Job Description

What does great HR mean to you?

Is it about striking the right balance between supporting your business and challenging it? Keeping things simple and human, and striving to make a difference in all aspects of working life? If so, this could be the opportunity for you…

We have 2 new opportunities to join our HR team here at Penguin Random House UK as HR Business Partners. These roles will be based at our Embassy Gardens office in London, offered with hybrid working.

The team

The HR Generalist team act as trusted HR partners, bringing business and HR strategies together to deliver advice and expertise which is commercially minded, and people focused. We focus on upskilling and empowering People Managers to create a culture of inclusion and high-performance within their teams. With the aim to cultivate a psychologically safe and positive work environment for people at all levels.

The role

Our HR Business Partner roles cover the full spectrum; you’ll work with key stakeholders to build and implement people plans and translate business requirements into effective HR practices that align with business objectives.

You’ll use both your compassionate ear and pragmatic head as you partner with senior leaders and their teams through both day-to-day business and more challenging moments like restructures and ER cases. Promoting an environment of positive employee relations and ensuring that issues are dealt with fairly and effectively whilst also coaching and equipping managers to handle complex situations will be a key part of this position. To achieve this, you’ll have excellent communication skills, attention to detail and an empathetic approach to your work.

You’ll champion effective talent management within your divisions and support leaders to develop talent and succession plans, working closely with our L&D and recruitment teams. You will also work with, and challenge, senior management to create a culture of prioritising employee wellbeing and encourage all employees and your business areas to think and act inclusively, demonstrating a commitment to being an ally of inclusivity.

What you’ll bring

Essential criteria:

• Previous experience in a HR generalist role, with up-to-date knowledge of employment law and experience of managing a broad range of complex and sensitive employee relations matters, including grievance, disciplinary, performance and absence management cases.
• Experience of business transformation, including change management and organisational redesign, with the ability to support leaders and teams through periods of uncertainty and cultural change.
• Experience of individual and collective consultations, with the ability to support managers through formal change processes sensitively, confidently and in line with employment legislation.
• The ability to navigate ambiguity and shades of grey, balancing people, commercial and organisational considerations to make thoughtful and pragmatic decisions.

• Confidence and credibility to address complex people challenges constructively and supportively.

• Strong business acumen, with an understanding of how economic and industry trends impact people strategy and organisational priorities.
• An effective and authentic communicator who can build trusted relationships across different levels of the organisation and with a wide range of stakeholders.
• The ability to partner with senior leaders through listening, coaching and influencing skills, bringing high emotional intelligence, empathy and curiosity to complex people challenges.
• The ability to offer mentorship, support and guidance to the HR Advisor team.
• A flexible and agile approach, able to spot opportunities and risks and adapt quickly to evolving organisational needs.
• A commitment to creating inclusive, high performing teams where individuals feel supported, valued and able to grow.

Preferred criteria:

• If you are CIPD qualified this would be a plus.

Application instructions

Please apply with your CV and Cover Letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on Wednesday 3rd June 2026.

AI

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team.

We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.

Salary

£48,000 - £66,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

Hybrid working

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you’ll be in the office 2-3 days per week.

Company: The Random House Group Limited | Job ID: 289168