Regional HR Business Partner - Full Time

Description

At Freedom Leisure, we’re all about positive vibes, great people, and making a real impact. Yes, we run leisure and cultural facilities, gyms, and swimming pools—but at the heart of it all, it’s our people who make the difference.

As one of the UK’s leading charitable leisure trusts, we’re proud of our mission of Improving Lives Through Leisure.  We’re here to help communities live healthier, happier lives by making our centres welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to everyone - because everyone deserves to feel good.  We’re proud to be a workplace where everyone is welcome, valued, and supported to thrive—because when our team reflects the communities we serve, we all grow stronger together.

We’re looking for a solutions-oriented Regional HR Business Partner to support our teams across the East of England (E.g. Great Yarmouth, Essex), Milton Keynes and North Hamptonshire. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and excel at delivering practical HR support that keeps operations running smoothly, this role is for you.

In this position, you'll be the go-to expert for day-to-day HR matters—managing employee relations, supporting line managers, ensuring compliance, and helping to implement HR policies and procedures consistently across the region. Your focus will be on enabling teams to perform at their best by resolving issues quickly, maintaining high standards, and fostering a positive working environment.

Job Purpose            

To deliver professional, proactive and pragmatic generalist HR support across all Freedom Leisure sites giving commercial, practical and legally compliant advice that supports the attainment of commercial business objectives and drives organisational success

The role holder will work in partnership with management teams (central functions and site-based) on a broad range of topics including employment law, terms & conditions, performance and absence management, dealing with unions, TUPE processes, remuneration and organisational development

Additionally, the role holder will work in close collaboration with the HR Director, Senior HR Business Partner and the other Regional HR Business Partners to drive forward HR topics that have a positive business-wide impact.

Key Relationships

• Executive Leadership Team
• Operations Director
• Regional & Area Managers
• Centre Management Teams
• Employees
• HR Department
• Support function teams

• Other external bodies as appropriate (e.g. ACAS, Unions, OHP providers)

In the event that a high volume of suitable applications are received, the post may close prior to the specified closing date. Please apply as soon as possible if interested.
Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday

Requirements

• Work in close partnership with Business Managers on a broad range of HR topics, giving pragmatic, timely and commercially-savvy HR advice on all matters.  Assist Managers to achieve their business goals and drive performance in their Centres through the successful delivery of people initiatives

• Manage, monitor and record HR casework, providing advice and support to managers on matters relating to complex employee relations, employment law and all relevant legislation.  Support and participate in grievance and disciplinary investigations and hearings as appropriate, including appeal hearings

• Take a lead role in supporting with mobilisation of new contracts and Centres from a people perspective, with a specific focus on TUPE and the transfer and integration of new staff in a compliant and best-practice manner

• Continuously review policies and procedures and implement changes as required, ensuring all legislative advice is up to date, consistent and clearly communicated

• Report on relevant HR related metrics / performance including general trending of KPIs for the business. Monitoring and advising on matters of absence triggers, performance management and general employee life cycle.

• Proactively suggest and support improvements and initiatives using HR data to meet business needs in areas such as remuneration, recruitment, retention, attendance and performance management.

• Work in close collaboration with the Senior HRBP on business-wide, future-focussed and performance-improving people initiatives.  These will include topics around talent acquisition and management, succession planning, employee engagement, ED&I and ‘employee voice’

• Take the lead on specific projects, as agreed with the Senior HRBP, to drive positive improvements in staff engagement and retention across the business

• Develop the HR service in conjunction to add value and improve performance across the business
• Home / Field based (with frequent visits to Freedom Leisure sites with occasional overnight stays)

Key experience, qualifications and skills

Essential:

• Experience of working in a generalist HR role, managing a high volume of cases and providing advice and support to managers at different levels of seniority

• Experience of working in a fast-paced, customer-focussed, multi-site environment, ideally within leisure, retail or hospitality. 

• Experience of supporting change management including restructuring.

• Exposure to resourcing, employee development and compensation & benefits in previous roles.

• Experience of working with HR systems including an ATS, HRIS and LMS

Desirable:

• CIPD qualified Level 5 or 7 desirable (but not essential)
• Experience of supporting TUPE processes
• Experience of leading HR related projects.
• Experience of implementing an HRIS

Benefits

We want you to love coming to work, feeling healthy, happy and valued. That's why we've developed a benefits package with you in mind, so what can we offer you?

• My Staff Shop, our very own staff benefit scheme, gives employees access to a great range of benefits. Get discounts on cinema tickets, travel bookings, high street e-vouchers, gift cards, days out, leisure activities and your day to day spending.
• Discounted Staff membership (including family members)
• Incremental holidays
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 confidential, independent and professional counselling.
• Company pension
• Various insurance and saving schemes
• Financial advice
• Cycle-to-work and Car Leasing tax-efficient schemes (salaried staff only)
• All this as well as fully funded training and career progression opportunities in a team working environment

Closing date: 18 October 2025

Salary: £40,000 - £43,000 per annum + £2220 Car Allowance

If you have any questions relating to this opportunity please email [email protected].