People Partner - Stores

WHSmith Careers; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working from home and office

4pm Friday finish

Flexible working

25 days holiday + birthday off + bank/

Family friendly leave

Company pension

Annual bonus

Car allowance

Private medical

Cycle to work

Staff discount card

Job summary

WHSmith Careers is seeking an experienced People Partner to support stores across the South of the UK. This true field-based role will be based to Swindon or Aldgate, with travel across the South.

You will enable leaders to drive high performance, engagement and values-led behaviours throughout their teams. You will partner with field leaders to deliver people plans aligned with commercial objectives, coach on performance and capability, and lead complex employee relations with fairness and

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a People Partner/HR Business Partner in multi-site or fast-paced retail/FMCG/Hospitality environments.

Responsibilities

• Partner with field leadership to deliver people plans aligned to commercial objectives.
• Coach leaders on performance, engagement, capability and behaviour.
• Lead complex employee relations cases ensuring fair, legal outcomes.
• Support organisational change, restructures and consultations with clarity.
• Use data and insight to identify trends, risks and opportunities regionally.
• Drive talent, succession and development planning for future leadership.

Skills

People partner experience

Employee relations

UK employment law

Leadership coaching

Autonomous field-based work

Travel readiness

Data-driven decisions

Job description

This role requires occasional travel visiting our store locations.

Office locations are based in either Swindon or Aldgate.

At WHSmith our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers. The ones that enable our growth. That’s why our People team is passionate about creating an environment where people can be creative and trailblazing in order to do their best work.

We’re looking for an experienced People Partner to work closely with our Retail Field Leadership Team, supporting stores across the South of the UK. This is a true field‑based role, designed for someone who thrives in fast‑paced retail environments and enjoys being visible, influential and hands‑on.

You’ll play a key role in delivering our people strategy, enabling leaders to drive high performance, strong engagement and consistent, values‑led behaviours across their teams.

What you will be doing:

• Partnering with the field leadership team to deliver people plans aligned to commercial objectives
• Coaching and challenging leaders on performance, engagement, capability and behaviour
• Leading on complex employee relations cases, ensuring fair, consistent and legally sound outcomes
• Supporting organisational change, restructures and consultations with confidence and clarity
• Using data and insight to identify trends, risks and opportunities across the region
• Driving talent, succession and development planning to build future‑ready leadership capability
• Embedding people policies, ways of working and cultural expectations across stores

What we are looking for:

• Proven experience in a People Partner / HR Business Partner role within a multi‑site or retail / FMCG / Hospitality / Leisure environment, that is fast paced
• Strong knowledge of employee relations and UK employment legislation
• Confidence partnering with senior retail leaders and influencing at pace, demonstrating the right level of challenge
• Commercially minded, pragmatic and solutions‑focused
• Comfortable working autonomously in a field‑based role with regular travel
• Ability to manage ambiguity and adapt to changing priorities
• Curious with a passion for data to drive decision making

How we reward our teams:

• Hybrid Working Model from home and in the office
• 4pm Friday Finish
• Flexible Working
• 25 Days holiday, plus your Birthday off, plus Bank Holidays with an opportunity to buy extra days holiday
• Family Friendly Leave
• Company Pension scheme
• Annual Bonus based on company and personal performance
• Competitive Salary and Car Allowance
• Private Medical
• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Staff Discount Card for railway stores (subject to policy)

About us:

Celebrating over 230 years, we’re proud to have grown into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries – the air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey. As a diverse group of over 6,000 colleagues, we’re all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people and the communities we serve.

Our business operates from two key locations, In a vibrant area of London, close to Aldgate and Liverpool Street Station, while the other is located at Swindon's International Business Park, just off the M4 with excellent transport links and over 100 on‑site parking spaces.

For WHSmith Europe, our mission is simple – to create value for our stakeholders by providing a platform for global brands across airports, hospitals, rail stations and other markets. Our operational environment is fast‑paced and highly regulated, requiring exceptional standards of maintenance, compliance, health & safety and colleague welfare across every location.

We’re all about creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can be themselves and do their best. No matter your background, age, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation or anything else that makes you, you‑you’re welcome here.

We’re also open to flexible working where possible, so if that’s something you need, let’s chat. And if you need any adjustments during the selection process, just let our Talent Acquisition team know—we’re happy to help!