Manager / Senior Manager, People

Who is Weber Shandwick? 

We create cultural value and help brands navigate the ever-changing age of earned: an age where consumers actively say no to advertising; an age where everyone is an influencer that can make or break your brand; an age where content can be turned into commercial opportunity. 

Our talented team builds brands by finding connection points in the real world. We energise the right mix of talent, using the right platforms and latest technology to choreograph stories that make a real and meaningful impact for some of the world’s leading brands and businesses eg HSBC, Unilever, Ebay and IBM to name a few. 

We earn affection, attention, affinity and purchase by delivering value to people around the world, with deep specialisms across food & drink, travel & tourism, consumer tech, consumer health, automotive, sports sponsorship, entertainment & lifestyle and energy. We are known for: 

• Developing data driven insights and strategy to drive measurable impact 
• Creating impactful campaigns that tap into culture 
• Creating channel and platform agnostic campaigns that grow organically 
• Delivering integrated campaigns that are earned-first but deliver for paid and owned 

 

The Role 

We are an award winning and forward-thinking People team looking to recruit a People Partner to join us.  Our People Partner will act as a trusted advisor and strategic partner, supporting their designated client groups with guidance on people-related matters as well as key initiatives that promote a positive, inclusive, and high-performing culture. You may already be a People / HR Business Partner in a smaller organisation seeking a new challenge, or a Senior Advisor looking to take a step up. 

What will you be doing? 

Working with the People Leads, Advisors and Apprentice within the wider Weber Shandwick People team, you will provide support in a range of areas including: 

• Partner with senior leaders in your client groups to proactively understand their goals and needs. Supporting teams with day-to-day people challenges, offering practical and timely solutions that keep things moving. Work closely with the broader people team to deliver consistent, responsive, and forward-looking HR guidance and messaging that drives real impact. 
• Leading on general queries for your Client Groups and providing HR support and advice across the full employee lifecycle including recruitment, onboarding, probation, employee relations, appraisals, training, employee queries, and exit procedures. 
• Provide best practice guidance and support managers on a variety of employee relations cases to maintain a high standard of employee experience and organizational integrity. Escalate complex cases as needed to maintain a high standard of employee experience and organizational integrity. 
• Lead on the advancing our People data and analysis offerings. Collaborate with our People Advisors to uncover trends, transforming insights into actionable recommendations that drive continuous improvement across Weber Shandwick. 
• Collaborate with Finance and our TA team for recruitment within your client group, utilising Greenhouse our internal ATS. 
• Oversee the management of the probation process, including taking People Managers through the process and keeping up to date on employee progress, ensuring all probation meetings and corresponding paperwork is done in a timely manner. 
• Coach People Managers through effective appraisal reviews, and training on the system used. 
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the HR team, acting as a mentor to the People Advisors and making improvements to our processes to ensure they are efficient and ensure we are providing excellent client service. 

You will also support with various responsibilities including: 
 

• Working alongside the DEI People Lead in the delivery of the UK DEI plan supporting the delivery of projects and initiatives alongside our key partners, sponsors and internal stakeholders within this space. 
• Review and ensure employee information remains up to date with best practices and employment legislation updates, proposing changes or improvements in a timely fashion. 
• Working closely with the EMEA L&D team in the management of our external Inclusive partnerships and memberships. 

 

Who are you? 

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following key attributes: 

• Trusted Advisor  
  Gains trust and respect at all levels within your stakeholder group. You will be a trusted partner who has emotional intelligence, understanding of how to treat and manage information in confidence and who lives and breathes the Weber Shandwick values. 

• Inclusive 
  Champions the value of working with diverse groups of people and sees how different perspectives enrich the work we do. Encourages a collaborative and inclusive attitude. Promotes confidence in the team to ensure they always have a voice and seat at the table.  Keen interest in and knowledge around DEI, mental health, wellbeing, culture, and ways of working 

• Strong Generalist 
  An experienced generalist with strong exposure to the full employee journey – under our People pillars of ‘Find Me, Grow Me, Know Me, Keep Me’.  

• Commercial Acumen 
  Starts to demonstrate sound commercial acumen and an understanding of how business priorities impact People decisions and changes. 

• Curious Mind 
  Solid business partner who takes time to truly understand the business, strategy and can see where people agenda fits whilst understanding their own developmental needs. 

• Critical Thinking 
  Experienced in supporting projects particularly around enhancing the employee experience; Drives the use of data and metrics in analysing trends and gaps and making decisions. 

Core Benefits: 

• Private medical insurance 
• Group life assurance 
• Group income protection 
• Personal pension plan 
• Employee Assistance Programme 

 

Flexible Benefits: 

• Buy or sell holiday 
• Additional life assurance cover 
• Critical Illness Insurance 
• Personal Accident Insurance 
• Dental insurance 
• Travel insurance 
• Health screening 
• Gym discounts 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Health cash plan 
• Flexible working with our 3:2 hybrid work model 
• 4pm Friday finish 
• Equivalent of $250 USD for new joiners on 6-month+ contracts to support home working setup 
• 25 days’ annual leave (in addition to public holidays) plus 2 volunteering days, birthday day off and discretionary festive closure 
• Flexible public holidays 
• Exclusive shopping discounts and perks 
• Headspace membership 
• Annual eyecare voucher 
• Season ticket loan 
• Referral bonus scheme 
• Long service bonus 
• Enhanced family leave 
• Inclusive and invisible health policies 

 

Note from the talent team: 

We appreciate the time taken to apply for the role and your recent interest in Weber Shandwick. We will review all applications within five working days and be in touch with those who have been shortlisted to the next stage. Unfortunately, due to volume we are not able to get back to everyone individually so if you have not heard back from us unfortunately you have not been successful on this occasion and wish you all the best in your search. 

