People Business Partner

Job summary

CCW is the passionate, independent voice representing water consumers in England & Wales. We support thousands of people each year, providing free advice and helping people to resolve their complaints with their water company in an easy, caring way. We champion everyone’s needs and interests, completing and showcasing research that influences water companies, government, and regulators to make change happen.

Job description

Location: Birmingham or Cardiff (non-contractual hybrid working currently in place)

Reports to: Head of People

Line Management of: People Co-ordinator

Organisational Chart

Main Purpose of the Role:

The People Business Partner provides proactive, professional HR advice and support to leaders and managers, enabling them to deliver organisational objectives through effective people management and ensuring compliance with employment law, internal policies and relevant external regulatory requirements and best practice.

The postholder will work with managers to embed and maintain CCW’s values and behaviours, and standards of professional conduct across the organisation.

Operating as a trusted partner, the postholder will act as an advisor, supporting the delivery of people strategies and contributing to the CCW’s organisational objectives through effective workforce planning, employee relations, talent management, performance capability and organisational development.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic HR Partnering

• Act as the primary People Team contact for designated managers /teams, building strong relationships with senior managers and staff.
• Play a central role to the development and delivery of CCW’s People Strategy and workforce plans.
• Analyse workforce data to identify trends, opportunities and risks; provide insights to support evidence-based decision making.

Employee Relations

• Lead on and provide expert advice on a range of employee relations cases including performance management, sickness absence, grievances, disciplinary matters and capability issues.
• Coach and support managers to build confidence in handling people issues effectively and in line with policy and best practice.
• Maintain clear, up-to-date case records and identify themes or risks for escalation.
• Seek and promote opportunities for and promote continuous improvement of HR processes.

Change Management & Organisational Development

• Lead on organisational change initiatives, including restructures, TUPE transfers, and consultation processes relevant to departmental responsibility.
• Actively facilitate culture change and evolution, engagement, and inclusion initiatives, ensuring alignment with organisational values.
• Deliver HR components of projects, for example, wellbeing initiatives, leadership development, reward reviews.
• Support the People Team element of wider CCW work such as CCW’s Forward Work Programme and Delivery Plan.

Learning & Development

• Work with People Team colleagues in identifying learning needs across business areas and work with the People Team to design or procure suitable interventions.
• Lead talent, succession planning, and capability development activities.

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Lead and coach managers to proactively define recruitment needs, develop and evaluate job descriptions, and ensure fair, inclusive, and efficient recruitment processes.
• Partner with managers on job design, assessment approaches and selection decisions.
• Oversee onboarding and induction processes for new starters.

Policy & Compliance

• Lead on providing expert advice and guidance on HR policies, procedures, and best practice, ensuring compliance with employment law and external frameworks (for example Civil Service, ACAS).
• Ensure HR policies and practices reflect current UK employment law, Civil Service expectations (where applicable), best practice and organisational requirements.
• Actively contribute to policy reviews and updates, horizon scan to ensure anticipated changes are reflected in our people policies and strategy.
• Manage internal and external audits and ensure high-quality HR record-keeping.
• Ensure HR systems, audits, and records meet governance and data protection requirements.

General

• Play a key role in continuous improvement and digitalisation of People Team processes.
• Actively champion equality, diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing principles and initiatives.
• Support the development and delivery of HR-related training and workshops for managers and staff, contributing expert knowledge.
• Analyse HR data and metrics to inform decision-making and contribute to strategic planning.
• Facilitate employee engagement activities, including staff surveys and action planning.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant employment legislation and Civil Service HR framework / policy developments.
• Build effective relationships with trade unions and or staff forums as appropriate
• Actively promote and role model CCW’s values and behaviours, as set out in our Leadership charter or elsewhere.
• Actively contribute to a collaborative and efficient working environment, encouraging innovation and continuous improvement
• Undertake other duties as required by the Head of People.

People Management

• Provide effective direction, coaching, support and guidance to the People Co-ordinator, managing performance and development.

Civil Service Competencies:

The postholder needs to demonstrate the following:

• Seeing the Big Picture: Understand how their role fits with and supports organisational objectives and public service priorities.
• Changing and Improving: Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative solutions.
• Making Effective Decisions: Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice.
• Leading and Communicating: Communicate with clarity, conviction, and enthusiasm, supporting others to deliver results.
• Collaborating and Partnering: Work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders to achieve organisational goals.
• Delivering at Pace: Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.

Person specification

Qualifications and Memberships:

• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or working towards) or equivalent experience.
• CIPD membership (at Chartered Member level or willing to obtain).
• Chartered CIPD status / CIPD Level 7 desirable.

Experience:

Significant experience in:

• providing generalist HR support across the employee lifecycle, ideally within the public sector or a regulated environment;
• working effectively in a small HR function or similarly broad role.

Demonstrable experience in:

• advising on HR policy, employee relations, and case management in relation to complex employee relations issues;
• supporting or leading on organisational change and workforce planning;
• supporting engagement activity;
• managing end-to-end recruitment processes;
• working with HRIS data to produce insights;
• working with staff forums or Trade Unions.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience within an ALB, Civil Service or wider public sector context.
• Leading HR policy development or project work.
• Supporting learning, leadership or development initiatives.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong, up-to-date working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice particularly in relation to case management, recruitment and workforce planning.
• Knowledge of relevant Civil Service policies and frameworks (eg pay, governance, conduct standards).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.
• Proficient IT skills, including MS Office and HRIS systems.

Behaviours and Attributes

• Demonstrate CCW values in every interaction.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing.
• Impeccable levels of integrity and confidentiality.
• High levels of emotional intelligence and empathy.
• Able to explain complex HR issues clearly, build trust, challenge appropriately, and tailor communication to different audiences.
• Able to deliver accurate, reliable HR support; improve processes; ensure compliance and high professional standards.
• Collaborate across teams, build positive relationships, and support a cohesive organisational culture.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £50,478, Consumer Council for Water contributes £14,623 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Annual leave entitlement starting at 25 days rising by one annually to a maximum of 30 days, plus 10.5 Bank Holidays and Privilege leave.

Benefits include Civil Service Pension, Flexitime with up to an extra 24 days off per year, Generous Annual Leave provision, Flexible Working Options, Retailer and Healthcare discounts/cashback, Travel Season Ticket Loans, Bicycle Loans, Employee Assistance Programme and much more.

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

If you are interested please apply using the apply tab and submit both your CV and a statement of suitability (no more than 2 pages) which outlines how your key skills and experience match to the job description and person specification, explaining your suitability for the role. Applications that do not include all this information are unlikely to be considered.

The selection process will include:

• A sift using the content of your CV and statement of suitability
• Interviews and exercise in person Tuesday 10th February 2026, Birmingham location.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. If you are interested in applying, we’d encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

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.

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

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 : Lisa Gregory/Laura Smurthwaite
• Email : recruitment@ccwater.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ccwater.org.uk

Further information

ccw.org.uk