Senior People Partner

**At AQA, we're committed to advancing education and we're committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over seven million GCSEs and A-levels each year and it's our people who make this happen.**

**Senior People Partner**

**Permanent, full time**

**Manchester, Milton Keynes or Guildford - With one day a week in Manchester**

**North: £52,823 - £60,426**

**South: £55,860 - £63,465**

Do you want to add real strategic insight in a complex educational setting which has a tangible sense of purpose?

Are you a commercially astute, creative and empowering People Partner who is looking for their next challenge? Leading the business through change and diversification at pace whilst stepping up and embracing accountability.

Do you consider yourself your Senior leaderships teams critical friend?

With positive movement in our team recently: internal promotions, team members increasing their hours and reviewing business area allocations there is now space for you.

Do you want Christmas off without touching your annual leave entitlement and the opportunity to have up to 18.5% of your salary going into your pension (7% from you and a generous 11.5% from AQA)? Private medical insurance and a healthcare cash plan are also part of the package.

With a move into hybrid working you will enjoy on average three days working from home with two in the office alongside three other Senior People Partners and three People Partners receiving support from People Advisors, a small ER team, People Services and from within Recruitment and Talent and Learning & Development teams.

**You'll come to us with**
- Strategic people partnering skills gained through partnering in an organisation facing change.
- An effective influencing and coaching style to achieve stakeholder buy-in to business strategy.
- Experience and drive to work with ambiguity and the ability to stay resilient, focusing on objectives in a challenging and maturing business environment.

**Key to your role**
- Driving a culture of empowerment and accountability with senior business leaders, providing challenge and guidance.
- You'll work alongside the People Group Leadership Team and other senior colleagues up to and including executive level, defining and delivering an integrated People Strategy.
- You'll enjoy the accountability and autonomy that comes from ownership and delivery of key milestones and initiatives whilst building strong partnerships and building your internal network.
- Modelling best practice leadership behaviors with confidence whilst mentoring the People Partners and People Advisors.
- Outcome focused with the experience and drive to work with ambiguity and the ability to stay resilient in focusing on objectives in a challenging and maturing business environment.

This role is unlikely to suit someone looking for a step up, however, if you think that's you and you are ready for the challenge then tell us why.

The majority of our People Partnering team are based in Manchester so if this role is undertaken by someone based from our another office then one day a week will be spent in Manchester. We also have offices in Milton Keynes, London, Guildford and Harrogate so you will be familiar and comfortable with multi-site working and be happy to travel on occasion to provide this.

Are you looking for flexible working or part time working? We are happy to discuss options.

**What next?**

Please upload your CV and covering letter via our AQA job portal.

**The interview process will comprise of two interview stages: the first via MS Teams and the second face-to-face with a final discussion with key business stakeholders.**

AQA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and post holders to share this commitment. Our Safeguarding Policy is available on our website.

**Recruitment Agencies**

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.

**Full Job Description**

**Summary**
To partner with senior business leaders to design, develop and deliver an integrated, comprehensive, solution-focused People Plan that enables effective delivery of the Business Plan. Working as part of the HR Leadership Team to ensure the organisational People plan is defined, embedded and delivers cost-effective solutions which bring strategic value to overall business performance.Key result areas

Customer (external or internal)

Working with the People Leadership Team and other senior colleagues, define and deliver an integrated People Strategy that drives performance improvement and successfully enables the achievement of business objectives.
By forging strong partnerships with the People Group's internal customers (the relevant business areas), the SHRBP will gain an in-depth understanding of business opportunities and requirements to ensure that People Group initiatives enhance organisational, management and employee performance and remain relevant in light of the changing internal and external business landscape.
Working alongside the business area Senior Leadership Team, translate the People Strategy into a Divisional People Plan for the assigned business area(s) that aligns with the annual cycle of performance management, resource planning, budgeting and reporting.
Acting as the interface between People Group and the business, define and take ownership of monitoring key performance indicators and milestones to ensure delivery of timely, value added solutions that align with AQA's People Strategy.
Play a proactive part in delivery of People Group projects, taking individual responsibility for the delivery of assigned initiatives or projects; evaluating the benefits of change strategies and linking outputs to commercial value.
To model leadership behaviours with confidence and to get the very best from team colleagues by providing clarity, feedback, coaching and development, while continuously seeking to enhance performance in line with business objectives

Finance
Adhere to AQA travel policy when travelling to AQA sites, and when staying overnight, as required to fulfil the remit of the SHRBP role; using time and technology efficiently to avoid unnecessary travel and cost.
Develop and maintain a deep understanding of key business data and people analytics in order to provide critical business insight, challenge and advice to both the business area and People Group teams; using the data and MI to influence and drive continuous improvement across the People strategy, policy, services and processes.
Build and manage beneficial relationships with internal and external partners and suppliers to ensure costs are minimised and controlled.

Internal processes

Provide business partnering support to senior business managers and People Services team colleagues on Associate and employee related issues to ensure contractual and internal policy matters remain in line with current legislation and deliver a best practice approach to support AQA as an employer of choice.

People and culture
Coach and drive a culture of empowerment and accountability within senior business leaders to effect strategic change in line with corporate values and behaviours.
Build strong business relationships with recognised consultative bodies to deliver a culture of mutually supportive employee relations.
During strategic transformational change, use core HR expertise and project management skills to oversee change initiatives and facilitate a project based approach to delivery.

Complexity/decision making:
Required to analyse complex situations and issues in order to challenge established ways of doing things, design and develop new interventions and initiatives to meet business needs and find optimal solutions which minimise risk for the organisation.
Provides thought leadership and strategic input to the HR, OD, People Services and business area teams to shape People Strategy and Plans to ensure continuous improvement and optimal business delivery.
Using experience and sound commercial judgement to arbitrate and facilitate outcomes on complex people issues.

Key relationships:
Corporate and Management Board members
Senior business leaders
People Leadership Team
People Services Manager
Associates
Organisational Development Consultants
Resourcing and Talent Team
Consultative body leads

Key external relationships:
External service providers, eg Occupational Health, Outsourcing and Employee Benefit providers
Regional Consultative Officials
AQA's solicitors/or other legal advisers

Person profile

Knowledge

A/I/P - Substantial knowledge and experience in HR covering a breadth of activities and best in class HR practices and policies

Qualification

A - Graduate level or corresponding experience
A - CIPD or relevant business/professional qualification

**Skills**:
I/P - Demonstrable theoretical and conceptual skills
A/I/P - Previously influenced senior managers, build strong commercial relationships and driven an HR strategy
A/I - Demonstrable change management, coaching and consulting skills
I/P - Demonstrates maturity and professionalism with a proven ability to navigate across functional disciplines and operate in matrixed business environment
I/P - Can quickly establish credibility and respect and build strong working relationships
A/I/P - Demonstrable team player, willing to support other People Services BPs, wider leadership team and other teams across People Services experienced people manager, able to lead and motivate large teams
I/P - Demonstrated commitment to learning through continuous educational development

Leadership skills

I/P - Set challenging targets and support staff to achieve them
I/P - Manage performance of staff effectively
I/P - Work flexibly and adapt management style to get the best performance from staff

Experience

A/I - Whilst deep functional experience in any specific areas of HR is not a pre-requisite, the incumbent should have a strong background in either a generalist role or consulting or implementing
A/I - Managed a major change improvement programme or able to lead a change-oriented effort
A/I - Demonstrable leadership success in a dynamic environment

AQA's Behaviour Framework which is assessed through the selection/probation process

Assessment key (criteria to be assessed at the selection stage)

I - interview
T - test (or work sample)
P - probation