Hr director jobs in Brighton and hove

30 - 37 hours per week / Permanent / Monday - Thursday 0900 -1700, Friday 0900-1630 / hybrid working, requiring a minimum of three days working on sites each week, with up to two days working from home. Flexibility is essential, as the role involves regular travel across West Sussex and Surrey.

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

The People Team are responsible for all aspects of candidate and employee experience across the organisation. We drive organisational performance, compensation, benefits, and people tools and technologies - and oversee the continuing evolution of the organisation's culture.

As a People Partner you will be proactive, curious, and solution focused partner to People Managers across the organisation. Working closely with the Head of People, you will play a key role in improving employee experience, strengthening leadership capability, and embedding a positive and engaging workplace culture.

This hands-on role requires the ability to shift between operational delivery and strategic priorities, balancing reactive needs with proactive planning to support short, medium, and long‑term organisational objectives. The role blends strategic people partnership with practical HR support, ensuring people practices are consistent, employee‑centred, and aligned with organisational values.

As a trusted People Partner, you will work closely with managers and leaders to build confident, capable people management across the organisation. Acting as a proactive and curious advisor, you will coach and support managers on employee relations, performance, engagement, and employment legislation, ensuring decisions are fair, consistent, and aligned with organisational values. You will lead on complex employee relations matters where needed, promote positive and informal resolution wherever possible, and role‑model a values‑led approach to leadership and culture.

In delivering the role, you will work in partnership with the Head of People to

• help shape an inclusive, engaging employee experience across the full lifecycle from recruitment and onboarding through to development, performance, and wellbeing.
• contribute to workforce planning, learning and development initiatives, policy development and compliance, and the effective delivery of HR operations, including HR data, records, and payroll support.
• build strong relationships with stakeholders across the organisation, you will use insight and collaboration to drive continuous improvement and deliver a professional, people‑centred HR service that enables both individuals and the organisation to thrive.

If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we’re looking for.

We are seeking an experienced HR Business Partner with a proven ability to deliver effective, high‑quality HR processes. You will bring a strong track record of working professionally and constructively with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels of the organisation. Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 is essential, while CIPD Level 7 qualification (or working towards it/equivalent experience) is desirable, alongside sound knowledge of ED&I legislation and safeguarding best practice.

You will be comfortable managing a varied employee relations caseload, applying sound judgement, discretion, and a working knowledge of employment law to support fair and consistent outcomes. You will recognise the value of building and maintaining strong, trusted relationships with stakeholders from the outset. Genuinely passionate about developing others, you will partner closely with People Managers to unlock their potential, enabling them to manage and lead their teams with confidence and effectiveness.

You will bring a positive, proactive approach and genuine enthusiasm for the organisation’s work, alongside excellent communication, organisation, and problem‑solving skills. Confident working independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment, you will demonstrate strong cultural awareness, professionalism, and attention to detail.

CLOSING DATE: Thursday 14 May 2026 at midnight, proposed interview date Wednesday 20 May.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment. 

Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. 

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.

Salary: £37,775 plus benefits (Our pay philosophy ensures consistency across locations and salaries. The starting salary for this opportunity plus benefits depends on location of the candidate).

The role:

We are delighted to be recruiting for a People & Culture Advisor to join our global People & Culture team here at Mary’s Meals International (MMI) on a 12-month FTC. This is a fantastic opportunity to thrive in a truly generalist role, within a diverse and dynamic global organisation.

Reporting to our People & Culture Lead and working as a key member of the People & Culture directorate, you will provide strong generalist support across the Mary’s Meals family, working across all People & Culture workstreams and providing professional HR advice and practical support for employees and managers, across a broad spectrum of HR topics and policy.

People are at the heart of everything we do at Mary’s Meals and in this key role, you will develop strong working relationships and work in partnership across our global network, to support the growth of our movement through the attraction, development, recognition, succession and retention of great talent.

Key priorities:

• Deliver high‑quality, practical HR advice and support to employees and managers across MMI and the wider global network.
• Manage and advise on a range of employee relations cases, supporting fair, consistent and values‑led outcomes.
• Support and develop HR policies, ensuring alignment with UK employment legislation and best practice.
• Champion employee wellbeing and support effective people management in a remote‑first environment.
• Contribute to People & Culture projects, performance processes, people reporting and delivery of HR training.
• Support end‑to‑end recruitment activity in partnership with the Head of Recruitment and hiring managers.

We are looking for:

• Robust experience as an HR Generalist with a positive, organised and pragmatic approach.
• Proven experience advising managers across a broad range of HR and employee relations matters.
• While the role requires strong working knowledge of UK employment law, you will work closely with colleagues across multiple countries and contexts.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills, with confidence to influence and challenge constructively.
• Experience managing HR projects or complex people issues from start to finish.
• A collaborative, flexible mindset and a genuine commitment to Mary’s Meals’ mission and values.

About us:

Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education. We continue to change the lives of over 3 million children who today will receive Mary’s Meals.

We believe in the innate goodness of people, respect the dignity of every human being and family life and believe in good stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. In line with our values, Mary’s Meals is fully committed to a culture of safeguarding. Mary’s Meals is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work and we expect all the Mary's Meals family to share this commitment and work in the best interest of the communities we serve. Our safe recruitment practices ensure that only those that are committed to our high standards join our movement.

Our Benefits:

• 34 days annual leave (pro-rated for part time working patterns) including bank holidays, increasing by 1 day each completed calendar year, to a maximum of 39 days (+ option to buy another week)
• Flexible working
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Life assurance
• Pension

Our ideal start date for this role is mid July 2026 onwards, although we are happy to discuss notice periods with the right candidate.