At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape employee experience and culture while supporting talent acquisition and development.
- Company: Join Zen Educate, a tech company transforming education recruitment.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, share options, 25+ days holiday, and health perks.
- Other info: Collaborative team environment with international HR exposure and personal growth investment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a high-growth startup with endless career opportunities.
- Qualifications: Experience in HR roles with a focus on employee engagement and performance management.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.
Location: London - Oval
Job Type: Full-time, on site
Salary: £35,000 - 45,000 + share options
About the role
We are seeking a dynamic and commercially minded People & Talent Partner to join our growing People team. This is a high-impact, broad scope role with a strong focus on people partnering, culture building, and employee experience, alongside some talent acquisition responsibilities. You will act as a trusted advisor to leaders and teams, helping shape how we support, develop, and engage our people as we scale. This role offers significant scope to grow into broader international HR expertise across the US, Canada, and South Africa as we expand.
About Zen
Zen Educate is a technology company that matches schools with temporary educator staff. Our mission is to change the world of education recruitment. By leveraging the latest technology, we purpose built a platform that helps schools to pay less while educators earn more. We want students to have access to the best education possible, and we go the extra mile to find, onboard, match, and coach incredible educators that deeply care about their students.
This is your chance to make a difference and join a high growth tech startup on the ground floor. We are a collaborative company, and the career growth opportunities are endless if you are someone willing to dive in, be entrepreneurial, and do whatever is needed to get the job done. We are passionate about learning and development, and will invest in both your personal and professional growth.
What the People team achieved last year
- Made 195 new hires, and onboarded them.
- Conducted and coordinated 1,518 interviews.
- Revamped our handbooks, policies, and processes to ensure 100% company compliance.
- Delivered countless training sessions across People Operations and Talent, upskilling leaders on how to interview, offer, reference, and manage their people.
- Developed our People Drumbeat with a regular cadence of employee engagement surveys and performance reviews across all of our regions.
- Managed countless daily moments across onboarding, offboarding, documentation, engagement, and general team support.
This is the momentum you’ll step into and help drive forward.
Who you’ll be working with
You’ll report directly to Sandy Vo, People Lead at Zen. My background is in agency recruitment across all types of hiring: volume, permanent, contractors, as well as strategic exec level hiring. I now manage the Talent function at Zen as well as all of our HR and People Operations and I can’t wait to coach you in everything I know.
What you’ll own
- People Partnering & Employee Experience
- Act as a trusted partner to managers and teams across the business on all people-related matters.
- Support and guide managers through performance management cycles, including goal setting, reviews, and performance improvement processes.
- Provide coaching and advice on team effectiveness, leadership capability, and employee development.
- Manage and evolve the company’s people drumbeat (e.g. performance review cycles, check ins, calibration processes).
- Lead on employee relations matters, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant outcomes.
- Culture, Engagement & Internal Communication
- Own and drive our employee engagement surveys, including design, delivery, analysis, and action planning.
- Report engagement findings to leadership and ensure meaningful follow-through on actions.
- Lead initiatives to strengthen company culture, belonging, and connection across teams.
- Own and deliver internal social, cultural, and team engagement initiatives (e.g. events, rituals, recognition programmes).
- Continuously improve the overall employee experience across the lifecycle.
- Learning & Development
- Build and evolve our Learning & Development offering.
- Identify capability gaps and design learning interventions aligned to business needs.
- Source, design, or facilitate training programmes for managers and employees.
- Support leadership development and ongoing skills growth across Zen.
- Talent Acquisition
- Support hiring for key or strategic roles as needed.
- Partner with leaders to ensure strong hiring decisions and alignment on talent needs.
- Contribute to improving hiring quality, onboarding experience, and early employee success.
- HR Operations & Broader People Work
- Handle day-to-day People queries and employee relations cases with professionalism and care.
- Ensure HR policies and processes are applied consistently and fairly.
- Contribute to improving HR systems, processes, and documentation.
Why you’ll love this role
You will step into a broad, high-ownership role with real influence on culture and people strategy, where you’ll help shape the employee experience in a rapidly scaling organisation. You’ll be able to gain exposure to international HR practices and markets, while also having significant scope for career growth into senior People leadership roles.
What we're looking for
Experience in a People Partner, HR Business Partner, or hybrid HR/Talent role where you've been responsible for a wide range of HR-related tasks including onboardings, exit interviews, benefits, grievances, flexible working requests etc. You have experience coordinating and running performance review cycles end-to-end, and are now looking to take a more influential role in how managers interpret, calibrate, and act on performance outcomes. You’re motivated by improving consistency in how performance is managed across teams, and by helping managers build confidence in giving feedback, driving development conversations, and improving overall employee engagement and growth. You've been involved in launching and running employee engagement surveys, and are now looking to go beyond delivery into real impact, turning feedback into meaningful change. You care about what the data is saying, and more importantly, how it translates into action that improves the employee experience. You’re excited by growth environments, comfortable being a key go-to person for managers and employees, and energised by helping build and shape people processes rather than just running them.
The interview process
- Initial Screen (30 mins): With me! I’ll be delving deeper into your experience and why you’re interested in this role.
- Meet the Team interview (1 hour): Opportunity to meet the People team. We work closely together and cover each other during busy periods.
- Meet the People Managers (1 hour): You’ll meet two of our key people managers where they will interview you for skillset and stakeholder management.
Perks & benefits
- Ownership in the company
- 25+ days of holiday (increases with tenure)
- On-site gym, showers, bike parking & cafe at our Central London office
- Electric car & Cycle to Work schemes
- Coaching, life insurance & health insurance
- Fun-loving, mission-driven team
Ready to Apply
We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds, and different experiences and perspectives. We believe in hiring the best people from the widest pool and creating an inclusive atmosphere with a culture where people’s voices are heard, and all our team can look forward to coming to work. If you require any reasonable adjustments during your interview process with us, please do let us know.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land People & Talent Partner in London
✨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 zeneducate!
✨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 zeneducate.
We think you need these skills to ace People & Talent Partner in London
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 zeneducate. 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 zeneducate 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 zeneducate. List them prominently on your CV to catch the hiring manager's eye.
Align with Company Culture:Make sure your application speaks to zeneducate'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 zeneducate
✨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 zeneducate.
✨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 zeneducate 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 zeneducate and how you would contribute to adapting HR strategies.
