Associate | People & Culture Practice | London  

About the People & Culture Practice

Our People & Culture Practice, led by Áine Hurley, comprises a dedicated group of experienced consultants with a global reach. We source and place highly sought-after leaders for crucial roles such as CHROs, Chief Learning Officers, HR Directors, as well as experts in People & Culture, Talent, Recognition & Reward, Employee Relations, Organisation Effectiveness and Leadership Development. Additionally, we are advisors to our clients in ensuring their HR teams are future-fit, and agile enough to respond to changing and challenging business landscapes.

The Practice works with a wide range of Fortune 500 and FTSE 350 clients, as well as private equity-backed and family owned businesses. Sector coverage is broad and encompasses technology, retail, leisure, gaming, financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, travel, hospitality, business services, defence, construction, energy and consumer goods. In addition, the practice has delivered critical roles such as the Chief People Officer for the NHS, the BBC, the Bank of England and the UK Government.

When it comes to higher-level, more strategic roles, appointing an effective Chief People Officer (CPO) or Chief HR Officer (CHRO) is crucial for long-term sustainability in any company. A CPO plays a vital role in shaping the culture, driving employee engagement, and ensuring that the organisation attracts, retains, and develops top talent. By fostering a positive work environment and aligning HR strategies with business goals, a CPO contributes significantly to the overall success and resilience of the organisation.

About the opportunity

Áine is a senior member of the Board Practice in the London office, where she also leads the People & Culture Practice (Human Resources - HR).
Having moved into Executive Search in 1990, Áine's experience encompasses Main Board and Divisional Executive roles in HR, as well as non-executive appointments. An Irish national, she graduated with a first in Commerce and an MBS from University College Cork.

As an Associate in her team, you will be collectively responsible for recruiting the HR professionals our clients need.

You will work directly with Áine on a diverse array of roles, from senior management up to Board level, and with both public and private sector clients. You will benefit from the proximity of working with a partner – supporting her in all aspects of client-facing interactions and delivery of the search process. The Associate role is also sometimes known as a delivery consultant role because you will be responsible for leading on the search strategy, supporting the client management, leading on all written documentation and project managing the search process. You also get the opportunity to work on business development, meeting new clients and planning events.

Knowledge of the functional space of Human Resources is not required, however, a genuine interest in the field and a basic understanding of HR’s critical strategic importance is essential.
This role presents opportunities for both seasoned career Associates and those aspiring to transition into fee-earning roles.

We are committed to investing in our talent, so if you are looking for career development and a business that will invest in you, we would welcome a conversation.

Candidates should bring strong experience in research and process management and the ability to liaise with candidates and clients across a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds.
Critical attributes for this role include excellent communication and report writing skills, meticulous documentation management, a transparent communication approach and the ability to work at pace.

• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to work with many different people.
• A commitment to inclusion and diversity both during the search process and in our internal environment.
• The ability to engage with senior stakeholders from board to C-Suite level.
• Appreciation for the HR function and its central role in the development and sustainability of businesses and their people.
• Ability to deliver excellence in client assignments and become a trusted advisor to senior leaders.
• The ability to provide insightful advice to clients and internally.
• The ability to proactively manage a project from inception to completion, which will require a good sense of timing, persistence, and patience.
• An entrepreneurial mind-set, with a high level of self-starting energy, combined with a strong appreciation for the rewards that result from collaboration.
• An ability to work autonomously, in a flat, non-hierarchical company structure with a culture of unity and collaboration.
• Intellectually curious with a broad outlook, bringing creative thinking, and common sense.

Odgers Berndtson is one of the world’s leading Global Executive Search firms. Our reputation for excellence and integrity has been established over 50 years and we are a partnership-driven by the client, candidate, and employee experience. We function as trusted advisors to our clients and candidates and engage with a diverse range of leaders for the most influential roles across a wide variety of industries. The service we deliver is creative, insightful, and most importantly, in partnership; we pride ourselves on maintaining personal relationships.

At Odgers Berndtson, we are proud of our progressive, diverse, meritocratic, and collaborative culture where you will find support, training and career development working with colleagues striving for excellence in all they do. We are UK headquartered with colleagues across 33 countries specialising in over 50 sectors and functions. 

Location & Hybrid Working

Our head office is in London and Ideally, this person will be based out of our London office or happy to commute in.

Our Hybrid working policy is based on the principles of empowerment, mutual trust and flexibility, recognising that we work best when we make choices about when, where and how we work. At the same time, we are reminded that time together is so important. We are a client-service business in which our relationships and our culture provide a significant advantage. Our offices remain critical to how we work; they are a place for collaboration, learning, and support and an anchor for the culture of which we are so proud.

We operate a hybrid working model, which would see you spending a minimum of 3 days working from the office and the rest remotely.

Your work pattern will be reliant on business demands, and we would expect you to manage your time accordingly.

Odgers Berndtson is committed to continually improving the diversity of our workforce through the attraction, retention, and development of a diverse range of talented people. We want people to be comfortable bringing their whole selves to work and recognise that inclusion brings further opportunities for innovation and creativity.

We welcome all new employees to get involved by joining one of our Allies groups or simply being part of one of our many initiatives to help us promote Inclusion in our business. Our Inclusion & Diversity agenda is driven by our I&D Council and our Allies Programmes, and we celebrate our diversity each year with our ‘Unlimited Festival’.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, Odgers Berndtson is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination of any kind. We strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join our business, and we will support any requirements for reasonable adjustments

Sustainability

Modern businesses have a duty to be environmentally responsible and operate sustainably. We believe this represents not only sound commercial sense but also recognises our ethical responsibility to minimise the impact of our activities on the environment and to leave a positive legacy for future generations.

We have committed to, and set, science-based decarbonisation targets, and have received verification of these goals from the Science Based Targets initiative  (SBTi). These targets will hold us accountable to our sustainability strategy while enabling us to measure our progress. This is complemented by us continuing to provide sustainability insight to our clients and cultivating a track record within sustainable businesses and in placing sustainability leaders.

Corporate Social Responsibility

We take Charity seriously – but like to have fun too. Our CSR team are always thinking up new events and activities to get involved in and raise funds for our chosen charity British Heart Foundation. 

We also have a variety of social clubs and learning opportunities to suit everyone such as the Brunch and Learn Session, Odgers choir, the book club or one of the many sports clubs

Whats on offer?

A competitive base salary, supplemented by our benefits package and discretionary bonus

• 25 days Annual leave + 3 gift days for the Christmas closure + bank holidays
• Private Medical Insurance with Bupa and cash plan with Simply Health
• Group Company Pension
• Season Ticket Loan & Cycle to work scheme
• Give As You Earn
• Group Income Protection
• Group Life Assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Charity Day
• Wellbeing Programmes, support and speakers
• On-boarding, induction training and ongoing professional development
• Corporate member discounts and benefits available through Bupa and Simply Health including Gyms Discounts 

Applications

We are committed to ensuring everyone can access our website and application processes. This includes people with sight loss, hearing, mobility and cognitive impairments. Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, need to apply in a different format or need any reasonable adjustments made for any interview please contact our Talent Team at careers@odgersberndtson.com 

If you have any comments and/or suggestions about improving access to our application processes, please don't hesitate to contact us at careers@odgersberndtson.com

Eligibility

You must be eligible to live and work in the UK