At IPG DXTRA we are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. 

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About the opportunity:

We are looking for an experienced, passionate, and extremely people-focused HR practitioner who thrives in a fast-moving, highly energetic environment.  This role demands a personality that is comfortable to engage and partner with leadership, and that can connect with employees across all levels of the business.  The Human Resources Director will have oversight of every aspect of our HR and Talent function – a role which demands both strong human resources acumen and a “change agent” mindset to continuously evolve and enhance existing HR processes and systems.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Play a lead role in building and developing a solid Human Resources and Talent team and function in Japan by driving change through process improvement and a forward-thinking approach.
• Ensure full compliance of all HR policies, and legal requirements within Japan market regulations
• Partner closely with the business to ensure solid talent retention programs are in place, bringing an innovative approach to staff career development and incentive programs – integrating the activities with L&D to support development of career paths within the businesses
• Lead the Talent Acquisition function, managing the TA Manager and supporting them in driving an effective and efficient recruitment process, with the use of the Greenhouse ATS.
• Take ownership and manage the performance review process across the agency (with support of the team)
• Address staff performance issues across the businesses as required, minimizing terminations and legal exposure wherever possible
• Ensure relevant Japan market data on remuneration is systematically collected and used to build reliable compensation models for all levels of employees
• Collaborate on global and regional team activities in areas of recognition and reward strategies, and initiate motivational programs for employees
• Build and lead initiatives to enhance employee experience in collaboration with Japan leadership team
• You will be part of the agency’s Senior Leadership Team, and have a strong voice in collaboration with other senior leaders, including the Managing Director and Finance Director, as well as all practice leaders
• You’ll partner closely with APAC regional HR and Talent Acquisition leads, with regards to global and regional initiatives, policies, procedures, and requirements

 

PERSON PROFILE

• Proven background in Human Resources in the Japanese market, with the ability to provide timely strategic counsel, while taking a long-term perspective.
• Able to dive in operationally as and when needed, including providing guidance on Japanese Labour Law
• Proven ability to hire and develop an on-the-ground strong team encompassing the full human resource employee cycle
• Willing and able to work closely with the MD and FD to align on business priorities and map back with HR strategies
• Ability to grasp issues and business realities quickly and establish a rapport with stakeholders at all levels, managing complex relationships diplomatically and consultatively
• Confident and clear communicator, fluent in Japanese with strong English language skills and the ability to work across markets as needed
• Ability to manage teams and individuals and provide them with the support that encourages and enables them to perform to their fullest potential
• You’re someone who thinks creatively and strategically and understands the importance of in-depth analytical skills within the People function
• You have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrable record of building relationships internally with peers, team members and the wider business
• You’re able to prioritize and organize your workload effectively, within a deadline-driven and changing environment, using initiative to make decisions in complex situations
• You have a desire to challenge the status quo and strive for continuous improvement

 

OVERVIEW

Part of The Weber Shandwick Collective, we’re the earned-first global communications agency, led by world-class strategic thinkers and creative activators. We create shared and sustainable value for businesses, people, and society. We energise the right mix of talent, using the right platforms and latest technology to choreograph stories that make a real and meaningful impact for some of the world’s leading brands and businesses.

Our game-changing work is recognised by some of the most prestigious industry awards bodies, and we have won more than 135 Lions at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. We’re also PRWeek’s 2024 Global Agency of the Year as well as being listed on the Ad Age A-List 2024 and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2024.

TWSC Values

Everything we do at TWSC is rooted in our core values of CURIOSITY, INCLUSION, COURAGE and IMPACT.

We believe that the world of work has changed, which is why we have developed a unique employee experience that reflects the world we’re living in. Here’s what we offer:

Flexible Working – We understand the need for flexible working and empower our employees to deliver impactful work wherever they are based.

Global Mobility –We unlock opportunities for our employees by utilising our powerful network, and through our mobility initiative Access All Areas, which includes policies on ‘Work from Anywhere’, ‘International Relocation’ and our global ‘Explorer Program’

Inclusive Culture – We look for qualified people from all backgrounds who are restless, curious and want to deliver impactful work in an environment where everyone can be their authentic selves. We strive every day to foster as inclusive a culture as possible.

Mental Health and Wellbeing – Helping our people stay happy, healthy, and productive is our number one priority, so we’ll support your day-to-day life with our bespoke Intellect wellbeing offering

 

Note from the team

Weber Shandwick is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Weber Shandwick is committed to building a culture where all employees are seen as equal, are respected and where all opinions are heard. We take pride in our inclusive hiring, as well as our diverse workforce and we welcome applications from all qualified candidates

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