People & Culture Business Partner

Job Description:

Pūmanawa Tangata | People and Culture
Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

• Fixed term position until 31 March 2027
• Either full time at 37.5 hours or part time at 30 hours per week
• Enjoy four weeks annual leave plus an additional five days University Holidays
• Based on our beautiful Christchurch campus (not suitable for remote working)

Kia hiwa rā, kia hiwa rā! He hiahia, he pūkenga nōu ki te mahi a te Kaiarataki ǀ Business Partner? Nāia te pōwhiri nā Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha kia tono mai i te tūranga nei.

Are you a strong communicator passionate about making positive organisational change? Do you enjoy working in a collaborative and diverse environment?

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do

The mahi undertaken in the People & Culture Business Partnering Team is the catalyst for positive change in our organisation. We operationalise strategy through the provision of timely and objective coaching, advice, support, and intervention, and through collaborating with colleagues, to empower UC kaimahi to be the best they can be every day.

We're seeking a proactive and strategic People & Culture Business Partner to join our team! In this role, you'll work closely with managers and employees to deliver expert HR guidance, support people management practices, drive employee engagement, and align HR initiatives with business goals.

We operate and collaborate in a constructive environment to challenge current thinking, spark innovation and facilitate an environment of courage, opportunity and change, focusing on sustainable and outcomes-focus solutions.

Sarah, one of our Business Partners, offer their view of the role at UC:

"This is a role where you will be challenged, it is a diverse and changing environment. Surrounded by a great team, you can hone your generalist skills and have the opportunity for knowledge growth in areas of interest. Not many days are the same, so if you are flexible and hardworking this place is for you."

Mōu | Who You Are

You have significant experience implementing best practice Human Resource solutions. You have substantial knowledge of New Zealand employment legislation, policies, procedures. You ideally hold a Human Resources Degree (or equivalent qualification).

As a key member of the University community, it's important that enjoy working in a collaborative environment and are fantastic at building diverse relationships and be able to demonstrate an alignment with our organisation's values and culture, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With

Sitting within the People, Culture, and Campus department, the Business Partnering team bring enthusiasm and innovation to everything they do. Our team work collaboratively to ensure that our extensive range of knowledge is utilised.

For more information about our team, please visit our website.

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC

Ngā Uara | Our Values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and tiakitanga guide our decisions and behaviour and provide a roadmap for how we do things at UC, affirming our commitment to pastoral care and support for our ākonga and staff. They challenge and inspire us to be the best we can, and make UC a great place to work and study. For more info on Ngā Uara | Our Values visit us here.

We are committed to accessible higher education, service to the community and the encouragement of talent without barriers of distance, wealth, class, gender or ethnicity. The University explicitly aims to produce graduates and support staff who are engaged with their communities, empowered to act for good and determined to make a difference in the world.

We offer a range of fantastic benefits including flexible work practices, study opportunities and generous superannuation and leave provisions. For more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc.

The closing date for this position is: 29 April 2026 (midnight, NZ time)Please note, applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place before the close date.

Pēhea te tono mai | How You Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted via our careers website and should include a cover letter and resume.

Please note, we do not accept applications by email, however we are happy to answer your queries in relation to the application process, please forward these to WorkatUC@canterbury.ac.nz

You must have Aotearoa New Zealand or Australian citizenship/permanent residency or hold a valid NZ work visa to be considered for this role.