Senior People & Talent Business Partner

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
 

Job Description

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Serves as strategic advisor to senior management and executives by fostering trusted relationships.
• Influences high-level business strategy and decision-making while maintaining P&T alignment.
• Creates significant impact on the organization by influencing company-wide P&T strategy and culture.
• Works across multiple departments or regions.
• Manages complex cross-functional People & Talent projects and practices cross-organizationally, including competency models, talent assessment, succession planning, employee engagement, career development, talent management, change management, and performance management.
• Analyzes trends and metrics in partnership with the People & Talent team to develop solutions, programs, and policies.
• Works closely with business leaders to improve working relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention.
• Provides guidance and input on restructures, workforce planning, talent selection, and leadership acquisition.
• Identifies employee and leadership development gaps and collaborates with the People & Talent Learning Team to identify plans to close gaps.
• Participates in operational and strategic business department meetings with senior leadership.
• Manages and resolves complex employee relations issues and conducts effective, confidential, thorough, and objective investigations leading to actions or solutions for resolution.
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of people, reducing legal risk and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Leads significant people initiatives and projects to ensure clear understanding, articulation of, and application of initiative.
• Represents business group priorities/initiatives to People & Talent leadership to ensure solid understanding of business group challenges and deliverables.
• Maintains a comprehensive understanding of People & Talent policies, processes, and procedures and successfully applies them to people situations.
• Demonstrates solid business acumen and develops a deep understanding of the university and assigned business group(s).
• Contributes to the continuous improvement of People & Talent processes, policies, and procedures.
• Navigates the systems and internal processes to support the university’s mission, People & Talent strategic initiatives, and assigned business group objectives.
• Provides mentorship growth and development opportunities for Generalists and Business Partners.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities.  The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of employment law and other state and federal compliance regulations
• The ability to make recommendations to effectively resolve problems or issues, by using sound judgment and problem-solving skills consistent with WGU philosophy and within applicable legal parameters.
• Ability to objectively and effectively coach employees and people leaders through complex, difficult, and emotional issues within a diverse organization.
• Ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments and with all levels of individuals.
• Self-starter who takes initiative, is inquisitive, seeks out information, self-engages, and achieves results based on established goals.
• Clear, effective communicator – exceptional and persuasive communication skills, oral and written, in addressing audiences, is vocally self-critical, and exudes ownership in engagement style.
• Superior interpersonal skills and professional presence – significant capacity to engage, inspire, develop and influence.
• Demonstrated results in innovation – ability to inspire creative thinking, new ideas, new ways of accomplishing tasks and creating results.
• Strong business acumen.
• Excellent organizational skills, along with the ability to set and meet goals/priorities.
• Proven track record of making and implementing tough decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to apply excel and other data management and analysis tools in researching and analyzing various types of data. 
• Consistently exhibits WGU Leadership Principles.

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or a related field
• 10+ years of human resources experience including a minimum of 5 years as a Human Resources Business Partner or equivalent role
• Experience in fast-growth and fast-paced environments and with a distributed workforce model
• Proven track record in strategic HR management and in leading HR initiatives
• Experience working with senior leadership and influencing organizational strategy
• Experience working with HRIS systems, Applicant Tracking Systems, Performance Management Systems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Human Resources or a related field
• Broad knowledge of project management
• Practical experience with change management or Change Management certification
• Human Resources Certification (PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP)

Travel:

This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed.  Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements

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Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.