Lead People Business Partner

About the Role

Willmott Dixon have an exciting opportunity for a full time Lead People Business Partner to join our North Region. This is a senior, highly influential role partnering closely with the regional leaders, including board‑level stakeholders, to deliver people strategies that directly drive world class performance and deliver ambitious growth plans.

Location: Oldham (with regular travel to Leeds and other Northeast offices).

Working pattern: Full time, typically 3 days per week in the office

At Willmott Dixon, we’re not just constructing buildings, we’re creating long‑term legacies. As one of the UK’s most respected construction and infrastructure businesses, we are recognised for innovation, sustainability, and a genuinely people‑first culture. This role plays a critical part in enabling the continued growth of the region by ensuring we have the right people strategy, leadership capacity, and culture to deliver our regional ambitions.

You will act as a trusted strategic advisor to the Board, influencing decisions at the highest level and leading people-led changes that strengthens organisational effectiveness, build high performing teams, and supports sustainable growth. Alongside this strategic remit you will ensure strong operational delivery across the employee lifecycle, role‑modelling pragmatic, commercially focused people leadership. You will help create environments where people can perform, grow and thrive as the business continues to grow.

What You'll Do

As our Lead People Business Partner – North region, you will work in close partnership with the People Partner and senior leaders to deliver strategic, high‑impact people solutions that underpin world class performance, ambitious growth and business transformation. You will support and enhance our 5 key people experiences:

• Attract: Partner with recruitment team to attract top talent and ensure seamless pre-employment journeys.
• Welcome: Champion new starters to ensure they get up to speed quickly
• Perform: Act as a trusted advisor, enabling and supporting our people to perform at their best
• Grow: Create environments where our people can perform, grow and thrive as our business continues to grow
• Goodbye: Handle transitions and exits with empathy, plus analyse trends from exit interviews.

You will also use people data and insight to inform decision‑making, anticipate future people risks and opportunities, and shape initiatives that support both short‑term delivery and longer‑term business growth. You will bring to the fore your technical skills in a practical "people first" way. You’ll build strong relationships across the North region, creating visibility, trust, and influence at every level.

Who We're Looking For

You’ll be a resilient, hands‑on and discreet People professional who thrives in a fast‑paced, commercial environment. Confident and credible at a senior level, to operate as a strategic partner to the Board. You will be passionate about coaching leaders, you’ll be trusted for your sound judgement and discretion, and motivated by driving world class performance and business growth through strong people leadership, culture and change You’ll build trust at every level, juggle competing priorities with ease, and bring a positive, pragmatic, can‑do approach.

You'll bring: (Essential experience)

• Proven People Business Partner experience, including people risk, operations, workforce planning and succession planning
• Previous line management experience, with a strong coaching and development approach
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to link people activity to business outcomes
• Ability to adapt in dynamic, changing environments
• CIPD qualification (or equivalent)
• Willingness to travel across the North region

Desirable: Experience working in a fast‑paced sector where change and growth are constant

What We Offer

We reward our people generously with a competitive salary and a market-leading benefits package that gives you flexible benefits to fit your lifestyle and priorities. This includes but is not limited to:

• Enhanced pension scheme
• Discounted or full private medical
• Life assurance
• Incentive bonus
• Car scheme and motoring expenditure allowance (where applicable)
• Access to a low‑carbon and electric car leasing scheme, supporting sustainable travel

At Willmott Dixon we provide an inclusive and flexible working environment for people to thrive in, and we are happy to support this where possible.

We are a proud member of the Disability Confident Scheme.