HR Business Partner

Avantor; Cambridge, Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global life sciences company is seeking an HR Business Partner for the UK & Ireland. This remote role requires strong HR experience, particularly in Employee Relations, and knowledge of UK employment laws. You will support a varied team across multiple sites, contributing to strategic HR initiatives while ensuring compliance. The position allows for significant growth and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact upon scientific operations. Flexibility for travel within the UK and occasional trips to Ireland is essential.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Diverse and inclusive culture

Opportunities for career growth

Qualifications

• 5+ years of HR experience in a generalist role.
• Strong Employee Relations capability and confidence in handling complex cases.
• Knowledge of UK and ideally Irish employment law.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to manage HR data.

Responsibilities

• Deliver HR initiatives aligned with business needs in UK & Ireland.
• Act as the primary contact for escalated Employee Relations matters.
• Manage absence and wellness support across LPS.
• Conduct HR compliance processes and support M&A activity.

Skills

HR experience

Employee Relations

Knowledge of UK Employment Law

Strong data skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Job description

## **The Opportunity:**## **HR Business Partner – UK & Ireland****Avantor** – Powering the Future of Life SciencesAvantor’s **Lab and Production Services (LPS)** team is the engine behind our customers’ scientific and manufacturing success. LPS delivers on‑site laboratory, production, and operational support across world‑leading research, biopharma, and advanced technology environments. As our **HR Business Partner** for **UK & Ireland**, you’ll support the people who keep these critical scientific operations running.This is a fully remote role, ideally based near Cambridge or Stevenage, with regular UK travel and ad‑hoc travel to Ireland, so full flexibility is essential.You will report directly to the HR Manager UK & Ireland.**The Opportunity**You’ll partner with the UK HRSP and HRBP LPS Europe to deliver HR support across a population of 350 colleagues in the UK and 50 in Ireland. You’ll be the key HR contact for LPS teams, engineers, and Managers in both the UK and Ireland, supporting them with day‑to‑day HR needs and BAU activity.This role blends hands‑on operational HR with the opportunity to grow your strategic capability in a global life sciences organisation.**What You’ll Be Doing****Strategic HR Support*** Deliver HR initiatives aligned with business needs across UK & Ireland.* Partner with global HRBPs and Centres of Excellence to support regional goals.* Provide guidance on HR processes, policies, and best practices.* Support engagement, communication, and change initiatives across multiple sites.* Build strong relationships with Managers in both countries.**Employee Relations & Compliance*** Act as the primary contact for escalated ER matters across UK & Ireland LPS sites.* Lead consistent ER processes, investigations, and case management.* Support conflict resolution, grievances, and disciplinary actions.* Ensure compliance with UK and Irish employment legislation.* Rework and align Irish policies using appropriate legal resources.**Absence, Wellbeing & Occupational Health*** Own absence management across LPS, including long‑term sickness support.* Partner with Occupational Health and H&S to support wellbeing.* Implement reasonable adjustments, including mental health and chronic conditions.* Align Irish absence processes with UK frameworks.**Onboarding & Compliance*** Conduct Horus screening, RTW checks (via third-party portal), and OH screening* Ensure accurate new starter documentation and requisition management.* Support compliance processes, including those handled by HRSSC.**Projects & Operational Excellence*** Support HR due diligence for M&A activity.* Contribute to enterprise-wide HR initiatives and process improvements.* Help track HR metrics and support data reporting.* Assist with transitioning work to HRSSC or overseas teams.**What You Bring*** 5+ years of HR experience, ideally in a generalist or multi‑site role.* Strong ER capability and confidence handling complex cases.* Knowledge of UK employment law; **Irish employment law highly desirable**.* Strong data and HR systems skills.* Ability to balance hands‑on admin with strategic support.* A full driving licence and flexibility to travel weekly in the UK and ad‑hoc to Ireland.* A proactive, detail‑focused approach and a desire to grow as an **HRBP****Who you are**You’re organised, people‑focused, and comfortable working independently in a fully remote role. You enjoy variety, build trust quickly, and thrive in environments where science, operations, and service delivery come together. You’re motivated by supporting teams who contribute to meaningful scientific and operational outcomes.**Your First 3–6 Months*** Take ownership of absence management across LPS.* Build strong relationships with Managers across the UK and Ireland.* Integrate H&S into HR processes.* Streamline OH and absence processes across both countries.* Establish credibility within the LPS Ireland environment.If you want to support teams shaping the future of science — and grow your HR career in a global, purpose‑driven organisation — we’d love to hear from you.**Apply today and help us advance science for a better world.****Disclaimer:**The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.**Dare to go further in your career.** Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science. **The work we do changes people's lives for the better.** It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor. We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. **Apply today!****EEO Statement:**We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.**Privacy Policy:**We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role.Your privacy is important to us. Please for our Privacy Policy which explains the purposes for which we will use your personal information and the ways in which we will handle and retain your information. It also explains the rights you have in relation to your information, and how to contact us with any queries or requests.**3rd Party Non-Solicitation Policy:**By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.Avantor, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Our portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries we serve. One of our greatest strengths comes from having a global infrastructure that is strategically located to support the needs of our customers. Our global footprint enables us to serve more than 225,000 customer locations and gives us extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than