Director of People Partnering

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date:  06 September 2026

Shape the future of people leadership at Newcastle University Newcastle University is a world-leading, research-intensive university with a global reputation for academic excellence, innovation and social impact. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to creating an inclusive, collaborative and ambitious environment where colleagues can thrive and deliver outstanding education, research and professional services.

We are seeking an exceptional leader to join our People Services Leadership Team as Director of People Partnering. This is a key and influential people leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape institutional strategy, drive organisational transformation and lead a high-performing People Partnering function that supports every part of the University.

Reporting to the Executive Director of People Services, and acting as Deputy Director of People Services, you will be a trusted strategic adviser to senior leaders, helping to shape decisions on workforce strategy, organisational design, leadership capability, reward, talent acquisition & recruitment and organisational change.

Leading multidisciplinary teams across Faculty People Partnering, Professional Services Partnering, Transformation, Reward and Recruitment, you will ensure the delivery of integrated, forward-thinking people solutions that enable organisational performance, cultural development and an exceptional colleague experience.

This is a role for an accomplished strategic leader who thrives in complexity, is comfortable influencing at the highest levels, and has a proven ability to translate ambitious organisational goals into practical, impactful people strategies.

About You You will bring substantial senior leadership experience within a large, complex organisation, with a strong track record of delivering transformational people strategies and leading organisational and cultural change.

Above all, you will be an authentic, inclusive and inspirational leader with excellent judgement, outstanding relationship-building skills and a passion for creating environments where people and organisations succeed.

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in delivering Newcastle University's strategic ambitions during a period of significant opportunity and transformation. You'll work alongside an experienced executive team, influence institution-wide decision-making and help shape the future of one of the UK's leading universities.

We offer an excellent range of benefits, including generous annual leave, an attractive pension scheme, flexible working opportunities, comprehensive wellbeing support and ongoing professional development.

If you are an ambitious, strategic People leader looking to influence institutional success at the highest level, we would welcome your application.

For a confidential conversation please reach out to senior. in the first instance to arrange a suitable time for a conversation with Shelley Stonehouse, Recruitment Business Partner, shelle or Jackie Scott, Executive Director of People Services, Jacqueline.scott.ukTo apply please submit a covering statement outlining how you meet our essential criteria for this role along with your CV Assessments and Interviews are expected to be carried out Week commencing 21st September 2026

The Role People Services is a strategic enabler of the University's vision, values and long-term ambitions. As a member of the People Services Leadership Team, the Director of People Partnering plays a critical role in shaping and delivering institutional people strategy, ensuring the University attracts, develops, rewards and retains a highly talented and diverse workforce capable of delivering excellence in education, research and service.

Reporting to the Executive Director of People Services, the Director of People Partnering is the senior leader responsible for the University's People Partnering function, providing strategic leadership across Faculties, Professional Services, Transformation, Reward and Recruitment. The role leads the development and delivery of integrated people solutions that support organisational performance, workforce capability, cultural development and sustainable change.

Operating as Deputy Director of People Services, the postholder will act as a trusted adviser to Executive Board members and senior leaders across the institution. They will provide strategic counsel on workforce planning, organisational design, leadership effectiveness, talent management, employee relations and organisational transformation, ensuring that people priorities are aligned with institutional objectives.

The role requires an accomplished and inspiring leader with substantial experience of leading large-scale…