HR Business Partner - UK - Retail

UNIQLO is a leading brand of the Fast Retailing Group, one of the largest apparel retailers in the world. UNIQLO respects the individuality and lifestyle of all customers and takes pride in creating high quality, long-lasting, innovative clothing at an affordable price. 
 

We are currently recruiting for an HR Business Partner to join our UK HR team, based in the London office. You will be reporting into the Head of HR for UK, working closely with local Store Operations, Talent Acquisition, Learning and Development (FRMIC) and Sustainability to shape and align the local strategy for your stores.  
 

This is a great opportunity for an experienced retail HR generalist who enjoys balancing operational, tactical and strategic priorities. We are looking for someone with strong business acumen, broad HR knowledge and the confidence to build trusted relationships with Store and Area Managers, providing practical support across a wide range of people matters. 
 

The successful applicant will bring a hands-on approach, sound HR judgement and a continuous improvement mindset to help shape fair, consistent and effective people solutions for our stores. The role follows a hybrid working pattern, with an expected balance of one day per week in our London office, two days working from home, and two days working regionally across our stores. Working as part of our wider EU HR team, this role will also offer you the opportunity to collaborate with our EU regional departments. 
 

What you will be responsible for:  
 
Organisational Transformation & Development 

• Collaborating with key stakeholders in Store Operations and our EU HQ to leverage capabilities and drive local projects linked to the annual engagement survey. 

• Striving to make improvements to processes and tools to support business operations, especially stores. Supporting our business in its digital transformation. 

• Analysing working conditions for store employees to ensure good work environments, management culture, physical activities, shift patterns, accessibility to support including mental health and wellbeing resources. 

• Developing strategies that will maximise employee engagement and motivation. 
   

HR Advisory & Employee Relations  

• Providing hands-on employee relations support across your store region, advising managers on disciplinary, grievance, absence, performance and investigation processes, ensuring fair, consistent and legally compliant outcomes. 

• Leading external employee relation matters for your area, including external legal representation and any employee representative bodies. 

• Ensuring HR operational excellence is delivered to all stores while always improving ways of working via regular store visits across the region. 

• Working with the UK Head of HR to roll out strategic initiatives that support the whole employee cycle and best experience from attracting to offboarding. 

• Conducting HR risk management - ensuring correct governance is created and maintained for all people areas, supported by relevant regulations, tools and training. This includes correct governance of all compensation, benefits and employee relations matters, HR data management processes. 

• Leading external employee relation matters for your area, including external legal representation and any employee representative bodies. 
   

Payroll & HR Analytics 

• Utilising data and insights to make relevant business decisions. 

• Working with the Senior HR Manager to ensure that compensation and benefit policies remain attractive and competitive based on market benchmark. 

• Regular evaluations of processes and procedures to ensure maximum efficiency within all levels of the business including system utilisation, automation, and necessary skills development. 

• Redefining our standards in key processes such as hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, career development etc. 
   

Learning & Development 

• Working with the L&D team to agree initiatives to drive culture, values, self-leadership and overall leadership across the organisation. 

• Identifying, developing, and nurturing future talent and business leaders in our stores based on expansion plans. 

• Developing and supporting current Talent Management and workforce planning strategies. 
   

Recruitment 

• Managing new store recruiting projects together with the Store Operations team. 

• Discussing and collecting hiring plans from stores, and build up accurate recruitment calendar. 

• Supporting the implementation of recruitment processes and tools in the business, and coaching store managers. 

• Working with the Talent Acquisition team to support UMC recruitment programme at local level. 

Skills, Experience and Attributes:  

• Professional qualifications we are looking for; CIPD qualifications, degree in behavioural science, psychology, business administration, HR or similar. 

• Established work experience driving a holistic HR agenda with a broad knowledge of HR processes connected to Leadership, People and Talent, Performance, D&I, Compensation & Benefits, Competence Management etc. 

• Experience embracing and leading change, preferably in a cross-cultural environment. 

• Proven coaching and motivational skills ensuring management stakeholder engagement in order to support organisation change. 

• Business experience with a clear understanding of the critical link between HR and the business strategy. 

Who you are: 

• You are a relationship builder with the ability to gain trust and establish respect and credibility across multiple teams. 

• You easily create your own structure where it’s not given to you, you can keep a deadline as well as easily prioritise your day when needed. 

• You can work across multiple cultures and leverage diverse skills, experiences and feedback from all of those you work with. 

• You enjoy the balance and mix between operational, tactical and strategic focus, and the diversity of topics that this creates. 

• You show a keen interest in understanding the business you work in, its opportunities and challenges, and you enjoy driving continuous improvements. 

• You have a personal leadership style in line with the UNIQLO values. 

• You have a positive mindset with a “can-do” attitude. 

• You have an unquestionable integrity. 

What we offer 

• 26 days holiday + 8 bank holiday 

• 30% staff Discount  

• Employee Assistance Programme 

• Private Pension Scheme 

• Performance-based bonus scheme 

• Complimentary tea and coffee 

• Hybrid working model: 2 days remote, 3 days office-based 

• Social events throughout the year 

• Seasonal sample sales 

• Volunteer Day – twice a year 

• Prime location near Piccadilly and Oxford Street stations with easy access to shops, restaurants 

Commitment to Inclusion and Data Protection   

UNIQLO is an inclusive employer, and welcomes applications from all backgrounds regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or other characteristics.   

We are dedicated to safeguarding your privacy and personal information; please refer to our privacy policy for details on our recruitment process.