HR Site Lead

This is an exciting opportunity to join GSK as HR Site Lead for one of our key sites, Barnard Castle in the UK.

About Barnard Castle Manufacturing Site:

Medicines at Barnard Castle are presented as either Respiratory devices or in Oral Solid Dose form. The site holds a unique position in our network as the only site responsible for launching the company’s pipeline of new medicines in these dose forms, many of which are lifesaving medicines. A series of investments in new state-of-the-art equipment are being made that will support the delivery of a record number of new products. This must be achieved whilst consistently delivering outstanding quality, service and value to our patients.

Job Purpose:

A formal member of a Site leadership team that diagnoses and implements the appropriate HR solutions required to deliver the Site HR People Plan which supports business strategy and improves business performance. In addition to collaborate with and navigate other areas of HR to deliver the right customer experience in alignment with the HR Operating Model. 

Excellence in the HRSL role looks like:

• The HRSL is an integral part of the Site Leadership team, leading the HR People Agenda to enable the business to deliver the strategy and improve performance
• Leading a delivery of a forward looking, workforce & capability plan through continuous improvement, standardisation and simplification
• Ability to develop insights from use of technology/data and to support decision making
• Coaching line managers to build their leadership and people management capability
• Promoting pragmatic and best practice approaches and HR interventions that drive the HR and business agenda forward
• Working in partnership as OneHR to deliver the HR plan and enhance the customer experience 
• Promoting the values, expectations and IPT to build culture within an organization

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver cultural change projects, site people, organisational changes, and workforce restructuring in line with the HRBL and business agenda
• Future workforce mapping and capability planning, succession planning and talent management
• Lead employee engagement initiatives across site
• Coach and support senior leaders in the delivery of key HR activities, in alignment with the HR operating model and respond to complex, escalated queries from line leaders around HR policies and processes
• Integrate a coaching approach into interactions with leaders and coach and build line manager capability to create a positive employee environment
• Partner with various HR delivery channels to support Site level initiatives and assist with delivery of HR CoE and/or People Services special projects. Working as OneHR to deliver HR services to the business.
• Support resolution of site IR issues and partner with ER Services to implement strategies to mitigate issues and/or enhance performance
• Support the SLT with ER/IR relationship management
• Act as UK IR liaison. Support Global IR Lead with overseeing IC Forums in the UK, checking agendas and participating in meetings when required, working with legal team and the UK HR Country Head
• Support annual pay talks and prep work
• Help manage relationships with reps and site unions
• Attend and co-chair Senior Shop Steward Meetings with Senior reps from various UK sites
• Understand the HR Risk environment, identify potential HR risks and escalate to appropriate parties to develop mitigation strategies
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the business
• Leverage technology and HR systems to identify data and insights that support business strategy
• Promote learning, leadership development and coaching opportunities with business leaders

Basic Qualifications

• Demonstrated HR leadership experience in a similar site environment with a complex matrix organization.
• Experience in a regulated manufacturing or production environment, especially at a Manufacturing Site which engaged in large scale change program related to Quality / Safety / Compliance / Service fundamentals and/or has managed within a Site Remediation Improvement plan. 
• Experience of partnering with a business or function, leading or supporting the HR Plan and aligning HR strategy to business needs. Building credibility with the line and understanding the implications and business impact of alternative HR solutions. Influencing based on trends in talent and technology. 
• Experience of managing organisational change/restructure activity within client group across a range of functions and job types.
• Experience delivering HR solutions within demanding operational contexts.  i.e. talent and workforce planning, resourcing, performance management, change management, consultation and reward issues, restructures/mergers and acquisitions or other significant change. 
• Exposure to working in a highly complex and matrixed HR Operating Model with multiple lines of authority, leveraging influence within a complex network of stakeholders, being able to achieve results through a variety of resources and experts.
• Ability to develop/lead a talent strategy for a client group to include succession plans and early talent programs. 
• Experience of coaching and developing managers’ leadership capability
• Participating as required in senior level appointments and workforce planning
• Ability to work a minimum of four (4) days on site weekly

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or relevant advanced degree.
• Service delivery mindset to deliver high performance business impact.
• Leading edge in leveraging digital technologies.

Closing Date for Applications – 16th March 2026 EOD

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert.  
When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application. 

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us at UKRecruitment.Adjustments@gsk.com where you can also request a call.

Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels. However, we have created a  Recruitment FAQ guide. Click the link where you will find answers to multiple questions we receive

Important notice to Employment businesses/ Agencies

GSK does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact GSK's commercial and general procurement/human resources department to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to GSK. The obtaining of prior written authorization is a condition precedent to any agreement (verbal or written) between the employment business/ agency and GSK. In the absence of such written authorization being obtained any actions undertaken by the employment business/agency shall be deemed to have been performed without the consent or contractual agreement of GSK. GSK shall therefore not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site.

Please note that if you are a US Licensed Healthcare Professional or Healthcare Professional as defined by the laws of the state issuing your license, GSK may be required to capture and report expenses GSK incurs, on your behalf, in the event you are afforded an interview for employment. This capture of applicable transfers of value is necessary to ensure GSK’s compliance to all federal and state US Transparency requirements. For more information, please visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/