Human Resources Business Partner

POLITICO•Arlington, VA

65d

About The Position

POLITICO is seeking a seasoned HR Business Partner to serve as a strategic advisor and hands-on operator to our high-performing, fast-paced business teams. This is a highly visible, senior-level role for an HR leader who thrives in dynamic environments and brings equal strength in strategic partnership and hands-on execution. The ideal candidate is a trusted thought partner to editorial leadership, someone who can anticipate business needs and translate priorities to drive actionable talent solutions. There is a strong requirement for the ability to expertly manage the operational HR fundamentals that enable our newsroom to function at its best.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
5-7 years of progressive HR Business Partner experience supporting complex, fast-paced organizations
Deep knowledge of talent management, employee relations, workforce planning and organizational design.
Demonstrated strength across both strategic HR partnership and hands-on operational execution.
Proven ability to influence and advise senior leaders in a demanding, deadline-driven environment.
Strong analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
Experience working closely with TA, Total Rewards, HR Ops and Finance in a highly integrated HR model.

Nice To Haves

HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP/SCP) a plus.
media or newsroom experience strongly preferred.
Experience with union workforce a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted HR advisor to senior business leaders on organizational design, workforce planning, performance management and employee relations.
Provide pragmatic, solutions-oriented HR guidance focused on speed, clarity and risk awareness.
Navigate complex, high-visibility people situations with discretion, judgment and confidence.
Partner with business leaders, Talent Acquisition and Finance to develop and justify new headcount and backfill requests, ensuring alignment with budget, workforce plans and long-term talent strategy.
Lead and support newsroom talent management initiatives, including performance cycles, performance management, disciplinary procedures, career pathways, succession planning, development planning and retention strategies.
Ensure HR policies, practices and decisions are applied consistently, fairly and in compliance with employment laws and company standards.
Collaborate with Total Rewards on job leveling, compensation planning and pay decisions to ensure competitiveness and internal consistency.
Leverage talent data, manager insight and editorial priorities to inform proactive workforce decisions and future talent needs, including pipelining and succession, in partnership with Talent Acquisition.
Deliver a high-touch onboarding and integration experience, supporting engagement, retention and early productivity.
Ensure people-related processes are efficient. This includes managing and processing all employee changes related to role changes, reporting lines, promotions, transfers and exits with minimal disruption to business operations.
Manage and document employee relations matters with sound judgment, discretion and a solutions-oriented approach.
Identify gaps, inefficiencies or friction points in people processes and implement practical, scalable solutions aligned to newsroom needs.
Ensure smooth cascading of people-related communications to leaders across the various teams and be the central point of contact to field queries and concerns.
Use people analytics to identify attrition and engagement trends and translate insights into actionable talent plans for newsroom leaders.
Partner across HR Centers of Excellence including Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards and HR Operations, to deliver cohesive, high-quality and timely HR support to the business.
Collaborate closely with Business Leaders, Chiefs of Staff and Finance to provide best-in-class HR partnership that is deeply embedded in the business, aligned to both near-term priorities and long-term strategic objectives.
Drive alignment across various stakeholders to anticipate workforce needs, inform decision-making and proactively address risks, trade-offs and opportunities.
Serve as a pragmatic problem-solver when HR and Legal perspectives diverge, aligning stakeholders on solutions that balance risk, compliance and business needs.