About the Role
We are currently searching for a talented and driven individual to join our UK HR team as a HR Business Partner to provide onsite HR leadership to our Livingston and Lockerbie sites in the UK Packaging division.
Reporting into the Senior HR Business Partner the HR Business Partner will act as a change agent and be pivotal in driving forward the HR and Business Strategy to enable a step change in culture and performance. You will implement the HR Corporate Plan across both sites and provide support and guidance to business leaders, truly partnering the business to drive results and people capabilities.
You will use your experience to coach our site leaders on several key focus areas including Change Management, Engagement, Performance & Talent, Employee Relations and Recruitment & Selection. You will be a problem solver who is trusted in resolving challenging situations, continually driving best practice and ensuring compliance with all company procedures, policies and employment legislation.
About you
You’ll be experienced in supporting and enabling line managers to competently deal with performance, absence, disciplinary and grievance issues and work closely with our ER Case Managers. You should have a track record of working in a progressive and collaborative employee relations environment by working in partnership with recognised trade unions. In addition, you will be analytical and comfortable with monthly reporting & HRIS management and will oversee the monthly payroll process with our Shared Service Centre.
Minimum requirements:
Experience of operating as a HR Business Partner in a fast-paced environment
Experience of coaching managers in delivering HR related activities
Up to date, comprehensive knowledge of HR best practice and employment legislation
Excellent communication and influencing skills
Resilient, organised and analytical with a positive and confident approach to problem solving.
Comfortable working with Microsoft Tools – particularly Excel and Word
Multi-site experience, ideally in Manufacturing, FMCG, or Logistics
Ability to take a hands-on approach to some transactional tasks but think both operationally and strategically
Previous experience working in partnership with trade unions
Preferred requirements:
CIPD Level 7 or equivalent experience
Workday system experience would be beneficial
Benefits
Competitive salary
Company car scheme access
Company bonus
Pension scheme, life assurance and income protection
Salary sacrifice electric car scheme
25 days holiday plus bank holidays
Annual Cycle to Work Scheme
Corporate discounts
Employee Assistance Programme
Location/ Working Pattern: This is an onsite role, you will be expected to work from either the Livingston or Lockerbie site Monday to Friday (with occasional working from home)
About us
We’re DS Smith, we believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. Today, we operate in more than 30 different countries, supporting customers across sectors like FMCG, industrial, and e-commerce. We deliver on quality, service, innovation, and added value to deliver market-leading sustainable packaging solutions our customers need. Our industry needs to transform, and we’re building the team to drive change across Europe and North America
To fulfil our purpose we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.
#LI-CE
Skills Required
- Experience of operating as a HR Business Partner in a fast-paced environment
- Experience of coaching managers in delivering HR related activities
- Up to date, comprehensive knowledge of HR best practice and employment legislation
- Excellent communication and influencing skills
- Resilient, organised and analytical with a positive approach to problem solving
- Comfortable working with Microsoft Tools - particularly Excel and Word
- Multi-site experience, ideally in Manufacturing, FMCG, or Logistics
- Ability to take a hands-on approach to some transactional tasks but think both operationally and strategically
- Previous experience working in partnership with trade unions
DS Smith Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about DS Smith and has not been reviewed or approved by DS Smith.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered okay to good across many roles, with some plants indicating competitive or above‑market hourly rates for operators and similar positions. This supports a broadly fair perception of base pay even as experiences vary by site.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. offerings include day‑one medical/vision and dental, employer HSA contributions, and 100% company‑paid life and short/long‑term disability, alongside an EAP. Some role descriptions also highlight mental‑health and fertility options.
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Retirement Support — Packages commonly reference a 401(k) with company match and, in some locations, pension eligibility or company‑funded retirement contributions. This positions retirement benefits as a meaningful component of total rewards.
DS Smith Insights
What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy. Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
