People & Talent Business Partner

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Job Description

**Current WGU employees must submit their internal application before 05/16/2025 to be considered for the position**

The People & Talent Business Partner will support specified client group(s), by providing strategic guidance to ensure effective planning and implementation of people initiatives. This is an individual contributor role working with and supporting all levels of leadership to build leadership talent, manage culture, enhance employee engagement, and ensure that decisions and actions are centered on doing the right thing. The P&T BP will also support assigned Senior People & Talent Business Partner(s) with broad generalist responsibilities. This individual will have accountability for their assigned client group's results and is an individual with the ability to partner and influence without having official organizational people management responsibility. This individual will effectively assimilate information, identify appropriate actions or solutions, and will have a capacity for dealing with ambiguity and change. The ideal candidate for this role has passion for the employee experience, believes in employee potential, and has the humility that comes from understanding a diverse set of personal situations and limitations.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Fosters and builds trusted advisor relationships with assigned business leaders.

• Manages complex People & Talent projects and practices cross-organizationally. This includes competency model, talent assessment, succession planning, employee engagement, career development, talent management, talent development, change management, performance management.

• Analyzes trends and metrics in partnership with the People & Talent team to develop solutions, programs and policies.

• Works closely with business leaders to improve working relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention.

• Partners with business leaders to manage culture and enhance employee experience.

• Facilitates group learning activities and ad hoc leadership discussions to build leadership competencies.

• Provides guidance and input on restructures, workforce planning, talent selection, leadership acquisition.

• Identifies employee and leadership development gaps and collaborates with the People & Talent Learning Team to identify plans in order to close gaps.

• Participates in operational and strategic business department meetings with senior leadership.

• Manages and resolves employee relations issues. Conducts effective, confidential, thorough and objective investigations leading to actions or solutions for resolution.

• Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of people, reducing legal risk and ensuring regulatory compliance.

• Spearheads people initiatives to ensure clear understanding, articulation of and application of initiative.

• Represents business group priorities/initiatives to People & Talent leadership to ensure solid understanding of business group challenges and deliverables.

• Has a comprehensive understanding of People & Talent policies, processes and procedures and successfully applies them to people situations.

• Demonstrates solid business acumen - develops a deep understanding of WGU, as well as assigned business groups.

• Contributes to the continuous improvement of People & Talent processes, policies and procedures.

• Navigates the systems and internal WGU processes to support WGU's mission, People & Talent strategic initiatives, and assigned business group objectives.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of employment law and other state and federal compliance regulations

• The ability to make recommendations to effectively resolve problems or issues, by using sound judgment and problem-solving skills consistent with WGU philosophy and within applicable legal parameters.

• Ability to objectively and effectively coach employees and people leaders through complex, difficult, and emotional issues within a diverse organization.

• Ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments and with all levels of individuals.

• Self-starter who takes initiative, is inquisitive, seeks out information, self-engages, and achieves results based on established goals.

• Clear, effective communicator - exceptional and persuasive communication skills, oral and written, in addressing audiences, is vocally self-critical, and exudes ownership in engagement style.

• Superior interpersonal skills and professional presence - significant capacity to engage, inspire, develop and influence.

• Demonstrated results in innovation - ability to inspire creative thinking, new ideas, new ways of accomplishing tasks and creating results.

• Strong business acumen.

• Excellent organizational skills, along with the ability to set and meet goals/priorities.

• Proven track record of making and implementing tough decisions.

• Demonstrated ability to apply excel and other data management and analysis tools in researching and analyzing various types of data.

• Consistently exhibits WGU Leadership Principles and Cultural Beliefs.

Competencies:

Organizational Impact:

• Responsible forimplementing initiativesand projects establishedbyuniversity ordepartment leadership;establishes operationalplans for department,function, oroffice withshort-term impact onresults.

• May deliver input intonew processes,standards, or plans thatimpact overalluniversity ordepartment results.

Problem Solving & Decision Making:

• Leveragesa systems-thinking approach forimproving existingprocesses and systemswithinthedepartment usingsignificantconceptualizing,reasoning, andinterpretation.

• Problems and issuesfaced are numerous,difficult,and requiredetailed informationgathering and analysis.Typically affectmultiple areas orspecialties. Problemsand issuesspan a wide range ofchallengingand uniquesituations.

Communication & Influence:

• Collaborates cross-functionally with partieswithin and outside ofthedepartment and mayoccasionallycommunicate withexternal parties.

• May influence others toaccept the job area'sviews, practices,concepts, andapproachesandconduct briefings withleaders within theUniversity ordepartment.

Leadership & Talent Management:

• Responsible forproviding guidance,coaching, and training toother employees in thedepartment, Function, orOffice.

• Provides direction toproject team members,including feedback onperformance.

• Demonstratesthe WGUleadership principles inall aspects of service tostudents,employees,andpartners of WGU.

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree

• 7+ years of related HR experience, with at least three years of direct client group and leader support as a generalist or business partner.

• Experience in fast-growth and fast-paced environments and with a distributed workforce model.

• Experience working with HRIS systems, Applicant Tracking Systems, Performance Management Systems.

• Ability to work in the Salt Lake City, UT office up to 5 days per week

Preferred Qualifications:

• Broad knowledge of project management.

• Broad understanding of Change Management methodologies

• Human Resources Certification (PHR or SHRM-CP)

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

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Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.