Human Resources (HR) Business Partner

Job summary

We’re delighted to offer an exciting opportunity to join our supportive, and high‑performing HR team as an HR Business Partner.

In this role, you’ll partner closely with your designated business area while working collaboratively with colleagues across our wider HR Business Partner Support function.

We’re looking for an HR Business Partner who can build strong, trusted relationships; influence and challenge senior leaders; and provide strategic, forward‑thinking people expertise. You’ll play a key role in shaping and delivering our people strategy—supporting leaders through complex change, promoting good people management, and championing a positive, inclusive workplace culture. To thrive in this role, you’ll bring credibility, excellent communication skills, sound judgement, and the confidence to balance competing priorities with integrity, resilience, and adaptability.

If you’re motivated by solving problems, partnering with leaders, and driving meaningful organisational change, this role offers a genuine opportunity to make a real and lasting impact.

Companies House offers a flexible and welcoming culture that promotes a healthy work life balance as well as a proactive approach to wellbeing that allows us to be our best at work. We recognise that people are the key to our success so offer a fantastic benefits package including flexible working with no core hours, 30 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays and 1 privilege day as well as enrolment into the Civil Service Pension scheme with a contribution rate averaging 28%.

Find out more about what a great place Companies House is to work

Please note:

• You will be aligned to our Cardiff office, where you will be expected to attend on a regular basis.
• Companies House cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.
• We are able to accept applications from those looking to work part time, a minimum of 30 hours/4 days per week.

Job description

As a HR Business Partner you'll provide high-quality practical HR advice and guidance including supporting managers with complex case work such as attendance management, disciplinary, grievance and performance management. The role holder will also provide operational support to the Policy team in the practical implementation of new and revised HR Policy.

Employee Relations Case Management:

• Manage a varied caseload of HR matters including sickness absence, performance, conduct, capability, grievances, and flexible working.
• Provide clear, practical advice to managers in line with ACAS guidance, employment legislation, and organisational policy.
• Ensure cases are progressed promptly, with risks identified and escalated appropriately.
• Maintain accurate case records, documentation, and tracking information.

Manager Advice and Support

• Act as a first point of contact for HR queries, providing timely advice that is solution focused and legally compliant.
• Coach managers to build their confidence in applying HR policies and handling people issues early and effectively.
• Support managers with preparation for meetings, investigations, and hearings.

Policy Implementation and Improvement

• Support the rollout of new and revised HR policies, processes, and guidance.
• Provide feedback from operational experience to inform policy development and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to communications, FAQs, briefing sessions, and training materials to embed policy changes.

HR Operations and Project Support

• Support HR projects such as wellbeing initiatives, workforce planning, inclusion activities, or system/process improvements.
• Contribute to the development of manager self service resources and HR knowledge articles.

Data, Reporting and Compliance

• Use HR systems to record and monitor casework, flagging trends or risks to HR Business Partners.
• Prepare routine reports and dashboards related to case management, absence, probation, or workforce data.
• Ensure all HR activity complies with employment law, GDPR, and internal governance requirements.

Stakeholder Relationships

• Build strong working relationships with managers, trade union, and HR colleagues.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across HR (Recruitment, L&D, Payroll, Systems) to deliver a seamless service.
• Demonstrate professional integrity, confidentiality, and sound judgement in all interactions.

About the team

Our HR team is a welcoming, and genuinely supportive, part of the People & Places directorate. We work closely together, celebrate each other’s successes, and look out for one another. We’re proud of the culture we’ve built. One where you can bring your whole self to work and feel valued for your contribution. Companies House offers a flexible, people first working environment, promoting a healthy work life balance and a proactive approach to wellbeing. We recognise that our people are key to our success, and we offer a fantastic benefits package to support that.

Person specification

We’re looking for somebody with:

• Previous experience of working in an operational HR role.
• Previous experience dealing with all people issues including attendance, performance, disciplinary and grievance.
• Experience of building strong partnerships with stakeholders outside of the HR team, with the ability to influence and support as well as professionally challenge decisions when needed.
• Experience of using and interpreting people data and insight to support decision making.
• Previous experience working in a public sector or similar organisation, or highly regulated environment.
• Previous experience supporting policy development or implementation.
• Familiarity with HR systems and case management tools.
• Ability to provide practical solution focused advice to managers.
• Excellent communication skills - written and verbal.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and manage sensitive situations discreetly.
• Strong understanding of UK employment law, ACAS code of practice and HR best practice.
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Level 5; or Equivalent professional Human Resources experience plus a willingness to work towards this qualification.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,026, Companies House contributes £10,436 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We believe that our success is driven by the well-being and satisfaction of our team members at all levels of the organisation. At Companies House we’re committed to providing a comprehensive benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary, ensuring your career journey with us is not only fulfilling, but also rewarding. We pride ourselves on offering a quality work-life balance with our employee wellbeing being central to our working practices.

