Early Careers & Global People Practices (GPP) Manager, EMEA

Position Overview

The Early Careers & Global People Practice Manager EMEA will develop strategic early careers initiatives across retail & corporate operations, providing guidance in talent planning and development opportunities. In addition, this role will manage employee relations cases related to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation as well as providing training and guidance to the People Business Partners and Leaders across the organization for consistency across EMEA. This role will report to the People Business Partner Lead (UK & ROI), with a dotted line to the Head of Global People Practices.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Work with the P&D Lead (UK) to develop and execute comprehensive early careers strategies that attract and grow both internal & external talent.
2. Design, develop, and manage an apprenticeship programme aimed at retaining emerging talent, working with the Talent Acquisition team and P&D partners (UK & EMEA).
3. Manage the internship programme to ensure diversity in talent and recruitment aligned with Ralph Lauren values and success drivers, partnering with respective TA & P&D partners.
4. Partner with retail / corporate leadership to understand staffing needs and create talent pipelines, utilizing the annual talent review process to identify growth & development opportunities.
5. Manage programme budgets and resources, providing Line Managers with timely status reports.
6. Adopt a proactive approach to anticipating headcount needs, utilizing the internship programme, secondment, and role rotations in place today.
7. Establish metrics and reporting systems to track recruitment effectiveness: Early Careers.
8. Build effective relationships with universities and other educational institutions.
9. Coordinate early careers assessment centres and selection processes.
10. Create training programmes with the business manager / P&D partner that enhance learning and career pathways.
11. Monitor early careers programme effectiveness and participant progress.
12. Understand & implement diversity and inclusion initiatives in hiring practices.
13. Optimize the new hire & onboarding recruitment processes.
14. Coordinate onboarding with cross functional partners (e.g., IT, Facilities, Talent Development, and the Business Manager).
15. Conduct new hire check-ins during probation & beyond.
16. Partner with the employee experience/learning team on initiatives relating to talent, e.g., career aspirations, to ensure alignment and consistency across EMEA.
17. Conduct effective and objective Employee Relations (ER) investigations, making recommendations in line with global standards. This role will primarily focus on investigations raised about harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, although other cases may be assigned as needed.
18. Provide guidance on the Code of Business Conduct & Ethics, policies, and employee relations, supporting countries across EMEA respecting regional nuances (e.g., France) and partnering with respective People Leads & Works Councils where applicable.
19. Provide consultation and support on employee relations, performance management, case management, policy development, and progressive work practices related to early careers.
20. Provide training on Handling Employee Relations, Code of Business Conduct & Ethics, Fair Treatment Policy, and Corrective Action to People teams and Leaders (including retail) across EMEA.
21. Analyze Employee Relations data to identify concerns and develop solutions to mitigate future issues, e.g., management training/coaching.
22. Support Navex users on case entry and case management, following up and escalating when required, and provide quarterly reporting.
23. Serve as a Change Management Agent in partnership with the Head of GPP and the EMEA People Team.

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

• Extensive experience in Human Resources, Early Career, and HR Policy.
• Knowledge of UK / EMEA employment laws and compliance requirements.
• Progressive early career recruitment experience, especially in retail and corporate environments.
• Proven ability to lead and influence recruitment teams in large retail organizations.
• Significant experience in conducting employee investigations.
• Experience facilitating training sessions with a flexible communication style.
• Exceptional problem-solving, critical thinking, and process improvement skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Strong understanding of retail operations and talent needs.
• Cultural competency and sensitivity.
• Experience managing graduate/apprenticeship recruitment processes.
• Solid experience with HRIS and ATS systems, with a focus on enhancing candidate experience.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Ability to build strong stakeholder relationships and drive effective communication.
• Strategic thinking and analytical skills.
• Legal right to live and work in the UK.
• Event and budget management experience, e.g., early career recruitment fairs.

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