Global Director People Partnering & Change Delivery

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

We connect. We inspire.

Role Purpose

The Global Director People Partnering and Change Delivery leads strategic people partnering across the organisation and, through those partnerships, develops the enterprise People Strategy. The role ensures business priorities, workforce needs and organisational challenges are translated into coherent people priorities and that the people expertise required to support organisational change and performance is effectively deployed.

Main Accountabilities

Strategic People Partnership

Lead and role-model strategic people partnering with designated Senior Leadership Team members, translating business priorities, challenges and opportunities into enterprise people priorities and strategic workforce interventions. Develop and continuously evolve the enterprise People Strategy through close engagement with business leaders, ensuring people priorities reflect organisational objectives, current challenges and future workforce requirements. Translate organisational and business priorities into integrated people plans that align workforce, leadership, capability, culture and organisational performance outcomes.

People Consultancy, Solutions and Prioritisation

Lead the global partnering and change delivery teams, setting clear direction, standards and priorities for partnering and business-facing people-related change. Establish and embed a consultancy-style approach, connecting specialists from across the People team to support strategic business initiatives and organisational change. Shape, challenge and prioritise demand for people interventions, ensuring resources are focused on the highest-value organisational priorities, while integrating specialist support from People Solutions, OE and Talent to provide business leaders with coherent, joined-up people solutions.

Organisational Change and Workforce Transformation

Ensure the people implications of organisational change are identified and effectively addressed, including workforce impacts, leadership requirements, stakeholder engagement, adoption and organisational readiness. Use workforce insight, organisational intelligence and external trends to inform business decisions, people priorities and strategic workforce planning, helping the organisation anticipate future workforce needs and successfully navigate change.

Leadership, Culture and Organisational Performance

Build leadership capability and accountability for effective people leadership, organisational performance and the successful delivery of change. Partner with leaders to strengthen their ability to translate organisational priorities into action, create the conditions for high performance and ensure people, culture and organisational effectiveness are central to business decision-making.

Knowledge & Experience

Education

Essential:

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field including but not limited to; Human Resources, Business or Management, Organisational Psychology or equivalent field
• Chartered Fellow CIPD (or equivalent experience) with evidence of continued professional development in leadership and HR at an advanced level

Desirable:

• A postgraduate qualification (e.g. MBA, MSc in Human Resources, Organisational Psychology or equivalent) is desirable

Experience

Essential:

• Proven experience as a strategic HR Business Partner at Director level (10+ years).
• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of organisational performance drivers.
• Experience translating strategy into prioritised and deliverable People workforce plans.
• Strong experience in strategic workforce planning & talent management
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders in complex global organisations.
• Experience leading transformation and organisational change.
• Experience integrating across HR disciplines.
• Data-informed decision-making capability.
• Experience of leading internal consultancy practice and of shaping demand within prioritisation frameworks.

Desirable:

• Experience operating in global matrixed environments.

Important Information

Location: Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London

Working Arrangement: This position is open to flexible working arrangements including home working

Contract Type: Indefinite

Pay band: Grade ELL

Right to Work Requirements: You must have the legal right to work in the location in which the role is based.

Languages: Written and verbal proficiency in English is required

Closing date for applications: 23:59pm, Sunday 11 October 2026 (British Summer Time, BST)

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email askhr@britishcouncil.org