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- Tasks: Shape the future of Waitrose by driving people strategy and enhancing team performance.
- Company: Join the John Lewis Partnership, a leader in retail with a unique commitment to its people.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on culture and leadership in a dynamic retail environment.
- Qualifications: Experience as a People Business Partner in a fast-paced, customer-focused setting.
The predicted salary is between 58800 - 88100 £ per year.
About the Role
Play a part in shaping the future of Waitrose Retail. The John Lewis Partnership is seeking a People Partner to drive our collective commercial success and uphold the unique commitments of our Partnership model. This is a critical role that directly powers our ambitious Partnership Plan, focusing on developing leadership and people manager capability and enhancing the Partner experience, both today and for the years ahead.
As a People Partner aligned to the Waitrose Retail directorate, you will be partnering senior leaders, providing strategic coaching and support to maximise individual and team performance in order to drive the right culture. You will ensure that all people activity is aligned to the overarching people strategy that supports the Waitrose business plan and objectives. You will also support the effective development and delivery of the Partnership People Plan, fostering an inclusive, empowering and collaborative culture and ensuring that the newly restructured People function is well set up to support the Partnership's broader goals.
Salary - £58,800- £88,100
Contract type - Permanent
Working pattern/flexible working - Location: Bracknell Head Office, with blended working and an expectation to travel to other locations, such as Waitrose Shops, as required. The People Partnering team aims for at least 3 days a week to be in person to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings. Interviews will take place w/c 25 May 2026. Various full-time hours required.
Key Responsibilities
- You’ll work in collaboration with the relevant Retail Director and Heads of, Senior People Partner, People Partners and Centres of Expertise (CoE) to ensure each area of the retail directorate is well set up with the right skills and capabilities to deliver the Partnership People Plan.
- Be a trusted advisor to retail senior leadership, coaching and supporting them to optimise individual and team performance.
- Support leadership development programmes and initiatives that drive growth, enhance leadership capabilities, and improve employee engagement.
- You will play a pivotal role in supporting the business’s growth and success through effective talent, succession and performance management, leadership development and efficient change management.
Essential skills/experience you’ll need
- Proven experience operating as a People Business Partner (or equivalent) within a fast paced, multi-site environment, ideally retail or customer facing operations.
- A strong belief in the value of people with the ability to translate this into meaningful, high impact people plans that support long-term business success.
- Experience partnering senior leaders to shape direction, build capability and create inclusive, high performing cultures and deliver strategic people priorities with the use of excellent stakeholder and communication skills.
- Strong knowledge of the employee lifecycle including talent and performance management, leadership development and succession planning.
- Experience collaborating with People CoEs, especially in recruitment, employee relations, and learning & development in a matrix environment.
- Strong understanding of how to create environments where our Partners feel a sense of belonging, can grow and do their best work to serve our food-loving customers.
- Ability to use data and insight to influence decision making and improve outcomes as a result.
- Experience within People change management and driving People related change.
- A thoughtful and emotionally intelligent approach with the ability to coach, challenge and support leaders in equal measure.
- Solid knowledge of UK employment legislation and HR best practice with sound judgement and a pragmatic, risk aware approach to partnering.
People Partner in Binfield employer: John Lewis Partnership
Contact Detail:
John Lewis Partnership Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land People Partner in Binfield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those at Waitrose or similar companies. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings and even referrals.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company culture and values. Show how your experience aligns with their goals, especially around leadership and team performance. We want to see you shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how you can contribute to the Partnership People Plan. Highlight your experience in coaching and developing leaders, as that’s key for this role.
✨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 about joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace People Partner in Binfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the People Partner role. Highlight your experience in retail and how it aligns with the responsibilities mentioned in the job description. We want to see how you can contribute to our Partnership model!
Showcase Your People Skills: This role is all about people, so don’t hold back on showcasing your coaching and leadership development experience. Share specific examples of how you've supported senior leaders and improved team performance. We love a good story!
Be Data-Driven: Since the role involves using data to influence decisions, include any relevant metrics or outcomes from your previous roles. Show us how your insights have led to positive changes in the workplace. Numbers speak volumes!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there!
How to prepare for a job interview at John Lewis Partnership
✨Know the Partnership Model
Familiarise yourself with the John Lewis Partnership model and its unique commitments. Understanding how this model shapes the culture and operations at Waitrose will help you articulate how your experience aligns with their values during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Coaching Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached senior leaders in the past. Highlight specific instances where your guidance led to improved team performance or enhanced leadership capabilities, as this is a key aspect of the People Partner role.
✨Emphasise Inclusivity and Collaboration
Be ready to discuss how you've fostered inclusive and collaborative cultures in previous roles. Share strategies you've implemented to ensure all team members feel valued and engaged, as this aligns with the Partnership's goals.
✨Data-Driven Decision Making
Demonstrate your ability to use data and insights to influence people-related decisions. Prepare to discuss how you've leveraged metrics to improve talent management or employee engagement, showcasing your analytical skills in a practical context.