Senior People Partner

Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach have set us apart for 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

The Senior People Business Partner (BP) plays a critical role in operationalizing the People Plan by connecting Arup’s business strategy to the day-to-day realities of the business. This role ensures that people priorities are translated into clear decisions and actions that enable business performance and delivery of strategy. The BP partners closely with leaders to drive outcomes across workforce planning, capability development, and member experience. Acting as a trusted advisor, the BP brings insight, sound judgement, and deep people expertise to guide leaders through complex decisions, ensuring alignment with both business priorities and Arup’s values. This is a highly impactful role requiring credibility with senior stakeholders, the ability to navigate sensitive and complex situations, and a strong focus on delivering effective, business-led people outcomes.

The Opportunity

Business Leadership Partnership

• Partner with leaders to shape decisions on performance, capability, organisation, and culture
• Translate business priorities into clear, actionable people plans that drive measurable outcomes
• Support workforce planning to ensure the right capability, capacity, and deployment of talent
• Provide thoughtful challenge and commercially grounded guidance to support informed decision-making
• Build leadership capability through coaching, influence, and continuous feedback

Shaping People Decisions & Outcomes

• Lead cyclical people processes (talent, performance, reward, and workforce planning) to drive strong performance and a healthy feedback culture
• Facilitate key moments such as talent reviews, succession planning, and performance discussions
• Enable fair, consistent, and commercially sound decisions on pay, progression, and performance
• Apply global frameworks and tools in a way that reflects local business context

Integrating the People Plan

• Deliver integrated, forward-looking advice across performance, reward, engagement, employee relations, learning, and inclusion
• Use data, insight, and experience to diagnose organisational challenges and identify priorities
• Shape a high-quality, consistent member experience across the employee lifecycle
• Guide leaders through complex and sensitive people matters with sound judgement and care
• Identify risks, trends, and opportunities, and partner with leaders to address them proactively

What Success Looks Like

• Success in this role is reflected in the quality of business decisions and outcomes achieved:
• Leaders view the BP as a trusted, credible partner in decision-making
• People priorities are clearly aligned to business strategy and performance
• Talent, performance, and reward outcomes are consistent, robust, and well-managed
• Complex people matters are handled with sound judgement, balancing experience and risk
• Demonstrable improvements in leadership capability, engagement, and organisational effectiveness
• Strong ownership of people outcomes within the business, supported by the right use of expertise

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective – in which we encourage individuality to thrive. Our strength comes from how we respect, share and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas.  

You will have the opportunity do socially useful work that has meaning – to Arup, to your career, to our members and to the clients and communities we serve.  

Is this role right for you?

• Proven experience operating in a Business Partner or similar strategic HR role supporting clients in different countries 
• Demonstrated ability to influence and build credibility with senior leaders
• Strong judgement and experience handling complex and sensitive people matters
• Experience leading or supporting core people processes (e.g., talent reviews, performance, succession)
• Ability to translate business strategy into actionable people plans
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to inform decisions
• Excellent communication, coaching, and stakeholder management capabilities

What we offer you  

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.  

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Different people, shared values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.  

Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more about life at Arup at www.arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact nick.newell@arup.com to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you. #LI-NN1

Hiring Range - The good faith base salary hiring range for this job if performed in New York City is 150,000 to 180,000 per year. This range is commensurate with experience, educational background, and skill level. Benefits are not included in the base salary. Please note hiring ranges for candidates performing work outside of New York City will differ. 

Our Application Process

To understand what to expect next, please visit  https://www.arup.com/careers/recruitment-process/

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