People Partner (1FTE)

Royal College of Art; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Royal College of Art is seeking an experienced People Partner to join our People & Culture team in a hybrid London role. The position supports senior leaders, shapes a high-performing culture, and provides strategic people advice aligned with institutional priorities.

You will lead workforce planning, organisational design, and act as a trusted adviser to Deans, Directors and senior managers, driving engagement and leadership development across RCA.”

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in HR business partnering, organisational development or a strategic HR role.
• Knowledge of change management methodologies and UK employment law changes.
• Experience in higher education would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead workforce planning across Schools and Directorates.
• Support organisational design and transformation.
• Use workforce data and insights to inform decision-making.

Skills

HR business partnering

Organisational development

Strategic HR

Stakeholder management

Coaching leaders

Education

CIPD Level 7 qualification

Job description

Kensington, London, United Kingdom/Hybrid

The Royal College of Art is looking for an experienced and forward-thinking People Partner to join our People & Culture team and play a key role in supporting the delivery of the College’s strategic objectives.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional to work in partnership with senior leaders across our Schools and Directorates, providing strategic people advice and helping shape a positive, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture.

As a trusted adviser to Deans, Directors and senior managers, you will lead workforce planning, support organisational design and transformation, and use workforce data and insights to inform decision-making. You will play an important role in helping the College anticipate future workforce needs, build leadership capability and develop effective people solutions aligned with our institutional priorities.

You will also support organisational change and consultation processes, facilitate talent and succession planning, coach and develop managers, and contribute to initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and embed the RCA’s values into everyday practice. Working collaboratively across People & Culture, you will help deliver a proactive, joined-up approach to supporting our people and the wider organisation.

We are looking for someone with substantial experience in HR business partnering, organisational development or a strategic HR role, with demonstrable expertise in workforce planning, organisational design, organisational change and the use of workforce analytics. You will have excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, the ability to build trusted relationships at all levels, and experience of coaching and supporting leaders through complex people challenges.

CIPD Level 7 qualification or equivalent experience is essential, alongside knowledge of change management methodologies and upcoming UK employment law changes under the Employment Rights Act. Experience in higher education, workforce budgeting, facilitation, mediation or coaching would be advantageous.

The Royal College of Art (RCA) aims to foster an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students and stakeholders are respected.

We recognise the broad range of experiences that a diverse staff and student body brings and how this strengthens our research and enhances our teaching. In order for RCA to remain a world-leading institution we are committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles throughout all of our processes, from application through to appointment.

Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU

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