Senior HR Business Partner - Contract

ZeroAvia is seeking a strategic, data-led and analytically strong HR Business Partner to support the growth and optimisation of its UK engineering organisation as it scales toward certification and commercialisation. As a key member of the People team, this role will enable the business to align its workforce strategy with ambitious programme delivery timelines, ensuring the right engineering capability is in place to drive innovation in hydrogen-electric aviation.

Working closely with Engineering leadership, Talent Acquisition, and executive stakeholders, the HR Business Partner will translate business strategy into a robust, insight-driven workforce plan aligned to both current programme demands and future growth. This role goes beyond traditional HR partnering, bringing a strong analytical lens to workforce planning, supporting critical decision-making through data, and ensuring the organisation’s people strategy is scalable, compliant, and commercially grounded. In doing so, it directly supports ZeroAvia’s mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable aviation while maintaining operational excellence in a highly regulated and technically complex environment.

An immediate start is available and the role is being offered as a 6-month initial contract. The ideal candidate will be based on site at the beautiful Cotswolds Airport 3-4 days per week.

The role -

Strategic Workforce Planning & UK Analytics

• Lead strategic workforce planning for engineering functions, forecasting permanent headcount requirements aligned to UK defence and commercial aviation pipelines.
• Partner closely with Talent Acquisition to translate workforce plans into hiring strategies, ensuring timely delivery of critical engineering capability.
• Analyse workforce data and market insights to identify talent gaps across key engineering disciplines and inform proactive hiring and retention strategies.
• Develop and present data-driven workforce and retention plans to the Executive Team, with clear linkage to budget, cost modelling, and long-term capability needs.
• Own and track key workforce KPIs (e.g., attrition, time-to-fill, vacancy rates, utilisation trends), providing actionable insights to senior stakeholders.
• Drive a culture of data fluency within HR, leveraging advanced analytics to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Facilitate internal mobility and workforce optimisation initiatives, maximising utilisation of existing engineering capability across programmes.

HR Operations, Data Integrity & UK Compliance

• Ensure compliant onboarding processes, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and National Security Vetting (NSV).
• Take ownership of HR Information Systems (HRIS), ensuring data is accurate, clean, up-to-date, and fully compliant with UK GDPR requirements.
• Act as a custodian of people data integrity, driving continuous improvement in data quality, reporting standards, and system utilisation.
• Manage employee relations matters, including grievance processes and tribunal risk mitigation, in line with UK employment law.
• Lead annual performance and compensation review cycles in line with ACAS guidance and organisational frameworks.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations.
  

Talent, Engagement & Development

• Develop and implement data-led retention strategies to address engineering skills shortages and improve employee engagement.
• Support Talent Acquisition in building long-term talent pipelines and employer value proposition (EVP) initiatives.
• Oversee Learning & Development activity, ensuring alignment to business needs and future capability requirements.
• Partner with functional leaders to identify critical skill gaps and support targeted development initiatives.

Experience & Qualifications

• Proven experience operating as a strategic HR Business Partner within an engineering, aerospace, or technical organisation.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and present at executive level, translating complex workforce data into clear, commercially focused recommendations.
• High level of data fluency, with strong capability in workforce analytics, modelling, and insight generation to support strategic decision-making.
• Strong cross-functional experience, partnering effectively with Talent Acquisition, Finance, PMO, and senior technical stakeholders.
• Experience within a high-growth or start-up engineering environment is advantageous.
• CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 qualified, with proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and HRIS platforms (HiBob experience desirable).

At ZeroAvia, we’re clean sky thinkers. For the world to achieve truly clean, guilt-free flight, we need a scalable solution; hydrogen-electric powertrains. As a leader in zero-emission aviation and a UK Jet Zero Council member, we’re designing and commercialising hydrogen-powered solutions that will positively impact the future of aviation, global connectivity, and the world. 

Join us at our Global HQ in Cotswold Airport, home to some of our aircraft and the workplace of many ZeroAvians. Located just outside the historic market town of Cirencester, you’ll experience a workspace built by engineers for engineers. This is a high-velocity and fast-paced environment with good links to the M4 and M5, so it’s fitting that it’s also our UK Head Office.

Diversity and Inclusion

As an emergent company shaping the aviation industry, we know that diversity fuels success and unlocks potential. We embrace being an equal-opportunity employer and actively seek individuals from diverse backgrounds. We value the multitude of skills, perspectives, and mindsets everyone can bring to the table. These experiences ignite creativity, originality, and growth. We proudly reject discrimination in all forms, including that based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.