Talent & Development Partner

At Hearst UK, there’s always more to the story. Join us as our Talent & Development Partner to start the next chapter in your career. This is one of two roles within the People function for Hearst UK responsible for supporting both the recruitment and development needs of assigned business areas. Reporting to the Head of Business Partnering for the assigned area, you will collaborate closely with our senior leaders to pipeline and attract top talent while also building pathways for the continuous professional growth and development of our people. This role is key to ensuring that our commercial and editorial teams are equipped with the right skills and capabilities to stay ahead in a fast-paced and evolving industry.

We’re the UK’s leading premium publisher, and the people behind iconic media brands such as Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Country Living. We’ve created a working environment that encourages everyone to pull together. We never stop looking for brave new ideas. We’ll always try to develop and improve, we trust each other to do our best, and we have fun as we build on our heritage to make history.

ABOUT THE ROLE 
Talent Acquisition:

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• Lead end-to-end recruitment efforts for commercial or editorial roles, from identifying hiring needs to sourcing, interviewing, negotiating offers, onboarding and inducting top-tier talent.
  
• Develop and implement innovative, tailored recruitment strategies to attract and ensure a continuous flow of diverse and high-quality candidates across your assigned functions.
  
• Build strong relationships with hiring managers, providing expert guidance and support on recruitment best practices, candidate selection and market trends.
  
• Promote diversity and inclusion in all recruitment processes, ensuring equal opportunity and representation in the candidate pipeline.
  

Employer Branding and Candidate Experience:

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• Enhance the employer brand by showcasing Hearst as an employer of choice within the media industry and with our partners.
  
• Create a positive and seamless candidate experience, from the initial interaction to the final stages of onboarding.
  
• Together with the Head Of & Legal team, oversee and conduct an annual review of the Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for learning and recruitment partners, ensuring that the most advantageous terms are secured.
  
• Partner with the marketing and communications teams to promote our brand through digital platforms, industry events, and other channels.
  
• Together with your peer, manage our Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Orc, in collaboration with the US Talent Acquisition and Technology teams, focusing on system upgrades and user training.
  

Talent Development and Learning:

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• Collaborate with the Head of Business Partnering to identify development needs in line with functional people plans and design tailored learning programs for commercial and editorial staff to deliver these plans.
  
• Develop and implement career pathways and internal mobility initiatives, providing opportunities for employees to grow within the company.
  
• Drive a culture of continuous learning by facilitating development workshops, bespoke coaching sessions, and dynamic mentorship programs that sharpen talent’s skills, accelerate career progression, and align with business objectives.
  
• Build strategic relationships with leading external Learning & Development providers, ensuring cutting-edge resources and programs are integrated to address critical skill gaps and future-proof the workforce.
  
• Ensure the intranet's Learn Well Page is regularly reviewed, updated, and optimized to provide employees with the most relevant and up-to-date learning resources, fostering a culture of continuous development.
  
• Be the first point of contact for all recruitment and learning & development needs for your business area, including managing the recruitment inbox.
  

Performance and Succession Planning:

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• Working closely with People Partners, influence performance management frameworks that align with business goals and foster continuous development.
  
• Assist People Partners in succession planning by identifying high-potential talent and creating development plans to prepare them for future leadership roles within the editorial teams.
  

Data-Driven Recruitment and Development:

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• Use data analytics from our ATS to track recruitment metrics, including time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and candidate quality, providing insights to improve recruitment strategies.
  
• Leverage Google Analytics to review monthly vacancy statistics, adjusting strategies to improve engagement and click-through rates on our careers site.
  
• Measure the effectiveness of learning and development programs by tracking key performance indicators such as employee engagement, retention, and skill improvement.
  
• Participate in relevant networking events and webinars to stay current with industry trends in Talent Acquisition and Learning & Development, applying insights to drive improvements.
  

Stakeholder Management:

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• Build strong partnerships with the People Partner and leadership team to align talent acquisition and development strategies with the needs of the business.
  
• Act as a trusted advisor to hiring managers, ensuring recruitment and development efforts are aligned with both short-term and long-term editorial goals.
  
• Initiate and cultivate strong partnerships with leading providers in Learning & Development, as well as sourcing partners, including job boards and recruitment agencies, to enhance strategies.
  

ABOUT YOU

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• Proven experience in talent acquisition or and/talent development roles, ideally within a media, creative, or content-driven organization.
  
• Some experience in designing and delivering learning and development programs.
  
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels.
  
• A strong commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the talent lifecycle.
  
• Data-driven mindset with experience using recruitment and People analytics to inform strategies.
  

WHAT WE OFFER

At Hearst UK, you can choose from a huge range of perks and benefits that can help you learn well, work well and live well including:

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• 25 days’ holiday (with the option to buy up to 5 additional holiday days) - pro rated for part-time or fixed-term employees
  
• Hybrid working 
  
• Discounted gym membership
  
• Healthcare cash plan
  
• Spend a charity day with your favourite good cause
  
• Life assurance and pension scheme
  
• Regular socials and more
  

There’s more to your story than you imagine. And the next chapter begins right here. 

Hearst UK is deeply committed to using our influential brands to reflect the world we want to live in – one that respects, protects, represents and uplifts the voices and opinions of all people. As a business, we recognise the significant benefits of creativity, collaboration and innovation that comes with diverse teams. Not only is diversifying the voices in our organization the right thing to do, but it also helps us to make powerful and exciting content that can be enjoyed by many more people. This is why we’re working to build a sense of true belonging within our business and foster a culture in which everyone feels heard.