HRBP Operating Levels

LEVEL 1 – Delivery

• Solves day to day problems, follow the business conversations

• Makes use of all available resources and drives own performance.

• Usually gets work from more senior HR professionals who have agreed what needs to be delivered.

• Focus here and now

• Is involved in the day to day execution of tasks to achieve a predetermined outcome or benefit within a single team, entity or customer project.

• Uses existing knowledge of the technical area to overcome routine obstacles.

• Works effectively with the business team to ensure delivery.

• Works with 1st and 2nd line managers

LEVEL 2 – Senior

• Solves a range of challenging issues and contributes to the business conversations

• Plans ahead seeking improvement on how resources are utilised

• Delivers improvement

• Usually partners senior leadership teams and reports to Strategic HRBP/HRD level

• Focus – 12 months ahead (usually focused on one domain only)

• Thinks beyond own work and sees where synergies (opportunities to collaborate) can be combined to achieve a wider benefit.

• Uses experience to anticipate and mitigate problems within the job.

• Works interactively with stakeholders to enhance understanding of problems and create new solutions relevant for that area.

• The HRBP operates in a role that spans multiple teams. Their work involves coordination, collaboration, or oversight of interconnected teams rather than focusing solely on one team.

• Shares information for the benefit of others

• Adapts effectively to undertaking technical tasks in similar environments.

LEVEL 3 – D/Strategic

• Solves complex issues and shapes future thinking by leading the business conversation

• Drives a step change and makes use of resources to manage fluctuating demands.

• Usually a director level or strategic HRBP and works with senior leadership teams.

• Usually reports to the HRBP VP level

• Focus – 1-3 years ahead (well connected across the organisation

• Anticipates the needs of the customer by proactively designing interventions and implementing solutions that have a significant impact across the business in the medium term.

• Uses an in-depth and current knowledge of the technical area (models, frameworks and thought leadership) and combines this with an understanding of the business landscape using data and insights.

• Mobilises business and HR teams to ensure the plans can be enacted and that their insights enhance the solution.

• Understands multifaceted problems and how they may manifest in multiple forms across different operating conditions.

• Solutions become applicable and adaptable in multiple customer environments.

• Uses a range of experiences gained from different industries.

LEVEL 4 – VP Creates new opportunities and sets the strategy to transform performance, think fundamental shift Usually part of an Executive Board and partners CEOs and COOs Usually reports to the CEO Focus – 5+ years ahead (can create legacy and set the tone of the climate (how it feels to work here) and culture (this is the way work here))

1. Leads in the proactive identification and execution of complex people topics, spanning multiple Business entities, countries and industries.

2. Set the agenda for the technical or specialised area to realises game changing business benefits over the long term (for example compensation strategy)

3. Creates new paradigms (set of concepts) and thinking on the technical topic to gain synergies across industries (for example new ways of working, employee value proposition, going fully remote, business cases and exec sponsorship etc)