Senior HR Partner (Rewards and Resourcing)

Job description

Position: Senior HR Partner (Rewards and Resourcing)
Contract Type: Temporary up to 12 months to cover a secondment
Salary: Grade H Salary £48,738 per annum
Location: Joint Police/Fire Headquarters, Ripley
Hours: 37 hours per week, however you may occasionally need to work beyond normal office hours.
Agile working arrangements can be discussed with the successful candidate.
Department: Human Resources (HR)
Reports to: Head of People
Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 22 November 2026

About Us
At Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, we're more than an emergency service - we're a team of over 850 dedicated people working together to make Derbyshire safer every day. Whether it's responding to emergencies, preventing incidents before they happen, or supporting our frontline teams behind the scenes, every role here makes a real difference.

We're proud to be one of the country's top-performing fire and rescue services, rated 'Good' in 9 out of 11 areas by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). This recognition reflects the professionalism, progress, and dedication of our people. We continue to strive to be an outstanding Service and we know we have more to do.

What We Are Looking For
An experienced HR professional who thrives on influence, collaboration, and delivering transformational change. This is a great opportunity to step into a high impact role at the heart of Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service.

As a Senior HR Partner, you'll work with our Strategic Leadership Team and Managers to influence thinking, and bring pragmatic, legally sound solutions and recommendations that support both our people and our operational priorities.

What You Will Be Doing
• Provide expert advice and guidance on complex employee relations matters, organisational change and employment legislation.
• Partner with leaders and managers to deliver people solutions that support organisational priorities and workforce performance.
• Lead and develop HR colleagues to deliver a high-quality, customer-focused and professional HR service.
• Use people data, insight and workforce trends to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee a modern, effective resourcing approach that attracts and appoints talented people to meet current and future workforce needs.
• Champion Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, ensuring fair and inclusive people practices across the Service.
• Support the development and implementation of reward and benefits initiatives that enhance employee experience, engagement and retention.

About You
You will bring:
• HR expertise, including complex employee relations, change management and employment legislation
• Strong leadership and stakeholder influencing skills
• Knowledge of reward, benefits and resourcing
• HR qualification (Level 5 minimum) and/or MCIPD
• Experience of shaping strategic HR approaches and driving improvement

If you are passionate about people, inspired by making a positive difference, and ready to help shape the future of an organisation with real community impact - we'd love to hear from you.

In return we offer
• Flexible working hours.
• Agile working (60% office based).
• Family friendly policies.
• Annual leave entitlement of 28 days, increasing to 33 days after 5 years' service.
• Free, secure on-site car parking.
• Health & wellbeing services, including an employee assistance programme and free access to gyms at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service locations.
• Employee discount scheme and eligibility to apply for Blue Light Card.
• Employee support networks.
• Enhanced maternity pay (subject to meeting eligibility criteria).
• Occupational sick pay subject to length of service, increasing up to 6 months' full & 6 months' half after 5 years' service.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• Eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with generous employer contributions.
• Eligibility to join Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) offering highly beneficial tax advantages.

There will be a requirement for some travel.

Please see the attached Job Description/Person Specification for more information about this exciting role.

How to Apply:
We are a Disability Confident employer committed to equality and fairness at work. Applications are encouraged from all diverse communities. Under the Disability Confident scheme, we will offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of applicants with a disability that meet the essential criteria for the role.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service's recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment.

Police security vetting procedures at the appropriate level will be requested for the successful applicant. Please note that, due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within Please note that, due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency the UK.

The closing date for completed applications is midnight on Sunday 22 November 2026.

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 02 and Thursday 03 December 2026.

For an informal chat regarding the role please contact the recruiting manager Annette Barrett, Head of People on 07799 072508 or email [email protected].

If you have a disability and need assistance completing the application form, please contact the Service Centre on 01773 305441.