Human Resources Business Partner

Hermès International; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading luxury brand is seeking an HR Business Partner to support its new flagship store in London. The ideal candidate will blend excellence in UK employment law with strong people skills to foster a high-performing workplace. You will partner with the HR Director and lead on employee relations, talent management, and culture initiatives. This is a full-time, 24-month fixed-term position offering a competitive salary of £56,753 and the chance to be part of an iconic brand's presence in the UK.

Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practices.
• Experience managing a team of junior HR coordinators.
• Demonstrated ability to support a large-scale retail operation.

Responsibilities

• Champion the company culture and values.
• Support HR projects to enhance processes and employee experience.
• Be the HR lead for complex employee relations cases.

Skills

UK employment law

Complex HR case management

Emotional intelligence

Leadership presence

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Proven HRBP or Senior HR Generalist experience

Experience in luxury retail or hospitality

Tools

HR systems and analytics (e.g., Oracle)

Job description

As part of an exciting new chapter in our global expansion, we are seeking a highly capable and people‑centric HR Business Partner (HRBP) to join our HR leadership team. This role will be pivotal in supporting the opening and ongoing success of our new global Maison on New Bond Street, representing one of the most prestigious luxury brands in the world. You will act as trusted partner to the HR Director as well as the Maison leadership team, providing expert HR guidance and strategic support across all areas of people management. The ideal candidate will combine technical excellence in UK employment law and complex HR case management with a strong, engaging personality, demonstrating emotional intelligence, leadership presence, and the ability to build credibility at all levels of the business. This role will be split, dependent on business need, between our wider People Team in our Mayfair Head Office and our new Maison in New Bond Street – both within a 5‑minute walk of each other.

Leadership & Culture

• Champion the company culture, ensuring that brand values and behaviours are embedded at every level.
• In partnership with the Training and Culture Manager, coach and develop managers to strengthen leadership capability, communication, and team engagement.
• Support initiatives that drive a high‑performing, inclusive, and well‑being‑focused workplace.

Strategic Partnership

• Play a pivotal role in shaping our people culture and supporting our ambitious growth journey.
• Works alongside the HR Director to partner with the Maison Store Director and Senior Maison Leadership Team to shape and deliver a people strategy that supports business growth, service excellence, and brand culture.
• Act as a key HR contact for the flagship store, supporting a workforce of 200+ employees across retail, operations, client experience and management teams.
• Lead workforce planning, succession planning, and talent pipeline development to sustain growth and ensure operational readiness for launch and beyond.

Employee Relations & Employment Law

• Be the HR lead for complex employee relations cases, ensuring compliance with UK employment law, internal policies, and ethical business practices.
• Advise and coach managers on disciplinary, grievance, performance, and capability matters, ensuring fairness, consistency, and legal compliance.
• Manage sensitive investigations and case reviews with professionalism, discretion, and empathy.

Operational Excellence

• Collaborate with the wider HR Team and Payroll to ensure seamless employee lifecycle management (onboarding, contracts, compensation, leavers, etc.).
• Analyse HR metrics (attrition, absence, performance trends) and provide insights and recommendations to business leaders.
• Support HR projects and global initiatives to enhance systems, processes, and employee experience.

Important Note

Job holder must have a valid visa allowing full‑time work for the entire duration of employment, in line with UK immigration rules.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven HRBP or Senior HR Generalist experience within luxury retail, hospitality, or premium consumer brands.
• Experience managing a team of junior HR coordinators/Advisors.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law, HR best practices, and handling complex ER cases.
• Demonstrated experience supporting a large‑scale retail operation (200+ employees).
• Exceptional communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to operate both hands‑on and at a senior advisory level.
• Strong people leader with a coaching mindset and emotional intelligence.
• High level of professionalism, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity.

Desirable

• Experience supporting new store openings.
• Exposure to HR systems and analytics (e.g., Oracle).

Personal Attributes

• Charismatic and confident, with natural gravitas and warmth.
• Commercially astute and solutions orientated.
• Calm under pressure, adaptable, and resilient in a fast‑paced environment.
• A true ambassador of brand values – demonstrating excellence, respect, and integrity.
• Passionate about service excellence.

Remuneration & Contract

£56,753 per year – estimated?

Full‑time, 24‑month fixed‑term contract.

About the Role

We are recruiting for a Human Resources Business Partner to join Hermès GB on a 24‑month fixed‑term contract. Introducing our London Maison – be part of something iconic. Hermès GB is opening a brand‑new Maison store at 166 New Bond Street, London. This flagship location represents everything we stand for; it is a bold step forward, an iconic space that will set new standards in experience, innovation, and excellence.

In the words of Pierre‑Alexis Dumas, Artistic Director – Creation & Image: "A store we call a Maison Hermès is a store that is on such a scale, in its architecture and surface area, that it perfectly embodies the spirit of the Hermès home, as it originally was. So, a Maison Hermès is an embassy, it’s a whole world, within which you can discover the culture of Hermès, beyond its products. It is much more than a store."

We are looking for a team of individuals who will all play a part collectively in crafting a culture, which emulates all that is unique to Hermès, to London and to the Maison. You will contribute to the Maison by bringing ambition, kindness, tenacity and a strong team spirit. You will be open‑minded, forward‑thinking, service‑oriented, and show humility and respect for others.