Human Resources Business Partner

Location: England – Hybrid Working

Sector: Healthcare / Adult Social Care

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

Working Arrangement: Hybrid, with regular travel to care home locations as required

Overview

We are seeking an experienced, commercially minded, and people-focused HR Business Partner to support our care home operations and drive the effective delivery of our people strategy across the organisation.

Kara Healthcare is a quality care provider devoted to delivering first-class dementia, nursing, residential, and respire care to residents living in our homes. We believe our residents deserves choice, dignity, and independence. Follow our CEO Nitesh Somani or Kara Healthcare LinkedIn to find out more about us.

This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive HR professional who can work in partnership with operational leaders, regional managers, and registered managers to strengthen employee relations, improve workforce performance, support organisational development, and promote a positive workplace culture.

Working across our residential and nursing care services, you will provide practical and strategic HR advice, ensuring that people management practices are consistent, fair, legally compliant, and aligned with organisational objectives.

You will play a key role in supporting managers to address complex employee relations matters, improve employee engagement and retention, develop leadership capability, and maintain a skilled, motivated, and stable workforce.

The successful candidate will combine strong employment law knowledge with excellent relationship-building skills, commercial awareness, and the confidence to challenge constructively and influence decision-making at all levels.

Key ResponsibilitiesHR Business Partnering and Operational Support

• Partner with operational and regional managers to understand business priorities and deliver effective HR solutions across care home services.
• Provide professional advice and guidance on all aspects of the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, induction, performance management, employee relations, development, and retention.
• Work closely with registered managers to strengthen people management practices and improve workforce stability.
• Support managers in implementing organisational policies, procedures, and people initiatives consistently across care homes.
• Translate organisational objectives into practical HR plans that support operational performance and the delivery of high-quality care.
• Build strong working relationships with managers and provide coaching to improve confidence, capability, and accountability in people management.

Employee Relations and Employment Law

• Provide advice and support on complex employee relations matters, including disciplinary investigations, grievances, capability, performance concerns, sickness absence, and appeals.
• Support managers in conducting fair, thorough, and timely investigations and formal employment processes.
• Ensure employment decisions are consistent with organisational policies, current UK employment legislation, and ACAS guidance.
• Advise on absence management, occupational health referrals, reasonable adjustments, and return-to-work arrangements.
• Support the effective management of conduct, performance, attendance, and workplace relationship issues.
• Identify employee relations trends and recommend interventions to reduce recurring issues and organisational risk.
• Assist with employment tribunal preparation and liaise with external legal advisers where appropriate.
• Promote fair, transparent, and consistent decision-making while ensuring employees are treated with dignity and respect.

Workforce Planning, Recruitment and Retention

• Work with operational leaders to identify workforce requirements, recruitment challenges, and future staffing needs.
• Support workforce planning initiatives to maintain appropriate staffing levels across care homes.
• Analyse turnover, absence, vacancy, and retention data to identify trends and develop targeted improvement plans.
• Partner with recruitment teams and hiring managers to improve recruitment processes, candidate experience, and time to hire.
• Support the development of effective onboarding, induction, probation, and employee retention initiatives.
• Help managers address workforce challenges, including hard-to-fill vacancies, high turnover, and agency dependency.
• Promote initiatives that support employee wellbeing, engagement, recognition, and long-term retention.

Performance Management and Organisational Development

• Support the implementation of performance management frameworks, probation reviews, development plans, and appraisal processes.
• Coach managers on setting clear expectations, managing underperformance, and developing their teams.
• Identify leadership development needs and work with learning and development colleagues to deliver appropriate interventions.
• Support organisational change, restructures, consultation processes, and workforce transformation initiatives.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, inclusion, and professional development.
• Contribute to succession planning and the development of future leadership talent across the organisation.

HR Policies, Compliance and Governance

• Maintain and review HR policies, procedures, and guidance to ensure they remain current, practical, and compliant with relevant legislation.
• Support compliance with employment law, equality and diversity requirements, data protection obligations, and organisational governance standards.
• Ensure accurate employee records and appropriate documentation are maintained throughout the employment lifecycle.

HR Data, Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Produce and analyse HR reports covering employee turnover, absence, recruitment, vacancies, employee relations, and workforce costs.
• Use data and management information to identify trends, assess risks, and recommend evidence-based interventions.
• Monitor the effectiveness of HR initiatives and report progress against agreed objectives.
• Support the development and improvement of HR systems, processes, and management reporting.
• Contribute to HR projects designed to improve employee experience, operational efficiency, and organisational performance.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure personal data is handled securely and appropriately.

About You

You will be an experienced HR professional who can balance strategic thinking with practical, hands-on support to operational managers.

You will ideally have:

• Significant experience in an HR Business Partner, Senior HR Adviser, or similar generalist HR role.
• Experience supporting multiple sites or operational teams, preferably within healthcare, adult social care, residential care, or another people-intensive sector.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law, ACAS guidance, employee relations, and HR best practice.
• Demonstrable experience managing complex disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance, and absence matters.

Qualifications and Professional Development

• CIPD Level 5 or above, or equivalent relevant HR experience, is desirable.
• Chartered Member of the CIPD or working towards professional membership would be advantageous.
• Evidence of continuing professional development in employment law, employee relations, organisational development, or strategic HR is welcome.

Key Performance Expectations

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Effective and timely resolution of employee relations matters.
• Improved employee retention and reduced avoidable turnover.
• Better management of sickness absence and workforce attendance.
• Improved manager capability and confidence in handling people matters.
• Consistent application of HR policies and employment procedures.
• Improved recruitment, onboarding, and employee experience.
• Effective workforce planning and reduced reliance on agency staffing where appropriate.
• Accurate HR reporting and timely identification of workforce risks.
• Positive engagement with operational leaders and measurable progress against people objectives.

What We Offer

• Hybrid working, with flexibility to balance home-based work and visits to care home locations.
• An opportunity to influence people strategy across a growing care home organisation.
• A varied role combining strategic HR business partnering with operational support.
• A collaborative working environment with senior leadership and operational teams.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• A competitive salary and benefits package, dependent on experience.

Why Join Us?

Our people are central to delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality care. We recognise that engaged, supported, and well-led teams are essential to providing positive outcomes for residents.

As HR Business Partner, you will play a pivotal role in developing our workforce, supporting our managers, strengthening employee relations, and creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, accountable, and empowered to deliver their best.

Through effective partnership, practical HR solutions, and a commitment to continuous improvement, you will help shape a positive workplace culture across our care homes.

Apply Now

If you are an experienced HR professional who enjoys partnering with operational leaders, resolving complex people challenges, and driving meaningful improvements across a multi-site organisation, we would welcome your application.

Apply today and help us build a skilled, engaged, and resilient workforce that supports excellent care across our homes.