HR Manager / People Partner – Global Business Functions

HR Manager / People Partner – Global Business Functions 

Working title: HR Manager / People Partner 
Function focus: Global Quality, Regulatory and business support functions 
Reporting to: SVP, Global Talent and People Experience 
 

About the role 

We are looking for an experienced HR professional who enjoys working close to the business, understands how people decisions affect performance, and is comfortable operating in a large, complex and highly structured environment. 
 

This is a global role, supporting leaders and teams across functions, locations and time zones, with a strong focus on Quality and Regulatory. The final job title may evolve depending on the level and experience of the successful candidate, but the purpose of the role is clear: we need someone who can combine practical HR delivery with business partnering, good judgement, strategic thinking and a genuine interest in how the business works. 
 

This is not a purely advisory role, and it is not a role for someone who only wants to work at policy level. We need someone who can think ahead, plan well, challenge constructively and support leaders with practical solutions — while also being willing to roll up their sleeves and get the work done. That may mean supporting workforce planning one day, coaching a manager through a people matter the next, helping leaders build stronger team culture, and then making sure the right updates are completed accurately in Workday. 
 

We are looking for someone who has applied HR in real working environments, not only learned it through textbooks. The right person will understand that HR strategy only works when it can be translated into clear, practical action for leaders, managers and employees. 
 

A key part of this role will be helping leaders build and sustain the right culture in their teams. That means making sure managers have the tools, guidance, coaching and support they need to lead well, communicate clearly, develop their people and create an environment where accountability, collaboration and trust are part of everyday work. 
 

What you will be doing 

You will act as a trusted HR partner to leaders and managers across your assigned business areas, helping them translate business priorities into practical people actions. 
 

You will support workforce planning, organisational changes, talent discussions, performance management, employee relations, engagement actions, learning and development priorities, leadership capability and day-to-day HR delivery. You will also work closely with colleagues across People & Culture, Talent Acquisition, HR Operations, People Intelligence and other support functions to make sure we are aligned, consistent and easy for the business to work with. 

Because we operate in a highly regulated environment, compliance, documentation, audit readiness and right-first-time thinking are important. Good HR work in this environment is not only about doing the right thing — it is also about being able to evidence that the right thing was done, in the right way. 
 

You do not need to come from the pharmaceutical industry to be successful in this role. What matters is that you understand how to work in a structured, quality-driven business where good process, sound judgement, documentation and follow-through really matter. 
 

This role will suit someone who enjoys variety, can move between strategic discussion and practical delivery, and is comfortable working in a business where priorities can change quickly but accountability, collaboration, learning, culture and quality always matter. 
 

Key responsibilities 

Business partnering and people strategy 

• Partner with leaders and managers to understand business priorities and translate them into clear people plans. 

• Support global workforce planning, role clarity, capability planning and organisational effectiveness. 

• Provide practical advice on people matters, balancing business needs, employee experience, risk and compliance. 

• Help leaders identify people risks early and work through pragmatic, well-judged solutions. 

• Support leaders in building strong, accountable and engaged teams. 

Contribute to people plans that support business priorities, including AOP, budgeting and workforce planning, across countries, functions and teams. 

• Help leaders connect business goals with people priorities, culture, capability and ways of working. 
   

Talent, capability, learning and performance 

• Work with leaders to identify talent needs, succession risks, capability gaps and development priorities. 

• Support recruitment planning by helping managers clarify the role, level, skills and experience needed before hiring begins. 

• Partner with Talent Acquisition to ensure hiring processes are structured, fair, compliant and aligned to workforce plans. 

• Coach managers on effective performance management, feedback, development planning and difficult conversations. 

• Support leaders in identifying learning and development needs within their teams. 

• Help ensure leaders have the right tools, guidance and support to develop their people and build capability. 

• Support engagement actions and help leaders turn employee feedback into practical improvements. 

• Help ensure people decisions are thoughtful, consistent and aligned with both business needs and our culture. 
   

Culture, leadership and engagement 

• Support leaders in building a strong, positive and accountable culture within their teams. 

• Help managers understand their role in shaping culture through how they lead, communicate, make decisions and follow through. 

• Equip leaders with practical tools, coaching and guidance to lead in line with our values and expected ways of working. 

• Reinforce our One Team mindset, ensuring collaboration across teams, functions and locations. 

• Support leaders in creating an environment where people feel informed, respected, trusted and able to contribute. 

• Help leaders turn engagement feedback into clear, practical actions that improve the employee experience. 

• Promote leadership behaviours that support accountability, inclusion, collaboration, quality and trust. 
   

Employee relations, compliance and risk 

• Provide hands-on support with employee relations matters, performance concerns, conduct issues and policy application. 

• Ensure HR processes are followed consistently and documented appropriately. 

• Support compliance with employment law, internal policies and highly regulated business expectations. 

• Work collaboratively with Legal, Compliance, HR Operations and senior HR colleagues where escalation or specialist support is needed. 

