Sullivan Brown HR Recruitment are recruiting exclusively for Newcastle University to recruit an exciting role of Head of People Partnering, Strategic Projects and Transformation.
Newcastle University
In line with our Vision and Strategy, Newcastle University is committed to placing people at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to foster a working environment where our colleagues can flourish, underpinned by our guiding principles of working together, visibly leading, enabling freedom and opportunity to succeed, and responding to current and future challenges.
Overview
We are seeking an experienced and strategic People Services professional to take on the role of Head of People Partnering, Strategic Projects and Transformation within People Services.
This new and pivotal position will play a key leadership role in shaping and driving the people agenda linked to the University's strategic transformation programme. Working on behalf of the Director of People Partnering, you will ensure that the people dimensions of transformation are clearly defined, effectively resourced, and successfully delivered across both Professional Services and Faculties.
You will lead on the design and implementation of a governance framework for the People Services Leadership Team and facilitate an internal People Services delivery structure to ensure alignment and readiness to deliver high-impact change. The role will act as a central coordination point across People Services and be the conduit into the appropriate Transformation Programme Workstreams, ensuring consistent oversight, strong stakeholder engagement, and alignment of people activities with the University's strategic priorities. Alongside the project and transformation work, you will provide aspects of business partnering activity.
We are looking for an experienced and strategic HR professional with a proven track record of leading people-focused transformation in complex organisations. You will combine strong organisational design, project management, and stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to align people and culture initiatives to institutional goals and values.
You will be collaborative and solutions-focused, bringing credibility, sound judgement, and resilience to your work. You will be comfortable operating across multiple workstreams, influencing senior stakeholders, and ensuring the people dimension of change is delivered with clarity, integrity, and impact.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in shaping how People Services supports and enables the University's transformation agenda. You will work at the heart of a collaborative and forward-looking People Partnering team, contributing directly to the creation of a modern, inclusive, and high-performing organisational culture.
Role Purpose
To lead strategic people initiatives across a designated Faculty or Professional Services area, enabling the University to achieve its vision of placing people at the heart of its operations. The role drives cultural transformation, enhances organisational effectiveness, and ensures the delivery of high-impact people services aligned with institutional goals.
Key Accountabilities
1. Strategic People Leadership • Provision of advice and guidance on effective people practices needed to achieve our strategic objectives, resulting in measurable improvements in engagement, retention, and performance. • Lead workforce planning initiatives that contribute to our people plans, focusing on recruitment, succession planning, engagement, leadership development, reward and retention. • Influence and shape organisational culture through targeted solutions and best practices that increase inclusivity, collaboration, and innovation.
2. Operational Excellence • Establish and maintain a high-performing, customer-centric People Services function that consistently meets service level expectations and stakeholder satisfaction benchmarks. • Resolve complex employee relations cases with outcomes that uphold University values, mitigate risk, and support a positive working environment. • Provide actionable insights through high-quality people data that inform strategic decisions and improve organisational outcomes.
