HR Business Partner (22348)

At the core of Principal Directorate People’s mission is a strong commitment to supporting our colleagues. We aim to attract and recruit individuals with the right skills at the right time, while fostering talent through a proactive and holistic approach to learning spanning functional, cross-functional and general development.

PD People consists of three directorates: People Planning and Talent Management, People Engagement and Development, and People Services and Well-Being.

Our two HR business partner teams sit within Directorate People Engagement and Development, working closely with learning and talent architecture teams to shape development plans that support the organisation’s strategic goals. The directorate’s mission is to promote an inclusive culture of continuous growth, good management practices and staff engagement.

HR Business Partners play a vital role in cultivating a collaborative, knowledgeable and inclusive “one Office” culture. They support organisational change, drive talent mobility and advise on performance management to enhance employee experience and engagement. They also help to ensure that flexible working supports both well-being and performance, while contributing to reskilling initiatives.

We are currently seeking a motivated and collaborative HR Business Partner to join our team and contribute to effective people management across the organisation.

With us you will:

• drive the HR agenda and act as a change agent, ensuring the implementation of HR strategies, policies and guidelines
• act as the HR interface for a specific business area
• counsel and coach leaders within assigned business areas
• translate business needs and challenges into operational HR plans, i.e. talent planning,
• onboarding, talent management, performance development, engagement and well-being, health and absence management, diversity and inclusion, communication and change management
• provide data-based insights to guide decision-making and offer people-oriented solutions
• leverage digital tools and platforms to streamline HR processes and support the transition to a more agile and tech-enabled HR function

Apply if you have:

• relevant professional experience as an HR Business Partner or in a similar role in an international environment
• a deep understanding of key HR areas, in particular the talent management cycle (talent
• development and talent acquisition), as well as learning and development, workforce planning, staff mobility, staff well-being, diversity and inclusion etc.
• experience in helping to develop and deliver fit-for-purpose HR strategies
• experience in actively supporting organisational change and business transformation from an HR perspective
• experience using digital HR tools and platforms to optimise processes, support data-driven decisions and enable agile HR service delivery
• excellent communication skills and the ability to coach, influence and partner at leadership level
• the desire to make a difference in people’s lives and a positive attitude to work
• a proven ability to prioritise, meet deadlines and make the best use of resources
• a practical, can-do attitude to working in a collaborative and dynamic team
• the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while staying calm and clearly focused on objectives
• the ability to handle sensitive information with due regard for confidentiality and the utmost discretion
• a proactive, forward-thinking approach and initiative, combined with a service mindset geared towards providing value-added advice and solutions

Our minimum requirements for this post

• Diploma of completed studies at master’s level or – in exceptional cases – equivalent professional experience
• Generally, an excellent knowledge (at least C1) of one official language (English, French and German) and ability to understand the other two; alternatively, excellent knowledge (at least C1) of at least one official language (in such cases, the willingness to learn the missing language(s) and to reach level B2 within a set time frame would be required)
• Citizenship of one of the member states of the European Patent Organisation

Process

• Candidates are kindly asked to upload an updated CV and outline their motivation in the designated application field (character limit 4000). If so wished, the motivation letter can also be uploaded as a Word or pdf attachment under “Application document” in SuccessFactors. In this case, please indicate in the designated field “Please refer to attached motivation letter”.
• The successful candidate will be selected on the basis of qualifications, competencies, professional experience and language knowledge, supplemented as appropriate by interviews, tests and/or a personality questionnaire.
• A reserve list may be constituted, should more candidates than required at this time be considered suitable following the selection procedure. Such reserve lists are valid for 18 months and reserve list candidates may be contacted, should a vacancy with substantially the same profile arise during that period.

More information on how we recruit can be found on our EPO jobs and careers site.

 

————————————————————————————————————–

 

Key information

Job group: 4

Grade: G7 to G10 (net (basic) monthly salary* for this vacancy: EUR 6 172 to 9 901, depending on experience and location)

Duration of appointment: Five years, with the possibility of extension

Career path: Technical

Location: Office-wide

Application deadline: 29.10.2025

Interviews planned for: 24.11.2025 – 5.12.2025

 

Diversity & Inclusivity:

We believe that diversity is fundamental to our success. Embarking on the journey to empower women in tech isn’t just a mission for us—it’s in our DNA, as part of our strong belief in the value of diversity, equality and inclusion. Almost 6 300 staff from 34 countries are living proof that a successful organisation is one that leverages the diversity of its workforce.

The EPO is shaped by the diversity of personalities, knowledge and cultures within it and our inclusive work environment respects, values and celebrates our individual differences. We provide fair and equal opportunities for all staff, regardless of nationality, belief, sex, origin, health and sexual orientation or identity. Equal pay for women and men has been our practice since we opened our doors in 1977. The EPO has an inclusive work environment and culture and promotes this diversity in all activities, whether conferences, e-learning materials, awareness campaigns, networking or other events.