how potential improvements can be made.

Learning & Development

• Work alongside the managers to create performance management plans and oversee the entire process, including goal setting, performance appraisals, and career development planning.
• Support managers in developing and implementing employee training & development programs. This includes orientation programs, skills development training and workshops, leadership training, coaching, and more. You will drive a culture of high performance where talent is recognised, stretched and poor performance managed (ideally to achieve higher levels of performance)

Other HR/People responsibilities

You will also have some strategic responsibilities such as;

• Succession planning- Is the business training people to step into these roles as needed? Are there plans for training and development? This will be done in conjunction with people managers within the business.
• Organisational structure- You will support Engage in defining the organisational structure best suited for the company’s needs.
• Communication expertise- You will be responsible in supporting the business to take key messages to its staff.
• Values and culture expert- You will work to align Engage’s values with employee behaviour, ensuring that Engage fosters a positive and productive work environment.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders to achieve high levels of trust, respect and professionalism
• Advise and coach managers on how the people agenda may be ‘worked’ to deliver success
• Challenge team cultures and behaviours to ensure that they are consistent with organisational culture at all times
• Be one step ahead in terms of understanding, data and insight (externally and internally) to role model the highest levels of HR skill and professionalism
• Support all managers (and colleagues) on HR policies and practices that ensure fairness and expediency ensuring that those policies and practices are up-to-date and best practice
• Develop an external network to be up-to date in terms of practice within the sector

A bit about us

Established in 2007, we’ve earned a reputation for consistently delivering world-class digital products and strategies. We call this Attention to digital™

We also have a strong sense of wanting to do the right thing - not just in digital, but our impact on the world too. That’s why we became employee owned in 2024 and are proud to be a Certified B Corporation™

Want to get to know us a little better? Why not take a tour of our office, meet the team or browse some of our work and case studies?