Job Description

PortmanDentex is a leading dental group where your skills and ambitions make a real difference. We support over 370 practices across the UK and Ireland. We’re united by a passion for great dentistry, putting patients first and helping each other grow both at work and beyond.

The People Business Partner develops and aligns people strategy with business objectives across designated areas of our business.

Operating as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, this role drives organisational performance, workforce planning, and culture change while leveraging specialist support from Centres of Expertise (CoEs) and a dedicated Colleague Relations (ER) team.

As a key member of the People team, the People Business Partner supports strategic initiatives, and helps shape people policy and practice that aligns with our values-led performance culture and our business goals.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Partnership:

• Acts as the primary HR partner to senior leaders, providing strategic insight and people-focused solutions to deliver business objectives.
• Leads the implementation of workforce strategies including organisational design, talent management, succession planning, engagement, and workforce planning.
• Uses people data to identify trends (e.g. engagement, turnover, capability) and drives action that improves workforce effectiveness.

Leadership Coaching & Capability Building:

• Coaches and equips leaders to manage their teams with confidence, providing support for performance conversations and leadership development.
• Supports the development of a values-led, high-performance culture through accountability, continuous feedback, and effective people management.
• Identifies skill gaps and capability risks, working with the Talent Development team to deliver targeted initiatives and build leadership capability.

Organisational Change:

• Leads the people agenda for change programmes including restructures, integrations, divestments and organisational redesign.

Engagement:

• Translates Your Voice results into clear, actionable plans, driving meaningful improvements in engagement.

Talent & Succession Management:

• Identifies critical roles and key talent, ensuring succession plans and talent development pathways are in place and actioned.
• Partners with Talent Development and senior leaders to build cross department pipelines and future-fit capabilities.

People Team Interface:

• Partners with the Colleague Relations (ER) team to ensure consistent, fair, and compliant handling of employee relations matters.
• Works closely with CoE teams (e.g. Talent Development, People Operations, Colleague Relations) to shape and deliver tailored people solutions.
• Acts as a conduit between the business and CoEs, providing business insight and championing the value of CoE teams.

People Analytics & Insight:

• Leverages people data and HR metrics to inform decision-making, monitor progress, and identifies opportunities for improvement.
• Works in partnership with CoEs to report on and respond to KPIs related to engagement, attrition, diversity, and performance.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

Workforce planning deliverables

Manager capability

Engagement action plan delivery

Talent/succession strength

We welcome your application to our People Partner vacancy if you have the following qualifications and skills:

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• An experienced HR Business Partner or similar strategic HR role in a multi-site organisation.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to link people priorities to business outcomes.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.

• Experience in change management, workforce planning, and organisational development.
• Comfortable operating in a centre-led HR model with CoEs and CR support.
• Experience of an employed and self-employed model
• Sound understanding of UK&I employment law and people-related risks (with support from ER specialists).

COMPETENCIES:

• Ability to see the bigger picture and align people strategies to business goals
• Builds trust and credibility with senior leaders and people team stakeholders
• Works across boundaries to achieve shared goals
• Change agility and continuous improvement mindset
• Takes initiative and delivers
• Acts ethically and maintains confidentiality at all times

In addition to a competitive basic salary, our benefits also include:

• Wellbeing Support: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and GP service plus an in-house Mental Health First Aider programme

• Additional Reward: bonus scheme based on business performance

• Extra Leave: Birthday off and option to buy 3 more days

• Family Support: Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

• Financial Security: Life assurance and pension scheme

Application process

When you click apply, we’ll need your CV and contact details, along with the answer to four quick questions and your application will be complete! You’ll get a response as quickly as we can, whatever the outcome of your application.

Ready to join us? Click apply to take the next step in your career.

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Additional Information

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace. We are committed to creating an environment of mutual respect and are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, disability, age, or nationality.