People Manager (Faculty) - Fixed Term

Cambridge Judge Entrepreneurship Centre; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Defined benefits pension

Flexible working options

Family-friendly initiatives

Career development opportunities

Health & wellbeing support

Shopping discounts

Bicycle schemes

Job summary

Cambridge Judge Business School is seeking an experienced People Manager (Faculty) to act as a strategic HR partner for around 80 academic colleagues. You will support recruitment, development, reward and governance, guiding faculty across the full employee lifecycle with evidence-based advice and strong stakeholder engagement.

Based in Cambridge with hybrid working options, you will collaborate with senior academic leaders to shape workforce planning, manage complex employee relations and drive

Qualifications

• Significant experience as HR Business Partner, HR Manager or equivalent.
• Proven track record of partnering with senior leaders and influencing decision-making.
• Expertise across the full employee lifecycle: recruitment, talent management, reward and ER.
• Experience handling complex and sensitive employment matters with professionalism.
• Strong organisational development and change management capability.
• Excellent analytical skills with ability to translate data into insights.
• Outstanding communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• Degree-level qualification (or equivalent) and CIPD membership or equivalent.
• Experience within higher education or similar complex environments advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior academic leaders on workforce planning and people strategy.
• Lead academic recruitment campaigns from planning to appointment.
• Support onboarding, development, probation and career progression of faculty.
• Advise on performance, probation, promotion and remuneration processes.
• Manage complex and sensitive employee relations matters.
• Guide academic leave, visiting appointments and governance processes.
• Drive organisational development and change initiatives with data-driven decisions.
• Oversee colleagues supporting academic people processes and contribute to the wider HR team.

Skills

HR Business Partner

Senior leadership partnering

Employee lifecycle management

Recruitment campaigns

Talent management

Reward & ER

Employee relations

Organisational development

Data analytics

Communication skills

Influencing

CIPD member

Higher education experience

Education

Degree-level qualification or equivalent experience

CIPD membership or equivalent professional expertise

Job description

Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS) is one of the world's leading business schools, renowned for its excellence in research, teaching and global impact. We are seeking an experienced and dynamic People Manager (Faculty) to play a pivotal role in supporting and developing our academic community.

Working closely with key stakeholders, you will be the dedicated HR partner for approximately 80 faculty members currently) and a key contributor to the School's strategic ambitions.

This is far more than a traditional HR role. You will be a trusted adviser, strategic thinker and relationship builder, helping to attract, develop, reward and retain outstanding academic talent in an increasingly competitive global market.

About The Role

As People Manager (Faculty), you will be a dedicated partner for academic staff, providing expert, tailored HR support across the full employee lifecycle, including:

• Partnering with senior academic leaders on workforce planning, organisational development and people strategy.
• Leading academic recruitment campaigns, from workforce planning through to appointment.
• Supporting the onboarding, development, probation and career progression of faculty members.
• Advising on performance, probation, promotion, reward and remuneration processes.
• Managing complex and sensitive employee relations matters.
• Providing guidance on academic leave, visiting appointments and governance processes.
• Driving organisational development and change initiatives that support academic excellence.
• Using data, insights and evidence-based recommendations to inform strategic decision-making.

You will also oversee colleagues supporting academic people processes and contribute to supporting the wider HR team.

About You

We're looking for a highly credible HR professional who combines strategic insight with practical delivery.

You Will Bring

• Significant experience in a HR Business Partner, HR Manager or equivalent role.
• A proven track record of partnering with senior leaders and influencing decision-making.
• Expertise across the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, talent management, reward and employee relations.
• Experience handling complex and sensitive employment matters with confidence and professionalism.
• Strong organisational development and change management capability.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Outstanding communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• A degree-level qualification (or equivalent experience) and CIPD membership, qualification or equivalent professional expertise.
• Experience within higher education, research-intensive organisations or similarly complex environments would be advantageous.
• Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.

Why work for Cambridge Judge Business School?

We are the business school of the University of Cambridge, advancing knowledge and leadership through people who leave a mark on the world. Cambridge Judge Business School leverages the power of academia for real world impact to transform individuals, organisations and society. Since 1990, we have forged a reputation as a centre of rigorous thinking and high-impact transformative education, situated within one of the world's most prestigious research universities, and in the heart of the Cambridge Cluster, the most successful technology entrepreneurship cluster in Europe.

Benefits Of Working For Cambridge Judge Business School

• Generous holiday allowance
• Defined benefits pension schemes
• Flexible working options
• Family-friendly initiatives
• Career development opportunities
• Support for health and mental wellbeing
• Discounts on shopping
• Tax-efficient bicycle and charity-giving schemes

More information is available on our website - Staff benefits - Jobs at Cambridge Judge Business School - Cambridge Judge Business School

Application Process

• Closing Date: 4th October 2026
• Interview Dates: w/c 12th October 2026
• If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact: [e-mail]

Additional Information

The University is supportive of hybrid working, where some work is undertaken on University premises and some in a remote working environment. The aim of our approach is to enable as many staff as possible to work in a hybrid way if they wish and where their role allows ¿ we expect most colleagues to spend at least 50% of their time at their dedicated office location. This arrangement is subject to change and will not form a part of the contractual terms of the role.

Please quote reference NS51062 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.