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HR Director - BUK Retail Bank Business Partner

London, United Kingdom

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Date live: 26/05/2025

Business Area: HR

Area of Expertise: Human Resources

Contract: Permanent

Reference Code: JR-0000052731

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Barclays Human Resources

In HR, you'll collaborate with the organisation to implement effective HR strategies and programmes. Your role will involve recruiting, training, and developing talent, as well as managing employee benefits, ensuring Barclays attracts and retains top talent

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Why this HR Director?

  • The Retail Bank is the cornerstone of Barclays Group 3 Year Strategy. Our priorities are: Deliver operational efficiencies to facilitate investment growth (Simpler), Focus on improving customer relationships (Better), Grow lending market share (more Balanced).
  • We serve our clients across the UK from our Colleague base here and in India under 3 core brands – Barclays, Kensington Mortgage Company (KMC) and Tesco Bank (TB).
  • The Business generates 6+ Billion £ of Income across Barclays Group.
  • We service c.21m from Barclays, c.3m in Tesco Bank, and c.70k in Kensington Mortgage Company.
  • Our mantra is: Customer obsessed, Colleague powered and Tech enabled.

Retail Banking HR Director Role key accountabilities:

  • As the trusted advisor to Retail Banking ExCo members you will play an integral role on all people related matters, raising Colleague performance and Customer Experience. 
  • Developing the People Strategy to support Business Objectives and Key Results
  • Partnering the Retail Bank Senior Leadership in designing and delivering the Operating Model, leveraging Colleagues, Technology, Data, OKRs and Colleague Data.
  • Understand, interpret and co-design the Retail Bank Workforce Strategy and underlying plan to optimise Business performance.
  • Developing and prioritising Colleague interventions that deliver individual Colleague opportunity and maximise Business performance – focus areas;
    • Agile Ways of Working across the Customer Journeys and Operating Model
    • Enterprise thinking to maximise internal productivity
    • Product and Proposition expertise
    • Digital, Data and CX skill
    • Transformation experience
    • Maximising People Leadership capability
  • Be a trusted partner to challenge silos, echo chambers and group think when supporting Leadership focus areas and strategy and operational matters.
  • Provision of advice and counsel on an ad-hoc basis at the MD level as it relates to specific people related issues and opportunities to drive improved performance (e.g. cultural trends, senior ER).
  • Be an HR thought leader across Barclays UK HR Team and into the wider HR Function.

    Purpose of the role

    To partner with senior HR business leaders to develop and implement a people strategy that enables business goals. 

    Accountabilities

    • Design and delivery of the people strategy for their aligned portfolio of businesses, using insights to diagnose people related trends and opportunities to drive business performance.
    • Cross functional collaboration to ensure delivery of the people strategy and associated HR products into the business.
    • Provision of advice and counsel to the most senior business leaders on an ad-hoc basis as it relates to specific people related issues and opportunities to drive improved performance, whether in relation to activity driven at the Group level which falls outside of the People Strategy, or opportunities identified within business (e.g. cultural trends, senior ER related issue, talent skill gaps/hiring needs etc.). Use of organisation effectiveness principles, partner with senior business leaders to ensure structures are organised in a way to deliver efficiency aligned to strategic objectives.
    • Participation in HR product design, using commercial acumen, deep business knowledge and external insights and represent HR service and products back into the business, using relationships and business knowledge to ensure products and processes drive the desired outcome at the local business level.

    Director Expectations

    • To manage a business function, providing significant input to function wide strategic initiatives. Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business wide..
    • They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects and act as deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross functionally. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
    • Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function wide strategic initiatives.
    • Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.
    • Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
    • Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
    • Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
    • Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the overall business objectives.
    • Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline alongside up-to-date relevant sector / functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments / initiatives.
    • Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
    • Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
    • Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
    • Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
    • Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

    All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

    All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

    Barclays welcomes applications from all candidates and is committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments (accommodations) are put in place to allow for a fair and inclusive recruitment process. For more information and how to request one, please review Adjustments to the recruitment process.

