HR Business Partner - Initiatives & Programmes

Pearson; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global educational company is seeking an HR Business Partner for Strategic Projects. This role involves supporting HRBPs, delivering key initiatives, and enhancing employee experience through effective programs. The ideal candidate will have extensive HR generalist expertise and strong program management skills. This position offers a hybrid work environment with opportunities for meaningful contributions to the organization.

Benefits

High-impact role in enterprise transformation

Dynamic HR team with learning opportunities

Exposure to AI-driven innovations

Qualifications

• Sound knowledge of UK employment law and HR operations.
• Experience delivering cross-functional HR initiatives.
• Ability to influence stakeholders through credibility.

Responsibilities

• Support HRBPs in delivering HR practices aligned to strategy.
• Lead cross-functional HR projects from design to implementation.
• Build robust relationships across HR and business functions.

Skills

Programme Management

HR Generalist Expertise

Collaboration

Agility

Data-Driven

Commitment to Excellence

Job description

Job Title: HR Business Partner - Strategic Projects

Location: United Kingdom - Hybrid to Manchester, Belfast or London offices. Remote considered with some travel.

Employment Type: Full-time

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced HR professional to join our team in a hybrid generalist and project delivery role. You'll play a key role in supporting our HR Business Partners (HRBPs) across multiple business areas-shaping, coordinating and delivering people initiatives that enhance business performance, drive engagement, and enable change.

Reporting to the Senior Director, HRBP, you'll act as a trusted HR partner while also ensuring the effective execution of HR programmes and change initiatives. This is an ideal role for an experienced HR generalist who enjoys working across the full employee lifecycle while also contributing to wider HR transformation efforts.

Key Responsibilities

HR Business Partnering & Operational Support

• Provide hands-on HR generalist support across key areas including employee relations, performance, engagement, and organisational design.
• Work alongside HRBPs to support business leaders in delivering consistent, high-impact HR practices aligned to strategy.
• Support cyclical HR activities such as talent reviews, workforce planning, engagement actions, and policy updates.
• Assist in delivering change programmes including restructures, culture change, and leadership transitions.

HR Project & Initiative Delivery

• Lead or coordinate the delivery of key people initiatives and cross-functional HR projects, from design through to implementation.
• Support enterprise-level transformation efforts, including AI-readiness, new ways of working, and organisational agility.
• Collaborate with Centres of Expertise (e.g. Talent, DE&I, Learning) to ensure HR initiatives are effectively tailored and delivered across the business.
• Monitor progress and impact of key projects, using HR metrics and stakeholder feedback to inform continuous improvement.

Strategic Contribution & Collaboration

• Act as a strategic delivery partner to HRBPs, helping translate people strategies into action.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR frameworks, tools and resources that enhance consistency, scalability, and employee experience.
• Build strong relationships across HR and business functions to ensure alignment, influence outcomes, and champion best practice.
• Contribute to the upskilling of line managers and HR colleagues by supporting toolkit development and capability building.

What We're Looking For

• Strong Programme Management: Experience delivering cross-functional HR initiatives with multiple stakeholders.
• HR Generalist Expertise: Sound knowledge of UK employment law, HR operations, and employee lifecycle practices.
• Collaboration & Influence: Able to work effectively with HRBPs and stakeholders, influencing through credibility and delivery.
• Agility & Drive: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Data-Driven & Insightful: Skilled in using people metrics and associated feedback to guide decisions and improve outcomes.
• Commitment to Excellence: Quality-driven and passionate about improving employee experience through meaningful HR work.

Why Join Us?

• A high-impact role supporting enterprise-level transformation and culture initiatives.
• A dynamic HR team that values cross-collaboration, learning, and development.
• The opportunity to build programme leadership skills while contributing to meaningful, people-centred change.
• Exposure to innovative work, including AI-driven change and workforce modernisation.

Who we are:

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing [e-mail].

Job: Finance

Job Family: ENTERPRISE

Organization: Corporate Human Resources

Schedule: FULL\_TIME

Workplace Type:

Req ID: 20423

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