Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead impactful HR change initiatives at a top London university.
- Company: Join a prestigious university with a focus on people and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of education while making a real difference in people's lives.
- Qualifications: Experience in HR change management and navigating unionised environments.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and learning in a vibrant academic setting.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We are seeking an experienced HR Change Consultant to support a major organisational change programme at a leading London university. This role will play a key part in shaping and delivering people-related change activities across academic and professional services functions.
The ideal candidate will bring proven experience operating within highly unionised environments, strong knowledge of higher education structures and academic frameworks, and hands-on expertise in managing restructures and redundancy processes in a compliant, sensitive, and collaborative manner.
Your new role:
- Partner with senior HR leaders, change leads and faculty/department heads to design and implement people-focused change interventions.
- Lead on end-to-end organisational change activities, including consultation planning, restructuring, selection processes, and redundancy management.
- Develop and deliver change plans, impact assessments, communications, and engagement strategies aligned to university policies and employment legislation.
- Build strong working relationships with recognised trade unions; manage formal and informal consultations, negotiate where required, and support constructive dialogue.
- Provide expert advice to senior stakeholders on academic structures, grading frameworks, career pathways, workload models and associated policy implications.
- Ensure all change activities follow best practice, employment law, and university governance processes.
- Support managers through change conversations, capability building, and HR decision-making to ensure consistent and fair outcomes.
- Analyse workforce data, organisational design proposals, and role profiles to identify risks, opportunities, and areas requiring further refinement.
- Prepare documentation including consultation packs, FAQs, meeting notes, business cases, and outcome letters.
- Support post-implementation activities such as transition planning, embedding new structures, and capturing lessons learned.
Essential Experience & Skills:
- Extensive experience as an HR Change Consultant, HR Business Partner, or similar HR role delivering large-scale organisational change.
- Strong background working within unionised environments, with proven ability to navigate complex industrial relations.
- Understanding of higher education or academic settings, including academic frameworks, career pathways, and governance structures.
- Demonstrable experience managing redundancies, restructures, and consultation processes in compliance with UK employment law.
- Skilled at stakeholder management, particularly with senior leaders, academic governance groups, and employee representatives.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, organisational design proposals, and role requirements.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to work at pace on multiple workstreams within a large, evolving change programme.
If this job isn’t quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
HR Change Consultant employer: Hays London Ebury Gate
Contact Detail:
Hays London Ebury Gate Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land HR Change Consultant
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the HR field, especially those who have experience with organisational change. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even referrals.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the university's recent changes and challenges. This shows you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute. Plus, it gives you a chance to showcase your knowledge of higher education structures!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! Since you'll be working with trade unions and senior stakeholders, being able to communicate effectively and handle tough conversations is key. Role-play with a friend to build confidence.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged in their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace HR Change Consultant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the HR Change Consultant role. Highlight your experience in managing restructures and working within unionised environments, as these are key for us. Use specific examples that showcase your skills in stakeholder management and compliance with employment law.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your passion for organisational change and how your background in higher education aligns with our needs. Don’t forget to mention any relevant projects you've led or contributed to!
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves analysing workforce data and organisational design proposals, make sure to highlight your analytical skills in your application. Provide examples of how you've used data to inform decision-making and improve processes in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. This way, we can easily track your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays London Ebury Gate
✨Know Your Change Management Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of organisational change processes, especially in a higher education context. Be ready to discuss your previous experiences managing restructures and redundancies, and how you've navigated unionised environments.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your ability to build strong relationships with senior leaders and trade unions. Think about times when you successfully managed consultations or negotiations, and be ready to share those stories.
✨Be Data Savvy
Since the role involves analysing workforce data and organisational design proposals, come prepared to discuss how you've used data to inform your decisions in past roles. Bring examples of how your analytical skills have led to successful outcomes.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly, especially around complex topics like academic frameworks and governance structures. Good communication is key in this role, so be ready to demonstrate your facilitation and negotiation skills during the interview.