At a Glance
- Tasks: Be a strategic HR partner, driving talent and culture in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Join GSK, a global biopharma leader committed to health innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible working, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with excellent career progression in a supportive culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on health while shaping the future of HR.
- Qualifications: Experience in HR with strong leadership and change management skills.
The predicted salary is between 60750 - 74250 £ per year.
GSK remains committed to achieving bold commercial ambitions for the future. By 2031, we aim to deliver £40 billion in annual sales, leveraging our existing strong performance momentum to significantly increase our positive impact on the health of billions of patients globally. Our Ahead Together strategy is centered on early intervention to prevent and alter the course of disease, thereby protecting people and supporting healthcare systems. Our diverse portfolio consists of vaccines, specialty medicines, and general medicines. Through continuous innovation and a dedicated focus on scientific and technical excellence, we strive to develop and launch new, groundbreaking treatments that address critical health challenges.
The HR Business Partner (HRBP) will act as a strategic and trusted partner to leaders within the UK Commercial LOC driving the organisation's people agenda across talent, leadership, capability and culture. The role sits at the heart of a fast-moving commercial environment and will be instrumental in enabling the LOC's ongoing business transformation, ensuring that change is led effectively, leaders are supported through complexity, and the organisation continues to build the capability it needs to compete and grow.
This is a role for an experienced HR professional who can operate credibly at a senior level, navigate a large and complex, matrixed organisation, and translate global talent and people strategies into practical, locally relevant action.
In this role you will:
- Strategic HR Partnership & Business Acumen: Act as a strategic HR partner to VP/Senior Director-level leaders, translating the commercial strategy into an integrated people plan for the UK LOC. Use strong business insight and data (including analytics and AI) to identify people-related risks, opportunities and interventions that improve performance. Prioritise HR initiatives based on strategic impact, cost, risk and short- vs long-term trade-offs, ensuring alignment with global frameworks and governance.
- Transformation & Change: Lead and support large-scale change and transformation (e.g. commercial model shifts, organisational redesign, major projects) with clear people and change plans. Diagnose change needs using data and systemic thinking, designing integrated solutions that help leaders and teams understand, embrace and embed change. Coach and influence senior leaders to effectively lead change, balancing business outcomes with people impact and risk.
- Talent, Leadership & Capability: Partner with leaders to identify current and future talent and capability needs, ensuring robust succession and talent pipelines for critical roles. Translate enterprise talent and leadership strategies into interventions that build high-performing, future-ready teams. Coach and challenge senior leaders on leadership effectiveness, team performance, and talent development.
- Culture & Engagement: Shape and champion a culture that supports the UK Commercial strategy and GSK values, promoting an inclusive and high-performance environment. Use organisational insight (engagement surveys, exit data, workforce analytics) to identify culture strengths, risks and opportunities and convert these into targeted actions. Support leaders to build clear engagement strategies and understand the impact of their behaviours on culture and employee experience.
- Workforce Planning & Organisational Effectiveness: Develop and implement workforce and capability plans that ensure the right skills, resources and structures are in place to deliver the commercial agenda. Use organisational design and effectiveness principles to improve clarity of roles, accountability, decision-making and ways of working. Apply data and analytics to diagnose organisational issues, assess options and track progress against agreed outcomes.
- Employee Relations, Governance & Reward: Manage relationships with employee representative bodies (including Information & Consultation Forums) and ensure UK consultation and ER obligations are met with genuine engagement. Provide expert guidance on ER and HR governance, partnering with specialist teams to manage escalations and mitigate risk in line with GSK policies and UK employment law. Work with Reward partners to shape local reward and retention approaches that attract, engage and retain a high-performing workforce.
- HR Operating Model & Stakeholder Influence: Partner across the HR model (HR Embedded, HR Centre of Excellence and People Services) to bring the HR operating model to life, reducing unnecessary customisation and championing standard tools and processes. Build credible, trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and constructively challenging thinking with an enterprise mindset. Represent HR as a strategic function, contributing to the shaping of business and people agendas, not just their delivery.
Basic Qualifications: We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals: Significant experience as an HR Business Partner supporting senior business leaders, ideally within a large, complex, matrixed organisation. Demonstrable experience leading or closely supporting organisational transformation, with direct experience of the UK employment/organisational landscape. Experience delivering interventions across a range of HR activities including leadership development, talent management, building high-performing teams, workforce planning and performance management. Experience partnering with and/or managing employee representative forums, including Information & Consultation Forums (I&CF). Strong track record of translating global or enterprise-level talent strategy into local execution. Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence and gravitas to challenge senior leaders constructively. Strong understanding of UK employment law and its practical application in a commercial setting.
