As a HR Associate, you will join our Corporate Centre People team, reporting into the Senior People Partner to support central corporate functions (such as Finance, IT, Legal, etc.) in driving the people agenda. This entry-level role offers hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment, working closely with managers and employees to implement HR initiatives and provide day-to-day HR guidance. You will act as a trusted advisor on people matters and lead specific HR projects to broaden your expertise across the HR profession.

This is a leadership development role, designed for someone who is ambitious, curious, and ready to grow into a future HR Business Partner. 

Key Responsibilities:

Business Partnering: Build relationships with departmental leaders and become their go-to HR partner. Work closely with these managers to align HR strategies with business objectives and ensure people plans support each department's needs HR Advisory: Provide guidance to managers and employees on HR policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure fair and consistent HR support Be a value driven champion, driven the broader People Strategy and embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into the organisation. Support HR activity across the employee lifecycle – for example performance management, talent review and recruitment to support the business. Project Involvement: Take ownership of specific HR projects or initiatives across the corporate centre to give you exposure to different HR Centres of Excellence and build your experience across various corporate functions. Build great relationships with colleagues in the One HR community and across the organisation. Critical friend & Change Agent: Act as a trusted point of contact for managers, addressing their queries and concerns with professionalism and confidentiality. Support change management efforts by helping employees and managers navigate organisational changes or new HR programs, ensuring smooth adoption and understanding.

 

This role is part of our enhanced early talent development pathway, designed to accelerate your growth as a future HR Business Partner. As a HR Associate, you'll be joining our People team at an exciting stage of growth. From day one, you'll be supported to build the skills and experience needed to become a future HR Business Partner. You'll work on meaningful people initiatives across our corporate centre, gaining hands-on experience while being supported by a dedicated mentor. You will also have exciting opportunities for rotation within the HR Function, giving you exposure to different roles within HR. 

To support your growth, you'll complete a fully funded CIPD Level 5 People Professional Apprenticeship over 20 months, alongside mentoring and tailored on-the-job learning, giving you a solid foundation in HR practice and the confidence to contribute strategically. Working alongside our partnered training provider, you will be assigned a dedicated coach to support you through your learning and have 6 hours of dedicated time per week to work towards your off-the-job learning on your Apprenticeship programme. This role is ideal for someone who is people-focused, curious, and ready to learn in a fast-paced, purpose-driven environment.

What we are looking for

You may be a recent graduate or someone with equivalent professional experience looking to take the first step into a career in HR. While a bachelor's degree in any discipline is preferred, we're most interested in your potential - particularly your ability to communicate clearly, think critically, and build strong relationships. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are essential, and we welcome applicants who can demonstrate these strengths through a variety of routes.

You don't need prior HR experience to apply. This is an entry-level role designed to help you grow into a confident, strategic HR professional. We're looking for someone who brings curiosity, initiative, and a people-focused mindset - someone ready to make a difference from day one. The skills and behaviours that will help you succeed in this role include:

You communicate with clarity and confidence, both in writing and in person. You adapt your style to different audiences and listen actively to understand and connect. You're a natural problem-solver, able to think critically, use data to inform decisions, and contribute to practical, people-focused solutions. You build positive relationships easily and work well with others at all levels. You engage with empathy, influence through collaboration, and create trust through your approach. You have sound judgement and can make considered decisions, knowing when to act independently and when to escalate. You're fair, professional, and confident in offering guidance. You're proactive, adaptable, and keen to learn. You take ownership of your development and look for ways to improve how things are done - for yourself and the teams you support