About You
Are you a confident and commercially minded HR professional who thrives on building trusted stakeholder relationships, navigating complex employee relations matters, and driving positive cultural change?
Do you bring strong UK employment law knowledge, excellent influencing skills, and the confidence to support and challenge senior leaders in a fast-paced operational environment?
We are looking for a proactive and solutions-focused People Partner to join our Southern Division on a 12-month maternity cover contract, supporting developments across the southern counties. This is a highly visible partnering role where stakeholder management, coaching capability, and hands-on ER expertise will be critical to success.
You will be experienced in managing a broad range of employee relations casework, including complex and sensitive matters, providing pragmatic, risk-aware advice while balancing commercial priorities with colleague experience. You will be comfortable operating in a healthcare or care-related environment where pace, empathy, resilience, and sound judgement are essential.
Alongside strong operational HR capability, you will have the confidence to influence leaders at all levels, challenge constructively, and build credibility quickly across a diverse stakeholder group. You will also bring strong analytical capability, using people data and insight to support decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
With proven change management experience, you will help leaders navigate organisational change effectively while maintaining engagement, performance, and operational stability.
This role will involve regular travel across developments within the Southern Division, with an expectation of spending a couple of days each week on site.
You may already be working as a People Partner or HR Business Partner, or you could be an experienced Senior HR Advisor ready to step into a broader partnering role. What sets you apart is your ability to build trusted relationships, manage complexity with confidence, and support leaders to create high-performing, engaged teams.
We will give you:
Financial:
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Competitive Salary + Discretionary Bonus
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Company Pension Scheme
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Company Car/Car Allowance
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Life Assurance
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Professional Subscriptions paid for
Lifestyle/Health & Wellbeing:
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24 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
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This role is based at our Bournemouth Office and offers a flexible working pattern: two/three days at developments, and two/three day working from home.
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2 fully paid volunteering days per year (supported by the McCarthy & Stone Foundation)
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Health benefits such as Private Health Care (Employee Only); Remote GP, 24/7 access to EAP Services (including counsellors and legal advisors) and eyecare voucher
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Colleagues Benefit Booklet with a range of store offers discounts and promotions
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Family Friendly Policies
Your Impact
As a People Partner, you will:
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Act as a trusted advisor, coaching and guiding managers on all people matters, from engagement and performance to ER cases.
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Lead and implement people initiatives across engagement, ED&I, succession planning, and talent management.
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Deliver the people strategy with confidence, supporting leaders to embed policies, values, and a high-performing culture Use people metrics to identify trends and shape effective, data-driven interventions.
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Champion employee engagement, supporting programmes such as monthly pulse surveys and Great Place to Work.
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Partner with stakeholders to plan and deliver change, ensuring smooth transitions and strong communication.
Your Attributes
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Trusted Relationship Builder - builds credibility quickly and influences stakeholders at all levels through strong communication, professionalism, and partnership.
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ER Specialist - Confidently manages complex employee relations matters with sound judgement, empathy, and a strong understanding of employment law and risk.
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Commercial Thinker - Balances operational priorities with people outcomes, ensuring pragmatic and effective decision-making.
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Coach and Influencer - Supports and develops leaders to improve capability, confidence, and accountability in people management.
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Resilient and Adaptable - Thrives in a fast-paced environment, managing competing priorities with energy, professionalism, and attention to detail.
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Change Champion - Guides teams and leaders through periods of change with structure, empathy, and a focus on engagement and performance.
At McCarthy & Stone, we celebrate diversity and promote equality and inclusion amongst our colleagues. We welcome applications from all, regardless of personal characteristics or background.
All applications will be reviewed as soon as they are received, and we hold the right to appoint before the closing date.
#LI-DNI
As the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, we provide high quality homes to exacting specifications. As of November 2021, McCarthy Stone operates 475 developments across the UK for more than 20,000 people.
We believe in championing the role, wellbeing and happiness of older people in society. We help our customers have a better later life, so they feel more connected, recognised and valued than ever. In late 2020 we launched the McCarthy Stone Charitable Foundation to support local causes that help older people in need across Britain.
We are proud to have been certified as a Great Place to Work 2022 as well as making the Great Place to Work Wellbeing list!
