Lead HR Business Partner, Audit

Shape the people strategy for Audit as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, translating business priorities, workforce information and external insight into practical people decisions. You’ll lead Senior HR Business Partners, influence workforce planning, organisation design, talent and succession, and guide complex change across a dynamic business area. The role offers high visibility and the opportunity to lead strategic priorities, strengthen the senior talent pipeline and ensure key people activity delivers meaningful outcomes. You’ll join a collaborative HR Business Partner team where you can coach others, challenge constructively and help create an inclusive, high-performing environment in which our people and the business can thrive. 

Group Corporate Services (GCS) is the home for all internal support services that support the combined firm. Working with our Capability-led matrix and throughout the whole firm, GCS executes on our Group's strategic goals by enabling growth, protecting the firm and running operations effectively and efficiently, resulting in improved profitability. We do this using a ‘We are Group’ mindset. 

The People and Resourcing domain’s purpose is to enable the Group’s business strategy through its people. We maintain our position as an employer of choice by fostering a Values-led culture, enabling our people to thrive, and delivering a positive experience through the employee lifecycle. We are a strategic HR function that leverages digitisation, automation, and data-driven insights to enhance decision-making and productivity. 

About the team: 

The HR Business Partner (HRBP) team plays a critical role in enabling Audit to achieve its strategic priorities through its people. Working at the heart of a dynamic and evolving organisation, the team partners with senior leaders to shape workforce strategy, strengthen organisational effectiveness, lead complex transformation and foster an inclusive, high-performing culture. Its work spans business growth, capability development, organisational change and innovative people solutions. This is an opportunity to join a collaborative, highly visible team that influences business decisions and helps create an environment where our people and the business can thrive. 

About the role: 

As Lead HR Business Partner for Audit, you’ll lead delivery of the people strategy for your assigned business area and act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders. You’ll translate business needs, management information and external market insight into clear people decisions, while leading a team of Senior HRBPs to provide an outstanding service to stakeholders. You’ll shape workforce planning, organisation design, senior talent and succession, lead people-related change and oversee key cyclical activity. You’ll also lead strategic Audit priorities, work closely with Centres of Excellence and deputise for the Head of HR when required. 

What you'll be Doing: 

• Define, develop and embed the business area’s people strategy with senior leaders, aligning strategic workforce planning and organisation design with business priorities. 

• Provide trusted strategic advice, thought leadership and constructive challenge, using management information, external insight and industry best practice to inform organisation and people decisions. 

• Develop and drive senior talent and succession strategy, including the Partner and Director talent pipeline. 

• Lead people-related organisational change, applying effective change management techniques and guiding senior leaders through complex initiatives. 

• Own delivery of the annual people calendar and set the framework for key cyclical activity, including salary and bonus and promotions, ensuring outcomes align with strategy and agreed standards. 

• Lead strategic Audit priorities set by the Head of HR and partner with Centres of Excellence and wider functions to develop and deliver business-aligned people solutions. 

• Build influential relationships across Audit, Group Corporate Services, Finance, Resourcing, Recruitment, Learning and wider operations to align workforce requirements and delivery. 

• Support the resolution of highly complex or high-risk people matters with the Employee Relations Team, escalating appropriately. 

• Lead, coach and develop Senior HRBPs and colleagues across the wider people function, encouraging meaningful feedback and inclusive ways of working. 

• Champion the firm’s culture, values, behaviours and Inclusion, Diversity and Equality agenda, and deputise for the Head of HR when required. 

Skills, experience, and knowledge you'll need: 

• Commercial acumen and strategic insight, with the ability to translate business needs into people plans and apply organisation design and change management expertise. 

• Strong stakeholder influence and relationship management skills, with the credibility to advise, coach and constructively challenge senior leaders through a client-service mindset. 

• Experience leading and inspiring HRBPs and collaborating effectively across a complex, matrixed organisation. 

• Sound judgement and resilience when evaluating conflicting priorities, navigating ambiguity and supporting complex or high-risk people matters in a fast-paced environment. 

• Strong external market awareness and professional networks, with an understanding of industry trends and how HR Business Partnering contributes to organisational success. 

• Clear business report-writing skills, with intermediate Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint capability. 

• A Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualification is desirable.