    We’re a global, vital and highly respected financial organisation with an inspiring Purpose. Operating in 39 countries and employing around 100,000 people across the world, we help communities, individuals and businesses thrive. And we’ve created financial solutions and technology that the world now takes for granted. A career with us can offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience, and the chance to learn from some of the best minds in technology and finance.

    To find out more about Barclays' strategy please click here.

    We are an equal opportunity employer and opposed to discrimination on any grounds. It is the policy of Barclays to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

    Barclays is required by law to confirm that you have the Legal Right to Work in any role that you apply for. If you currently hold a work visa sponsored by Barclays, or you would require sponsorship from Barclays, you must declare this as part of your application. Sponsored visas are role and entity specific and any changes must be reviewed. It is important that you ensure you are working on the correct visa at all times. Failure to accurately disclose your visa status or Legal Right to Work may result in your application or any employment offer being withdrawn at any time.

    This is Barclays London

    Our global HQ is in Canary Wharf, at the heart of London’s financial district. There are over 10,000 colleagues here – a hugely diverse workforce made up of the world’s best financial and tech talent. If you love the buzz of city life, this is the place to be.

    Cycle or run to work? We’ve got everything you need – from cycle hire and parking areas to new showering and changing facilities.

    CoSpace is our drop-in co-working space, where networks are built, problems are solved collectively and our community is strengthened.

    Our Wellness Suite includes a well-equipped gym and exercise studios, and provides personal training sessions and massage therapy.

    Our new trading floors enhance communication, integrate sustainability, and support health and wellbeing through innovative design and British-sourced furniture.

    This is Barclays London

    Our global HQ is in Canary Wharf, at the heart of London’s financial district. There are over 10,000 colleagues here – a hugely diverse workforce made up of the world’s best financial and tech talent. If you love the buzz of city life, this is the place to be.

    Supporting active commuters

    Cycle or run to work? We’ve got everything you need – from cycle hire and parking areas to new showering and changing facilities.

    Time to connect

    CoSpace is our drop-in co-working space, where networks are built, problems are solved collectively and our community is strengthened.

    Wellbeing in focus

    Our Wellness Suite includes a well-equipped gym and exercise studios, and provides personal training sessions and massage therapy.

    Advanced trading floors

    Our new trading floors enhance communication, integrate sustainability, and support health and wellbeing through innovative design and British-sourced furniture.

    Multicultural ERGs at Barclays

    Be you. Be valued. Belong.

    We celebrate the unique perspectives and experiences each individual brings, believing our differences make us stronger and drive success.

    You can learn more about our commitment to our colleague on our Inclusion and Opportunities page.

    Learn more

    Application Process

    Your application

    We’ll ask for information about you, your CV and cover letter.

    1

    Your assessment

    Covering your behaviours and ability at work.

    2

    Your interview

    Exploring your past experiences and skills.

    3

    Next step

    We’ll request additional information so that you can complete our screening process

    4
    How to ApplyRead our FAQ's
    Barclays

    Working flexibly

    We’re committed to providing a supportive and inclusive culture and environment for you to work in. This environment recognises and supports your personal needs, alongside the professional needs of our business. If you'd like to explore flexible working arrangements, please discuss this with the hiring manager. Your request will be reviewed in-line with the requirements of the role/business needs of the team.

    Hybrid working

    We have a structured approach to hybrid working, where colleagues work at an onsite location on fixed, ‘anchor’, days, as set by the business area. Please discuss the working pattern requirements for the role you are applying for with the hiring manager. Please note that working arrangements may be subject to change on reasonable notice to ensure we meet the needs of our business.

    Barclays is built on an international scale.

    Our geographic reach, our wide variety of functions, businesses, roles and locations reflect the rich diversity of our worldwide customer base. All of which means we offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience.
    And the chance to learn from a globally diverse mix of colleagues, including some of the very best minds in banking, finance, technology and business. Throughout, we’ll encourage you to embrace mobility, exploring every part of our operations as you build your career.

    Find more information

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    Multicultural ERGs at Barclays

    Be you. Be valued. Belong.

    We celebrate the unique perspectives and experiences each individual brings, believing our differences make us stronger and drive success.

    You can learn more about our commitment to our colleague on our Inclusion and Opportunities page.

    Learn more