How did you get into a career as a HRBP?

I started my HR career at Lloyds Banking Group, as an HR Administrator.  I was very fortunate to work for a great manager who supported and encouraged me at the start of my career and during the 8 years I worked there I progressed to an HR Consultant and then HR Business Partner.  From Lloyds I moved to AXA Insurance and after a year I was promoted to a Senior HR Business Partner.  Again, I had a fantastic manager at AXA who supported my development, which included a period managing an Internal Communications team.  Gaining breadth of experience across HR disciplines is essential to becoming a truly rounded HR professional. After 8 years at AXA I wanted to get experience in working within a different sector, so I moved to the BBC which has been a fantastic experience working for one of the world’s leading broadcasters.

What are the key responsibilities in your role?

As a Business Partner, the key part of my role is developing People Plans that support the business strategy.  Working hand in hand with my business colleagues and stakeholders from across HR to deliver the HR plans.

Describe a typical day.

No day is ever the same which is why I love my role!  Mainly I’m focussed on the delivery on the activities in the People Plan, whether that is OD activity, workforce planning or a particular HR initiative.  I also make sure to regularly review my MI and metrics data to ensure the plans are delivering on the KPIs that I have set.

What skills are needed for this role?

Relationship management is key. It’s also hugely important to be commercially astute and really understand the business you work for and the business strategy.  Being able to fully understand the business and its challenges is essential to being an effective Business Partner.

What challenges do you face in this role?

As a Business Partner you are often dealing with multiple stakeholders, with different opinions, demands and activities. So being organised and able to prioritise is essential.

What keeps you motivated to go into work every day?

I love that I get to work with a wide range of people who are passionate about the organisation I’m working for. Being able to work together to deliver people strategies that make a difference is so rewarding.

What advice would you give someone considering self-employment?

Really get to know your organisation so you are able to talk confidently about the business as any of your Finance, Marketing and Sales colleagues can – it will help build your credibility.  Also, broaden your HR knowledge by taking the opportunity to work in different areas of HR, whether that is a secondment, project or permanent role.