HR Business Partner-Projects (Maternity Cover)

Innovate UK has the following secondment opportunity available for employees of Innovate UK Business Connect:

Applications must be submitted by

HR Business Partner-Projects (Maternity Cover)

To provide an efficient and effective HR service to staff and managers advising on Innovate UK / UKRI policy and employment law as required. To take responsibility for specific projects which support the People Strategy and Organisational Strategic Plan in liaison with the Senior HR Business Partners and Deputy Director of HR.

*Please note this advert will close on 23.59pm on the 4th January 2026.

Watch our video Why Join Innovate UK here.

Title: HR Business Partner-Projects (Maternity Cover)

Band: UKRI Band E (UKRI Ts & Cs)

Salary: 46743 gross per annum

Reports to: Senior HR Business Partner

Location: Swindon (office based) / hybrid working

Contract: Fixed Term until Feb 2027

Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time please refer to theRecruitment Policyfor further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood prior to a move taking place.

Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements.

Context:

The role holder will operate within the Innovate HR Team and maybe in the future be responsible for one direct report. The Innovate UK HR team is embedded within the business to provide comprehensive and dedicated support.

Job Purpose:

To provide an efficient and effective HR service to staff and managers advising on Innovate UK / UKRI policy and employment law as required. To take responsibility for specific projects which support the People Strategy and Organisational Strategic Plan in liaison with the Senior HR Business Partners and Deputy Director of HR.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Proactively manage and/or collaborate on a range of HR projects aligned to our Innovate UK People Strategy. Support Senior HR Business Partners and Deputy Director of HR with managing change projects. This includes strategic workforce planning organisation design and implementation.
• Implementation of the EDI plan collaborating with the Business Change team

• Provide wide-ranging HR advice to managers and employees coaching managers to ensure up-to-date knowledge & application of employment legislation
• Ensuring that policies and procedures are upheld challenging managers where required to look after the interests of both the employee and organisation in a fair manner
• Understand and advocate the requirements and interests of the organisation whilst concurrently supporting employee interests and fairness across employment practices policies and their associated processes

This is an outline description of the key responsibilities and accountabilities involved in the job. This is not an exhaustive list and the post-holder might be expected to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training.

Shortlisting criteria

(S) Assessed at shortlisting

(I) Assessed at interview

(S&I) Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

Person Specification:

Experience & Qualifications:

Qualifications:

Essential

• CIPD level 3 or higher or equivalent vocational/experience-based evidence (S)

Experience:

Essential

• Solid experience working in a HR team at advanced HR Adviser level or higher (S&I)
• Demonstrable experience of the application of employment law expertise (I)
• Proven experience working with multiple partners at all levels of an organisation providing proactive partner support and offering challenge where necessary (S)
• Track record of business partnering or collaborating with multiple partners and managing multiple deadlines concurrently (I)
• Proven hands-on ability to work within a change and process-led environment (I)
• Direct and indirect supervision of team members (S)

Skills:

• Ability to coach and advise line managers with confidence as a subject matter authority
• Sound and up to date knowledge of employment law
• Strong organisation skills with the ability to prioritise a heavy workload
• Willingness to take responsibility and awareness of when to act and when to take advice
• A highly professional self-starter with the skill to balance creative problem-solving with required consistency policy and governance
• Confidentiality and discretion
• Strong teamwork skills and excellent inter-personal skill
• IT literate; ability to use a variety of software including Word Excel PowerPoint and Access

Competencies:

All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as:

Thinking and Problem Solving Stakeholder management Communication skills Influencing Self-awareness/self-management Strategic awareness Working with others Project management

Some of the above competencies will be assessed at interview stage in addition to the criterias listed in the person specification.

Travel Requirements:

There may be the occasional requirement for national travel.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion:

Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. Underpinning this is a belief that it is a fundamental right for everyone to be treated equally with fairness respect and dignity. We will act directly and use our influence to ensure that this right is promoted and upheld; we encourage applications from all those who meet the criteria set out in our role profiles.

Equal Opportunities:

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertakingrecruitmentwe may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments some of which will be online and others may be in-person. If you have a disability heath condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia then you may be entitled to support with undertaking this type of assessment exercise. Where you feel that reasonable adjustments are required to support you we ask that you advise your recruitmentpointof contact in a timely fashion providing further confidence Innovate UK will then review your application for adjustments and provide support as required.

UK Research and Innovation:

Innovate UK is partnerorganisationwithin UK Research and Innovation. If successful in securing the position your employer will be UK Research and Innovation. More information can be found online Benefits:

We offer a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days annual leave 10.5 public and privilege days flexible working hours an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme and access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes.

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Flexible Working:

We understand the importance of work-lifebalance andare happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants.

Pre-employment Screening:

To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a comprehensive pre-employment check on successful applicants as part of the recruitment process.

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health agriculture and food security and bioscience for health which includes research on animals geneticmodificationand stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research you should consider how this aligns with your personal values or beliefs. To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as a crucial part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extremeorganisationsaffiliation check.

Applications must be submitted by;