HR Business Partner (12 month mat cover, 3 days/week)
Burson · Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
About this role
Who we are:
Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.
WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP) is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com
For more information visit bursonglobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
More about the role
We’re looking for an HR Business Partner to join us on a 12-month maternity cover, working 3 days per week, starting end of May / early June.
This is a true HRBP role sitting at the heart of the business supporting Burson, Hawker Britton and Barton Deakin, with strong connection into WPP locally and Burson both regionally and globally.
You’ll operate as a trusted partner to the business, balancing strategic input with hands on delivery, and working closely with leadership to drive people outcomes.
While the role offers strong ownership and autonomy, you’ll be well supported by an HR Coordinator who plays a strong advisory role, supports across all employee and candidate touchpoints, and manages day-to-day recruitment and HR operations, alongside an Office Manager, legal support, L&D resources, and WPP central and regional HR teams.
It’s a dynamic, fast paced environment with smart, high performing teams and a huge amount of exposure and learning.
What you’ll do
- Act as a trusted advisor across all people-related matters
- Drive HR across ER, performance, L&D, reward and engagement
- Support organisational design, workforce planning and change initiatives
- Partner with leaders on hiring strategy and workforce planning, with recruitment delivery supported by the HR Coordinator
- Build capability, engagement and high-performing teams
- Work closely with regional and global teams on broader people initiatives
- Ensure compliance with local employment legislation and HR best practice
Experience that Contributes to Success
- Strong HR generalist experience in a business partnering role
- Experience in a fast-paced, matrixed environment (agency experience a bonus)
- Confidence advising on ER matters and navigating employment legislation (with legal support available)
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders
- Strong relationship building skills and a genuine passion for partnering with the business
- A proactive, solutions focused mindset and strong commercial awareness
If you’re looking for a role where you can own, influence and grow — with flexibility and strong support around you — we’d love to hear from you!
You belong at Burson:
Our vision is for Burson to be the leading ‘academy company’ for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today’s leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success.
At Burson, we’re an agency of learn-it-alls. We recognize that the things we do best, creativity and communications, require a level of nuanced understanding. That’s why it’s imperative for us to hire extraordinarily talented people of all backgrounds and identities. Without that we can’t do the essential work of inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue, cultivating meaningful experiences, and driving innovation and creativity for our partners. Your unique point of view—your talent—is what makes you a #BursonPerson, and it’s how we deliver exceptional results for our clients, together.
We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
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About Burson
Burson is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation. Burson is part of WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP), the creative transformation company. For more information visit bursonglobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram .
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