Preferred Skills: If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus: Experience within the pharmaceutical industry or another highly regulated, scientific or technical sector. Regional or international HR experience supporting multiple business areas and managing complex global change. Experience working within global/regional organisations where local delivery must align to global frameworks and governance.
What Success Looks Like: Leaders across the UK Commercial LOC see HR as a genuine strategic partner, sought out for judgement, insight and challenge. Talent and succession plans are robust, locally relevant and aligned to global strategy, with clear pipelines for critical roles. Transformation and change initiatives are delivered with strong people outcomes, leaders feel equipped and supported to lead their teams through change, and employees experience clear, well-managed transitions. Employee consultation obligations are met with genuine engagement, not just compliance, and employee relations risks are well managed. Reward, capability and workforce plans support the attraction and retention of a high-performing, diverse workforce and enable the broader commercial strategy. The HRBP is recognised as someone who consistently thinks beyond their immediate remit to the wider organisational context and contributes actively to the broader HR and business agenda.
Closing Date for Applications: Thursday 24th September 2026 (COB)
Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert. When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.
During the course of your application, you will be requested to complete voluntary information which will be used in monitoring the effectiveness of our equality and diversity policies. Your information will be treated as confidential and will not be used in any part of the selection process. If you require a reasonable adjustment to the application / selection process to enable you to demonstrate your ability to perform the job requirements, please contact 0808 234 4391. This will help us to understand any modifications we may need to make to support you throughout our selection process.
HR Business Partner employer: GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and development, offering a dynamic work culture where collaboration and innovation thrive. With a hybrid working model based in the UK, employees benefit from flexible working arrangements while contributing to meaningful projects that enhance patient safety globally. The company fosters a supportive environment that encourages continuous learning and professional advancement, making it an ideal place for those passionate about making a difference in healthcare.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land HR Business Partner
✨Join HR Networks
Get involved in HR-specific communities, like the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and local HR meetups. This is a fantastic way to connect with industry professionals and learn about job openings before they even hit job boards!
✨Make Your Presence Known
Attend HR conferences and workshops in your area to network with potential employers. Don't be shy—introduce yourself, exchange business cards, and let them know you're keen on a full-time role in HR. Who knows, you might just land a friendly face at GlaxoSmithKline!
✨Leverage Your University Connections
If you’re a recent grad or still in uni, tap into your career services and alumni network. Many universities have connections with companies looking for HR talent, so get those leads and apply through our website for a smoother application process.
✨Showcase Your HR Passion
Create content around HR topics you’re passionate about, like employee engagement or diversity initiatives. Share articles or insights on LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge and get noticed by recruiters. It’s a subtle yet effective way to show you’re the right fit for a full-time role at GlaxoSmithKline.
We think you need these skills to ace HR Business Partner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your HR Skills:When you’re crafting your CV, make sure you highlight specific HR skills that are relevant to the role at GlaxoSmithKline. Include any experience with recruitment processes, employee relations, or performance management, and don’t forget to mention your familiarity with HR software or tools that could give you an edge.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine, so tailor it to GlaxoSmithKline and the specific HR role. Highlight your passion for people management and how your unique approach can help foster a positive workplace culture. Be sure to sprinkle in examples from your past experiences that illustrate your problem-solving abilities and interpersonal skills.
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any HR certifications or relevant training under your belt, be sure to showcase them! These qualifications can really set you apart from other candidates when applying for this full-time HR position at GlaxoSmithKline. List them prominently on your CV to catch the hiring manager's eye.
Align with Company Culture:Make sure your application speaks to GlaxoSmithKline's values and culture. Research the company and align your experiences or values with what they stand for. This will show them that you're not only a fit for the role but also for the overall vibe of the team and organisation.
How to prepare for a job interview at GlaxoSmithKline
✨Brush Up on HR Best Practices
As you're diving into human resources, it’s crucial to be well-versed in the latest HR practices and legislation. Get familiar with key topics like employee engagement, talent acquisition, and diversity initiatives, as these could easily pop up in your interview with GlaxoSmithKline.
✨Know Your Recruitment Tools
Most HR roles involve using various recruitment tools and ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). Make sure you can comfortably discuss platforms like Workday or Greenhouse. If you've had direct experience, share those examples; if not, show your eagerness to learn!
✨Highlight Your People Skills
A full-time HR role at GlaxoSmithKline will require strong interpersonal skills. Prepare to share stories that demonstrate how you’ve successfully navigated conflicts or supported team members in past experiences. Authenticity goes a long way in this field.
✨Stay Current with HR Trends
Being up to speed with current HR trends, like remote working protocols or mental health initiatives, can set you apart. Be ready to discuss how these trends could impact GlaxoSmithKline and how you would contribute to adapting HR strategies.
