Senior HR Business Partner

Do you want to make an impact within an innovative and social organisation in transition? Are you a strong conversationalist with analytical insight and experience in complex HR issues? Do you also have the qualities to play a coordinating role within the team and to coach colleagues? Then this role as strategic HR Business Partner is for you!

Where you will work

SURF is the IT collaborative organisation for Dutch higher education and research. With approximately 850 colleagues, SURF supports researchers in the fields of data management, high performance computing (HPC) and visualisation. To this end, we work closely with research communities and other providers of expertise and IT facilities, both nationally and internationally. Together we improve the quality of education and research by developing and innovating digital services. As a strategic HR Business Partner, you will help determine SURF's priorities.

The team you will join

The SURF HR team consists of an HR manager, three HR advisors, four HR assistants, a recruiter and two trainees. We are a mixed team: from young and dynamic to mature and stable. Everyone has an approachable and open attitude and we sometimes organise team activities.

SURF is growing and as a result we are on the verge of a major organisational change. For the HR discipline this means that the (re)organisation of the HR team is central. Due to the departure of one of the HR advisors, a vacancy has arisen for a senior HR business partner.

What you will do

As an HR Business Partner, you will advise and support management and employees on various HR topics. You will have a strong position within the organisation and will be able to analyse and solve complex issues effectively. In addition, you will contribute to the development of the HR team and strategic personnel planning, so that SURF has the right people and skills available in the long term.

Other tasks you will handle:

• You will advise the board/directors and management on HR topics such as performance management, organisational development and talent development, and will be responsible for implementing these independently.
• You will develop strategic personnel planning: you will initiate and supervise an iterative process, develop supporting tools and advise on the strategic use of HR policy instruments.
• You will supervise complex cases and labour law issues, such as labour disputes and poor performance.
• You will analyse and develop employment conditions and schemes, including pension schemes, salary benchmarking and indexation and fringe benefits.
• You will maintain and update the schemes in the personnel manual (there is no collective labour agreement). You will maintain an appropriate job classification system and ensure it is applied correctly.
• You will coordinate activities within the HR team and coach colleagues. The extent to which this becomes a structural role depends on how the new HR Manager continues to organise the team. Flexibility is essential here.

Your skills and experience

You are an experienced and strategically-minded HR professional with strong analytical skills. You know how to advise management and employees in a constructive manner and are able to guide complex HR issues.

• You have at least 7 years of experience as an HR Business Partner, senior HR Advisor or in a comparable strategic HR role.
• You have strong analytical skills, with experience in complex dossiers such as pension schemes and salary benchmarking. You work meticulously. You require minimal supervision in a visible role.
• You can align HR strategies with business goals to increase the organisation's success.
• You have coordinating and coaching qualities, with the willingness to take on a role in this within the team.
• You have excellent communication skills and the ability to switch between different levels, establish good contacts with stakeholders and influence key decision makers. You have broad knowledge of the HR field, HR processes and industry-related knowledge.
• An excellent command of both Dutch and English.

SURF takes pleasure in doing its recruitment itself; acquisition is therefore not appreciated.