Head of People Business Partnering & Operations

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Posted:

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Location: Ipswich

Salary: 51,258 - 59,390 pa

Job type: Permanent

Working pattern: Full time / Flexible working

Industry: Education & Training / HR Management

Company: Hays

Consultant: Louisa London

Hays office: Norwich — Ground Floor, 1 Prince of Wales Road,

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Your new company

Hays is excited to be partnering with the University of Suffolk on this key People appointment. This is a broad and influential People leadership role, bringing together Business Partnering and People Operations to deliver an effective, joined-up service. You’ll lead an established team, navigate complex ER and organisational change, and use workforce insight and continuous improvement to shape how the People function supports the University.

Ranked in the top 50 in the Complete University Guide 2027 and with approximately 600 staff, the University of Suffolk offers genuine organisational complexity while remaining close-knit enough for you to know the people and teams you support and see the impact of your work. You’ll play an important role in helping the University use its people insight to shape decisions, support future growth, and strengthen its position as an employer of choice.

About the role

Working closely with the Chief People Officer and senior colleagues, you’ll lead the People Business Partnering and Operations function, ensuring the service remains visible, approachable, responsive and solution-focused. The remit is varied, balancing operational and strategic priorities with a focus on challenging existing ways of working and identifying better ways to deliver.

You and your team will act as a credible escalation point for complex ER, appeals, restructures and organisational change, providing pragmatic, legally sound advice and keeping policy and practice current. You’ll oversee the wider People Operations agenda, including recruitment, resourcing, payroll, onboarding, and people systems, using data and insight to inform workforce planning, future capability, and succession.

You’ll also help improve how the People service operates, making effective use of technology, self-service and management information, while contributing to wider people projects. Working closely with senior leaders, you’ll help shape organisational design and support an inclusive, high-performing culture as the University continues to grow and transform.

What you’ll bring

• Significant senior generalist HR experience within a complex organisation, ideally within a regulated environment, with experience of working positively with trade unions.
• Level 7 CIPD qualified (or equivalent demonstrable experience) and Chartered CIPD status (MCIPD).
• Strong, current employment law knowledge and experience of complex ER, organisational change, and restructures.
• Proven people leadership with a supportive coaching style and the ability to inspire the team and act as a trusted point of escalation, whilst ensuring accountability throughout the team.
• Practical experience of using people data to drive insight and action.
• A collaborative, curious and pragmatic approach, with the credibility to influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the flexibility and resilience to remain calm and effective across competing priorities.
• UKVI/sponsorship experience is highly desirable.
  

Why join the University of Suffolk?

A collaborative and supportive culture with opportunities for continued professional development. The package includes 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and additional University closure days over Christmas, a 14.5% employer pension contribution, plus benefits including gym discounts, cycle-to-work and EV schemes. The University operates a 37-hour week with agile working, requiring a minimum of 60% campus attendance. Applications for 0.8 FTE will also be considered.

Interested in finding out more?

We’d be delighted to hear from you. All applications will be forwarded to Louisa London, Business Director at Hays, who is managing the search in partnership with the University of Suffolk. Panel interviews are scheduled for Wednesday 4 November 2026.
# - Louisa London