Senior Human Resources Business Partner

G0549 Politico LLC; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

POLITICO is seeking a seasoned Senior HR Business Partner to act as a strategic advisor and hands-on operator for our fast-paced newsroom. This senior HR leader will partner with editorial leadership, balancing strategic initiatives with day-to-day HR execution, while maintaining compliance and high performance.

The role requires 8+ years of HRBP experience, a Bachelor’s degree (HR certification preferred), and a track record of influencing senior leaders in a dynamic, deadline-driven

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; 8+ years progressive HRBP experience.
• Strong knowledge of talent management, workforce planning, org design.
• Experience in media/editorial environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic HR advisory to senior newsroom leaders on organizational design, workforce planning, performance management and employee relations.
• Lead workforce planning, headcount requests and backfill processes.
• Oversee performance cycles, career pathways, succession planning and retention strategies.
• Ensure onboarding and HR operations run smoothly while managing role changes and employee changes with minimal disruption.
• Collaborate with HR centers of excellence to deliver timely, high-quality HR support.

Skills

HRBP

Strategic advisory

Operational execution

Influencing seniors

Workforce planning

Employee relations

Talent management

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

HR certification

Job description

Job Description: POLITICO is seeking a seasoned Senior HR Business Partner to serve as a strategic advisor and hands‑on operator to our high‑performing, fast‑paced newsroom. This is a highly visible, senior‑level role for an HR leader who thrives in dynamic environments and brings equal strength in strategic partnership and hands‑on execution. The ideal candidate is a trusted thought partner to editorial leadership, someone who can anticipate business needs and translate priorities to drive actionable talent solutions. There is a strong requirement for the ability to expertly manage the operational HR fundamentals that enable our newsroom to function at its best.

Who You Are:

• Deeply embedded in the newsroom: You understand how editorial teams operate and tailor practical HR solutions accordingly.
• A problem‑solver with excellent judgment: You are able to navigate complexity, ambiguity and sensitive situations.
• A strong operator: You can seamlessly balance strategic initiatives with day‑to‑day HR execution.
• Agile and adaptive: You navigate change with ease while maintaining focus on outcomes as priorities evolve.
• A credible, calm and pragmatic HR leader: You are resilient in high‑pressure, high‑visibility and deadline‑driven environments.
• Influencing without authority: You are collaborative with the ability to influence senior leaders and partner effectively across HR functions.
• Detail‑oriented and organized: You have a rigorous approach with follow‑through and execution.
• Ownership oriented: You have a strong sense of accountability.

What You’ll Do:

• Strategic Partnership and Advisory Serve as a trusted HR advisor to senior newsroom leaders on organizational design, workforce planning, performance management and employee relations. Provide pragmatic, solutions‑oriented HR guidance focused on speed, clarity and risk awareness. Navigate complex, high‑visibility people situations with discretion, judgment and confidence.
• Talent and Workforce Management Partner with business leaders, Talent Acquisition and Finance to develop and justify new headcount and backfill requests, ensuring alignment with budget, workforce plans and long‑term talent strategy. Lead and support newsroom talent management initiatives, including performance cycles, performance management, disciplinary procedures, career pathways, succession planning, development planning and retention strategies. Ensure HR policies, practices and decisions are applied consistently, fairly and in compliance with employment laws and company standards
• Collaborate with Total Rewards on job leveling, compensation planning and pay decisions to ensure competitiveness and internal consistency. Leverage talent data, manager insight and editorial priorities to inform proactive workforce decisions and future talent needs, including pipelining and succession, in partnership with Talent Acquisition.
• Operational Excellence Deliver a high‑touch onboarding and integration experience, supporting engagement, retention and early productivity. Ensure people‑related processes are efficient. This includes managing and processing all employee changes related to role changes, reporting lines, promotions, transfers and exits with minimal disruption to newsroom operations. Manage and document employee relations matters with sound judgment, discretion and a solutions‑oriented approach. Identify gaps, inefficiencies or friction points in people processes and implement practical, scalable solutions aligned to newsroom needs. Ensure smooth cascading of people‑related communications to leaders across the various teams and be the central point of contact to field queries and concerns. Use people analytics to identify attrition and engagement trends and translate insights into actionable talent plans for newsroom leaders.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration Partner across HR Centers of Excellence including Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards and HR Operations, to deliver cohesive, high‑quality and timely HR support to the business.
• Collaborate closely with Business Leaders, Chiefs of Staff and Finance to provide best‑in‑class HR partnership that is deeply embedded in the business, aligned to both near‑term priorities and long‑term strategic objectives. Drive alignment across various stakeholders to anticipate workforce needs, inform decision‑making and proactively address risks, trade‑offs and opportunities. Serve as a pragmatic problem‑solver when HR and Legal perspectives diverge, aligning stakeholders on solutions that balance risk, compliance and business needs.

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree required; HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM‑CP/SCP) a plus. 8+ years of progressive HR Business Partner experience supporting complex, fast‑paced organizations; media or newsroom experience strongly preferred. Deep knowledge of talent management, employee relations, workforce planning and organizational design. Demonstrated strength across both strategic HR partnership and hands‑on operational execution. Proven ability to influence and advise senior leaders in a demanding, deadline‑driven environment. Strong analytical, organizational and problem‑solving skills with exceptional attention to detail. Experience working closely with TA, Total Rewards, HR Ops and Finance in a highly integrated HR model. Experience with union workforce a plus.

COMPENSATION:

$125,000 - 150,000 Annual Base. The final salary offered will be based on factors including relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. We value our people.

About Us.

POLITICO illuminates the forces shaping global power. Since 2007, we have delivered intelligence that anticipates tomorrow's headlines, not reports on yesterday's news. As politics has increasingly become the defining force of our era, our work has never been more vital. Cabinet secretaries and Ministers start their mornings with our analysis. CEOs shape strategy around our reporting. Advocacy leaders rely on our insights to move policy. We deliver the straightforward facts and clear‑eyed analysis they need to navigate the most complex political landscape of our lifetimes. Our 1,100+ publishing professionals across the world's key democratic capitals—Washington, Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin, Sacramento, and New York—form the world's premier politics and policy newsroom. We tell the story of how power really works by explaining who wields it and how they plan to exercise it, connecting dots others miss and delivering scoops from sources others don't even know exist. Innovation has always been a core tenet of our story. At launch, we bet that depth would trump scale, that talent would trump traffic, and that politics would become central to modern life. In 2011, we made another bet and launched POLITICO Pro to help decision‑makers understand the business of government, transforming both how they shape government action and the business of journalism itself. These bets have made POLITICO the most successful digital news startup of its generation and the indispensable resource for leaders who shape the future. Today, we are a rarity in media: a growing, profitable, and sustainable news organization. POLITICO is a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE, a family‑owned transatlantic media company headquartered in Berlin and New York. Axel Springer is dedicated to shaping the future of journalism in the free world, believing that a free and informed society is essential to democracy. The company’s guiding principles - first articulated as The Essentials by founder Axel Springer in the aftermath of World War II - remain a cornerstone of the company’s foundation today. Learn more about Axel Springer.