Head to Our benefits - Working for us - Recruitment (companieshouse.gov.uk) to find out more about the fantastic benefits package we have at Companies House.

We celebrate diversity...

As an equal opportunity employer, we celebrate diversity, being committed to ensuring we’re representative of the citizens we serve and creating an inclusive environment. Everyone in Companies House brings something different, and so will you. To fulfil our commitment to recruiting and attracting diverse talent we welcome applications from underrepresented groups. We also welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

We are proud to be a disability confident leader. Our recruitment process is fully inclusive and we can make adjustments as needed through our process. These could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments and receiving interview questions in advance, to name a few.

If you require any reasonable adjustments at application stage, or if you'd like to discuss any person-centred adjustments, please contact us by emailing recruitmentCH@companieshouse.gov.uk.

Read our 'Applying under the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS)' guide to find out how to successfully complete an application under the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS).

Where will you be working?

You will be aligned to our Cardiff office, where you will be expected to attend on a regular basis. We are currently using a hybrid approach to the way we work which provides opportunities for you to be adaptable in the way you work so that you can achieve a healthy balance between your work and home life. The degree of choice you have will depend on your role and your day-to-day work activities. Your manager will agree regular patterns of attendance with you, however you may be required to make yourself available to attend the office more frequently when required to meet business needs.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Key dates (dates are indicative only and could be subject to change)

• Closing date - 17th March 2026, at 23:55.
• Sifting - 18th March 2026 onwards
• Interviews - w/c 30th March 2026, on Microsoft Teams

Communications will be electronic via email therefore it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder.

What will the process look like?

1. Application

In your application form we’d like you to:

1. Tell us about your employment history, including any key responsibilities and achievements.
2. Write a personal statement of 1250 words where you demonstrate how you meet the skills required for this role, providing examples to evidence your level of skill. We are assessing the Success Profile: Experience and in your personal statement we are looking for evidence of the following:

• Previous experience of working in an operational HR role.
• Previous experience dealing with all people issues including attendance, performance, disciplinary and grievance.
• Experience of building strong partnerships with stakeholders outside of the HR team, with the ability to influence and support as well as professionally challenge decisions when needed.
• Ability to provide practical solution focussed advice to managers.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and manage sensitive situations discreetly.
• Please tell us if you have your CIPD Level 5 qualification, or tell us about your equivalent Human Resources experience and willingness to work towards this qualification if successful for the role.

We’re committed to being diverse and inclusive, so please make your application anonymous by removing all identifying personal information (such as names and dates) from your employment history and personal statement.

Your personal statement should aim to make use of the full word count and show how you meet the above criteria. Please give clear and specific examples of what you have done personally and the impact it has had.

2. Sift

Once the advert has closed we will sift applications - this involves reading through them all, please bear with us as this can take some time. The panel will look at your work history and personal statement and are looking for evidence of the stated 'Experience' points.

We may raise the score required if we receive a high number of applications. We may also choose to take through the highest performing candidates to the next stage. If, after the final stage is completed and roles are unfilled, we will proceed to invite lower scoring candidates to interview.

3. Interview

Successful candidates from the sift stage will be invited to attend a virtual interview, which will conducted using Microsoft Teams.

Companies House uses a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you. We will be assessing Success Profiles: Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

At interview, we will be assessing and asking questions relating to the following:

• Behaviours: Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace.
• Strengths: Not shared in advance, as we are keen to see your first, natural response.
• Experience: Previous experience dealing with all people issues including attendance, performance, disciplinary and grievance; Strong understanding of UK employment law, ACAS code of practice and HR best practice.

The lead criteria to distinguish between tied candidates will be Strengths.

4. Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome. Offers will be made in strict merit order.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles (of the same or lower grade). Subject to business need, if a suitable position opens during this time we may reach out to individuals in merit order.

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of recruitment based on fair and open competition with decisions made on the basis of merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.

Working hours

For applicants wanting to work part time, we are able to accept a minimum of 30 hours/4 days per week for this role.

Sponsorship

Companies House cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. Companies House holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship, your application may be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment withdrawn.

Nationality statement

As part of our recruitment process, it is essential for all candidates to independently verify their eligibility to work in the UK before applying. This includes a thorough check of your right to work to ensure compliance with UK employment laws, being mindful of the recent changes to going rates detailed on GOV.UK.

Please ensure you have the necessary documentation and permissions in place. Our team is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourages applicants from all backgrounds to apply. However, it is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they meet the UK's legal requirements to work.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Jon Shenton
• Email : jshenton@companieshouse.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitmentch@companieshouse.gov.uk

Further information

We welcome applications in Welsh / Rydym yn croesawi ceisiadau yn y Gymraeg. Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact infopoint@companieshouse.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission .

info@csc.gov.uk

Civil Service Commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road SW1A 2HQ