Senior HR Business Partner

Progress Rail, A Caterpillar Company; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 100,000 - GBP 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading locomotive manufacturing company in Stoke-on-Trent is looking for a Senior HR Business Partner to drive HR initiatives across the UK and continental Europe. This role involves providing expert HR guidance on employment law, managing recruitment processes, and ensuring compliance with HR policies. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in HR within multi-site environments, with knowledge of UK employment law and HRIS platforms. Competitive salary and benefits offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary + company bonus

Tailored training and development

Generous pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounted gym membership

Fuel card savings

Employee recognition schemes

33 days’ holiday per year

Qualifications

• Proven experience in HR within rail or manufacturing is preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential.
• Hands-on recruitment experience in fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert HR advice on employment law and performance management.
• Lead recruitment processes including job adverts and candidate selection.
• Manage HR systems and ensure accurate data and compliance.

Skills

HR experience in multi-site environments

Knowledge of UK employment law

Proficiency in HRIS platforms

Analytical skills

Education

CIPD Chartered membership

Tools

Microsoft Excel

SAGE/Rail People

Job description

COMPETITIVE SALARY

Are you an experienced HR professional with a passion for driving people strategy across diverse locations? Electro-Motive Diesel Limited (EMDL) is seeking a dynamic Senior HR Business Partner to lead HR initiatives across the UK and continental Europe. In this pivotal role, you’ll provide expert guidance on employment law, talent development, and workforce planning, while partnering with managers to deliver a compliant, high-performing, and engaging employee experience.

Job Description

SENIOR HR BUSINESS PARTNER

STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST6 4NF (ONSITE)

The role

• Provide expert HR advice and guidance to managers and employees on employment law, performance, discipline, grievance, and policy matters.
• Ensure HR policies and practices comply with UK/EU legislation, collective agreements, GDPR, and health & safety requirements.
• Lead end-to-end recruitment, including job adverts, candidate selection, onboarding, and managing the HCM system (SAGE/Rail People).
• Identify workforce needs and implement effective recruitment, retention, and deployment strategies, focusing on direct hiring and reducing agency dependency.
• Support performance and absence management, providing analysis and guidance to managers to address issues effectively.
• Manage training and development activities, including competency matrices, refresher training, and succession planning.
• Maintain and optimise HR systems, ensuring accurate data, producing reports/KPIs, and driving process improvements.
• Oversee payroll input and administration for all locations, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Administer the Sentinel scheme, ensuring compliance, inductions, and record-keeping for sponsored personnel.
• Contribute to employee engagement initiatives and promote equal opportunities across all aspects of employment.
• Drive HR best practice, harmonising policies where possible and challenging the status quo to modernise people processes.
• Build strong internal and external relationships to support effective HR service delivery across multiple sites.
• Promote company values and safety strategy, ensuring safe working practices and a positive culture.
• Undertake occasional UK/EU travel and work flexibly out of hours when business needs require.

The candidate

• CIPD Chartered membership (preferred).
• Proven HR experience in a multi-site environment, ideally within rail or manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and general legislation with awareness of EU employment law (preferred).
• Hands‑on experience with recruitment in fast‑paced environments and proficiency in HRIS platforms and Microsoft Excel.
• A full, clean driving licence and willingness to travel; proficiency in German or Dutch is an advantage.

Personality Traits

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships.
• Leadership qualities and team management capability, combined with a collaborative, hands‑on approach.
• Highly organised, detail‑oriented, and process driven, with strong time‑management skills.
• Resilient under pressure, deadline focused, and able to work independently with a proactive mindset.
• Strong numeracy and analytical skills, with a commitment to continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Competitive salary + company bonus
• Tailored training and development, including company‑funded external qualifications where relevant
• Generous pension scheme with 7% employer contributionLife assurance at 3.5× your salary
• Employee Assistance Programme for confidential wellbeing support
• Discounted gym membership – up to 25% off at 4,000+ UK gyms
• Fuel card savings of 2–3p per litre at 3,500 stations, including BP, Esso and Shell
• Employee recognition schemes celebrating great work
• 33 days’ holiday per year (inclusive of bank/public holidays)

About Progress Rail – Electro-Motive Diesel

Progress Rail – Electro-Motive Diesel is a subsidiary of Caterpillar, specialised in manufacturing, maintaining and overhauling diesel‑electric locomotives across the world. For more than half a century, Electro‑Motive Diesel has hauled freight and passengers, powered ships, and generated electricity for over 100 countries around the globe. Becoming a part of Electro‑Motive Diesel means becoming a part of a challenging and bright future in our global marketplace.

Values

• Integrity – the power of honesty
• Excellence – the power of quality
• Teamwork – the power of working together
• Commitment – the power of responsibility
• Safety – care, learn, prevent

Equal Opportunities

Progress Rail - Electro-Motive Diesel is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. We value and embrace diversity of thought, background and unique experiences and we pride ourselves on being an inclusive workforce and culture.

How to apply

To be considered for this role, please click on the link provided. If you would like any further information about this vacancy before applying, please feel free to contact Taher Rahman at our Sandiacre site.

We would politely request no agencies please.