People Business Partner

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Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 31 July 2027

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Job Description: About the Role

The Open University is seeking a passionate and self-driven People Business Partner to join our team. You will play a pivotal role in embedding the People Services operating model, driving cultural evolution, and delivering impactful people initiatives. This role requires a proactive, agile mindset and strong leadership and influencing skills.

Working closely with Academic and Professional Services Units, and People Services teams, the People Business Partner will take the strategic lead on designing and implementing people services initiatives and projects and local people plan delivery outcomes, that align with university goals, focusing on employee engagement, performance management, talent development, and organisational effectiveness.
People Business Partners. will work across multiple Faculties and Professional Services Units The role will involve Relationship Management for its designated units, working collectively with the People Partnering Team on cross functional projects, supporting Lead Business Partners, operating within a matrix multi-disciplinary HR team. Reporting to a Lead Business Partner, the role will be agile in nature to advance the people strategy throughout the organisation, with additional focus areas including, workforce planning and change initiatives.

PLEASE NOTE: there are 2 vacancies available 1 x Perm, and 1 x 2 year FTC (ending July 2027). As part of your application, you will be asked to indicate if you wish to be considered for one, or both of these positions.

• Workforce Planning:Collaborate with leadership to assess current and future workforce needs, developing strategies to bridge gaps and build organisational capability.
• People Strategy Execution:Provide expert input on organisational design, talent development, reward, performance management, and employee engagement in collaboration with Centres of Expertise and People Operations.
• Strategic Partnering:Build strong, trusted relationships with unit leadership teams. Influence and shape unit strategies by aligning people plans with business objectives.
• Leadership Development:Coach and support leaders to enhance their leadership capabilities and foster a high-performance culture.
• Change Leadership:Lead and support transformational change initiatives, ensuring alignment with university values and best practices in change management.
• People Analytics:Analyse and interpret complex people data to inform decision-making and drive business outcomes. Promote data literacy among managers.
• Cultural Development:Partner with leaders to assess engagement and culture, designing interventions that foster a positive, inclusive, and high-performing environment.
• Employee Experience:Act as a coach and advisor to leaders on employee relations, engagement, and performance, ensuring a consistent and values-driven employee experience.

Essential:

• Proven experience in delivering strategic and operational HR solutions at a business unit level.
• Agile/Multi-disciplinary HR experience in a large scale organisaton.
• Demonstrable workforce planning experience.
• Strong influencing and relationship-building skills at senior levels.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change and drive cultural transformation.
• Proficiency in interpreting and leveraging people data and insights.
• Experience across a broad range of HR disciplines including talent, reward, organisational design, and employee engagement.
• Commercially astute with a track record of delivering value-added HR initiatives.

Personal Attributes

• Creative and innovative thinker with a proactive, solutions-focused mindset.
• Resilient and adaptable, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and complexity.
• Collaborative and inclusive, with a strong commitment to continuous improvement.
• Passionate about delivering exceptional employee experiences and enabling organisational success.

Desirable:

• Experience in higher education or a similarly complex, matrixed organisation.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent experience.

As part of the application process, you will be expected to submit your CV and a Supporting Statement (maximum of 1000 words) stating why you are interested in this role and demonstrate your experience of working within multi disciplinary HR or People Services teams. Interview dates will be: 1st stage, 16-18 July and 2nd stage w/c 21 July - this will involve pre interview assessment work.

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it's a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what may work for you and the role.

Early closing date notification

We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We anticipate this being twice per month on average.

If you have any queries or questions about the recruitment process, or regarding your application,please contact: .

Please use our AL home page to find AL vacancies.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.