People Business Partner

We are an organisation that exists to drive progress. That's the “red thread” that connects everyone at The Economist Group. Our businesses share a devotion to innovation, independence and rigor in their fields of expertise. We empower people to understand and tackle the critical challenges and changes facing the world. Our analytical rigor, global expertise and evidence-based insights enable individuals and organisations to make sense of these shifts and chart a course through them.

We are seeking an exceptional people business partner to spearhead our strategic people initiatives and act as a beacon of transformation within The Economist Group. This role requires a combination of strategic vision and a hands-on approach to solving business issues, building relationships and talent management, aligning with our overarching business objectives to future-proof our most valuable asset: our people. 

This role is the backbone of the department and has the versatility to influence and work with the people operations team as well as the senior people partner to make sure that both people and business goals are met with efficiency and care.

Key Responsibilities:

• Versatility and Execution: Working across the different people disciplines in order to effectively drive and implement the rhythm of the business activities. 
• Resolution and Risk Management: Foster a positive working environment by addressing colleagues' concerns and mitigating potential issues. Proactively manage and resolve conflicts to maintain a harmonious workplace.
• Performance Management: Oversee the rollout and implementation of the performance management process. Support managers in providing colleagues with feedback on their goals and performance. Assist leaders and senior people business partners in executing talent management strategies.
• Colleague Advocacy: Act as an advocate for colleagues, ensuring their voices are heard and valued. Maintain a consistent dialogue between the people team and leadership to drive positive change.
• Employee Relations: Maintain positive colleague relations by encouraging a culture of high engagement and fostering continuous improvement.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I): Champion initiatives across DE&I, culture, wellbeing, transformation, and talent development. Partner with business leaders to secure the long-term success of these initiatives.
• Training and Development: Identify the development needs of colleagues and collaborate with senior people business partners and people centres of excellence to organise relevant programs for talent and development management.

• Business Acumen: Understand the impact of the latest economic and financial news on the organisation, and use this knowledge to inform people strategies and decisions.
• Change Management: Expertise in managing organisational change and transformation projects.
• Listening: Be present and attentively listen to others. Effectively read the room and provide direction based on a thorough understanding of the situation.
• Questioning: Use insightful questions to broaden or narrow discussions, creating a deeper understanding of problems and furthering business issues.
• Conflict Resolution: Strong conflict resolution skills to mediate disputes and foster a collaborative environment.
• Global Mind-set: Facilitate work across globally diverse, virtual teams, ensuring effective collaboration and communication.
• Organisation Development: Consider both culture and capabilities when thinking about organisational development, ensuring alignment with business goals.
• Technical Proficiency: Experience working with HRIS systems and familiarity with Google suite and Slack.

• Experience in a people business partner role, preferably within a commercial setting.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively influence and guide senior stakeholders.
• Experience with people analytics and the ability to use data to drive decision-making.
• Proven ingenuity and creativity, with a track record of implementing impactful people solutions.
• Competence in managing multiple projects and adapting to shifting priorities.
• Proactive mind-set with a willingness to embrace new challenges and assignments.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working with sales and marketing organisations.