Senior Human Resources Business Partner

Job Description

POLITICO is seeking a seasoned Senior HR Business Partner to serve as a strategic advisor and hands‑on operator to our high‑performing, fast‑paced newsroom. 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.

• Deeply embedded in the newsroom:
  You understand how editorial teams operate and tailor practical HR solutions accordingly.
• A problem-solver with excellent judgment:
  You are able to navigate complexity, ambiguity and sensitive situations.
• A strong operator:
  You can seamlessly balance strategic initiatives with day‑to‑day HR execution.
• Agile and adaptive:
  You navigate change with ease while maintaining focus on outcomes as priorities evolve.
• A credible, calm and pragmatic HR leader:
  You are resilient in high‑pressure, high‑visibility and deadline‑driven environments.
• Influencing without authority:
  You are collaborative with the ability to influence senior leaders and partner effectively across HR functions.
• Detail‑oriented and organized:
  You have a rigorous approach with follow‑through and execution.
• Ownership oriented:
  You have a strong sense of accountability.

Strategic Partnership and Advisory

• Serve as a trusted HR advisor to senior newsroom 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.

Talent and Workforce Management

• 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.

Operational Excellence

• 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 newsroom 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.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• 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…