Assistant HR Partner

University of Plymouth - Human Resources - HR Business Partnering

About the role

Are you ready to take the next step in your HR career? We’re searching for a passionate and proactive Assistant HR Partner to join our HR Partnering Team at the University of Plymouth.

In this exciting, people-focused role, you’ll be reporting to the Senior HR Partner and be the first point of contact for a portfolio of academic and professional services teams—offering first-class HR advice and support across recruitment, employee relations, performance management, job evaluation and more. You’ll also play a role in shaping HR policy, delivering training, and driving continuous improvement across the University. You will be required to travel between the two main Plymouth sites on an occasional basis.

What you’ll be doing:

• Be the first point of contact for HR queries for your portfolio
• Support and guide managers through casework
• Deliver impactful training and contribute to policy development
• Analyse HR data to spot trends and inform decisions
• Collaborate across departments to deliver seamless HR services

What we’re looking for:

• A confident communicator who can influence, persuade, support, and build trust
• Proven experience in HR with solid knowledge of UK employment law
• CIPD Level 3 or equivalent experience (essential) and ideally working towards CIPD Level 5 (or with equivalent experience)
• A team player with a passion for delivering customer-focused solutions

Why join us?

This is a fantastic opportunity to grow your HR career in a supportive, forward-thinking environment. You’ll be part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and professional development.

This is a full-time position working 37 hours per week on a fixed-term basis to cover a period of maternity leave from mid-October 2025 to mid-August 2026.

For this role, you will need to be on site 4 days a week. Although we can accommodate working from home for this role, flexibility to be on-site will be expected due to business needs.

Flexible working options, including job share, will be considered.

For an informal discussion about the role, contact Helen Killick, Senior HR Partner at helen.killick@plymouth.ac.uk or 01752 588197

Application process

Please apply online, demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the knowledge, qualifications, training, and experience elements of the job description in your supporting statement.

Following the closing date of the vacancy, you will be notified on the outcome of your application in due course.

Interviews are expected to take place Monday 29th September 2025

Closing date: 12 midnight, Sunday 21st September 2025

Our offer

When joining us, you will receive:

• Generous annual leave: 25* Days Annual Leave (pro rata if part-time) plus Bank Holidays* & Closure Days*
• Generous pension scheme
• Cycle to Work & Electric Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Development opportunities
• Enhanced family leave
• Flexible working
• Retailer discounts
• On-site nursery

*Pro rata if part-time

A summary of our comprehensive benefits can be viewed here.

Additional Information

The University of Plymouth is an inclusive community where everyone is welcomed regardless of their background. To find out more about our inclusive community initiatives, such as Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter, please visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion webpages.