• Promote a culture where quality, accountability and speaking up are part of how teams operate every day. 

• Bring good judgement, discretion and care to sensitive people matters. 
   

HR operations, systems and Workday 

• Use Workday and other HR systems accurately to support people processes, reporting and data quality. 

• Ensure people data, organisational changes, requisitions and HR actions are handled in a timely and controlled way. 

• Support process improvement by identifying where HR ways of working can be clearer, simpler or more effective. 

• Be comfortable completing administrative and operational HR tasks when needed. 

• Follow through on actions and ensure the basics are done well. 
   

Global collaboration and One Team ways of working 

• Work as part of the wider People & Culture team, not as a separate HR island. 

• Build strong working relationships across functions, countries and teams. 

• Collaborate closely with HR Operations, Talent Acquisition, People Intelligence and other HR colleagues to deliver joined-up support. 

• Support consistent HR delivery across regions while understanding local business needs and context. 

• Role model our One Team mindset — regardless of where someone sits in the organisation, we succeed by working together. 

• Communicate clearly, follow through on commitments and help create trust with the business. 
   

What we are looking for 

We are looking for someone with solid, hands-on HR experience in a real working environment. Ideally, you will bring around 5+ years of relevant HR experience in a business-facing HR role, but the most important thing is that you have worked with real people, real managers and real business situations - not just theory. 
 

Experience in pharmaceutical, biotech or healthcare would be helpful, but it is not essential. We are very open to candidates who have built their HR experience in other complex, structured or quality-focused environments, such as manufacturing, aviation, finance, food production, engineering, energy, technology, professional services or other industries where process, compliance, risk management and accountability matter. 
 

What matters most is that you can apply HR judgement in practice, work in a structured and thoughtful way, and support leaders with practical solutions. You should be comfortable in an environment where documentation, consistency, quality, collaboration and follow-through are important. 
 

You should be able to take a business issue, understand the people implications, think through the risks and options, and help leaders move forward in a practical and balanced way. 

You should also care about culture and leadership. We are looking for someone who understands that HR is not only about policies and processes — it is also about helping leaders create the conditions for people to do their best work. 
 

This role would suit someone who is ready to make an impact in a global business, enjoys working with different stakeholder groups, and can balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery. 
 

Experience and skills 

The successful candidate will ideally bring: 

• Around 5+ years of hands-on HR experience in a business-facing HR role. 

• Experience supporting managers and leaders with a broad range of HR topics. 

• Strong understanding of core HR practices, including employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, recruitment support, engagement, learning and development, and organisational change. 

• Experience helping leaders build capability, improve team culture and strengthen management effectiveness. 

• Experience working in a complex, structured, fast-paced or quality-focused environment. 

• Experience in a regulated industry would be an advantage, but is not essential. 

• Experience in an international, matrixed or multi-site organisation would be helpful. 

• Good working knowledge of HR systems, preferably Workday. 

• Strong judgement, discretion and ability to handle sensitive matters appropriately. 

• Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery. 

• Strong planning, prioritisation and follow-through. 

• Confidence working with stakeholders across different functions, levels and locations. 

• Clear communication style and the ability to build trust quickly. 

• A collaborative mindset and willingness to work across teams to get the right outcome. 

• Comfortable working with ambiguity and helping create structure where it is needed. 
   

Education and professional background 

We would expect the successful candidate to have relevant education or professional experience in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, Organisational Development, Employment Law or a related field. 
 

We are looking for candidates can demonstrate strong practical HR experience, sound judgement and the ability to work effectively with leaders and managers. 
 

We are interested in how someone applies their knowledge in a real business environment than in textbook theory alone. The right person will be able to combine HR knowledge, business understanding and practical common sense. 
 

What will help you succeed here 

You will do well in this role if you are: 

• Practical, calm and solutions-focused. 

• Comfortable operating in a business where process, quality and documentation matter. 

• Able to think strategically but happy to get involved in the details. 

• Confident enough to challenge, but constructive in how you do it. 

• Curious about the business and how people decisions affect performance. 

• Interested in culture, leadership and how managers create strong team environments. 

• Able to turn culture, engagement and leadership expectations into practical actions for managers. 

• Strong at building relationships across teams, functions and locations. 

• Organised, reliable and able to follow through. 

• A team player who believes HR works best when we operate as One Team. 

• Energised by a role where no two days are exactly the same. 

• Comfortable working in a global environment where collaboration, clarity and trust are essential. 
   

Why this role matters 

Our people decisions directly support the quality, reliability and performance of the business. In a complex and highly regulated environment, the way we hire, develop, support, lead and manage people matters — for our teams, our leaders, our compliance obligations and ultimately for the patients who rely on our medicines. 

This role is a great opportunity for an HR professional who wants to be close to the business, build strong partnerships, help develop leaders, influence culture and make a practical difference every day.