Associate People Partner

The Associate People Partner will provide comprehensive HR support to a diverse and growing global workforce. This role is pivotal in advancing QS's people strategy by driving engagement, fostering strong employee relationships, and supporting business leaders across multiple regions. This hybrid role in Bangalore involves hands-on transactional and operational activities, ensuring consistent employee experience aligned with global policies and local needs. Key responsibilities include performance management, leadership development, employee wellbeing, and contributing to a high-performance culture across the employee lifecycle.

Must Have

• Provide support and guidance to managers and employees on people-related matters.
• Facilitate advanced training sessions designed to enhance managerial capabilities.
• Lead initiatives to boost employee engagement and foster a positive work environment.
• Design and execute workshops, team-building events, and cultural initiatives.
• Champion QS’s employer brand by identifying opportunities for external recognition.
• Provide support in managing employee relations issues, including disciplinary actions, grievances, sickness absence, and redundancies.
• Lead the end-to-end performance management cycle.
• Collaborate with hiring managers and recruitment teams for seamless onboarding.
• Support the payroll process by working closely with the payroll provider.
• Partner with external coaches and training providers to deliver tailored development programs.
• Play an active role in strategic HR projects, including process improvements and change management.
• Ensure seamless execution of all HR administrative processes.
• Work alongside senior people team members to ensure policies are up to date and compliant.
• Contribute to ad-hoc projects or tasks as needed.

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Access to an annual bonus scheme (for qualifying roles only)
• 21 days annual leave – increasing to 23 days after 5 years’ service
• 8 days casual leave
• 14 days holiday for the year 2025
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Access to Provident Fund and Pension Fund Scheme
• Group Medical Insurance
• Vibrant social environment and multicultural and multinational culture
• Free subscription to the Calm App
• Focus on welfare led by global wellness team, with mental health first aiders globally
• Access to a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives and groups
• Strong recognition and reward programs (peer-to-peer recognition platform, quarterly and annual QS Applaud Awards, Connect with your Career annual personal development event)
• Support for volunteering and study leave
• Free subscription to LinkedIn learning
• Options to join our outstanding global Mentorship programme

Associate People Partner

Bengaluru (Hybrid)

Role: Associate People Partner

Location: Bangalore

Job type: Full time, Permanent

This position offers a hybrid work model, allowing flexibility between working from home and our office.

Typically, employees are expected to work 2 days in the office per week.

Why QS?

At QS, we believe that work should empower you. That’s why we foster a flexible working environment that encourages every employee to own their career whilst flourishing personally and professionally. Our company values underpin everything we do – we collaborate, respect and support each other.

It’s our mission to empower motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential through higher education, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that change lives.

Our diversity makes us stronger. By sharing our experiences, we learn from one another and achieve more together, driving progress across the sector.

At QS, you’ll be responsible for implementing real change in the international higher education landscape. You’ll take on meaningful challenges that see a positive impact across the business and the wider sector.

We’re confident you’ll feel right at home here. QS was named as one of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® in the UK (October 2023), recognising the respect, trust and appreciation that drive our culture every day. And as a gold-accredited Investors in People organisation – putting us among the top 28% of workplaces globally – it’s official: QS is a place where everyone can thrive.

The role:

The Associate People Partner will serve as a trusted advisor, providing comprehensive People support to a diverse and growing global workforce. This role is pivotal in advancing QS's people strategy by driving engagement, fostering strong employee relationships, and supporting business leaders across multiple regions. You will play an integral part in delivering people initiatives that align with organisational objectives while elevating the employee experience across all stages of the employee lifecycle.

The role will be responsible for hands-on transactional and operational activities, working closely with local People team representatives based across our global offices, to implement a consistent employee experience across QS. This includes ensuring alignment with global People policies and practices, while also addressing local nuances and needs. With a focus on creating a consistent, people-first approach to HR, this role is designed to empower both employees and managers by offering guidance on performance management, leadership development, and employee wellbeing. The Associate People Partner will drive collaboration, act as a strategic partner to business units, and contribute to the development of a high-performance culture through expert People advisory.

Role responsibilities:

People Support and Advisory: Provide support and guidance to managers and employees on a range of people-related matters. You will help ensure that people’s practices are aligned with the business, offering assistance in areas such as performance management, employee engagement, and career development. Build strong working relationships with employees to create a positive, supportive working environment.

Leadership Development: Facilitate advanced training sessions designed to enhance managerial capabilities, focusing on leadership development, performance management, and building a high-performance culture. Empower managers with the tools and knowledge needed to effectively lead teams and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement.

Employee Experience and Engagement: Lead initiatives to boost employee engagement and foster a positive work environment. You will take the lead in developing programs that support employee wellbeing and organisational health, collaborating with cross-functional teams to implement solutions that create a cohesive and productive workforce.

Workplace Culture and Collaboration: Design and execute workshops, team-building events, and cultural initiatives that strengthen collaboration and promote an agile working environment. You will create opportunities for employees to connect, collaborate, and thrive, driving a workplace culture that supports innovation and team cohesion.

Employer Branding and Recognition: Champion QS’s employer brand by identifying opportunities for external recognition, including helping to submit applications for relevant awards and fostering a workplace reputation that attracts top talent.

Employee Relations and Conflict Resolution: Provide support in managing employee relations issues, including handling disciplinary actions, grievances, sickness absence, and redundancies. Work closely with People leads and managers to ensure these matters are handled fairly, following company policies and local legal requirements.

Performance Management: Lead the end-to-end performance management cycle, including probation reviews, annual appraisals, objective setting, and performance improvement plans. Work closely with managers to coach and guide them in building a high-performance culture that aligns with QS’s long-term goals, ensuring that performance outcomes are transparent, actionable, and effectively communicated.

Onboarding and Offboarding Excellence: Collaborate with hiring managers and recruitment teams to ensure a seamless onboarding process for new hires, providing them with the necessary resources to succeed from day one. Facilitate onboarding sessions for new employees, addressing their questions and providing support to ensure a smooth transition into the organisation. Additionally, oversee the offboarding process, including conducting exit interviews to gain valuable insights, maintaining accurate documentation, and driving continuous improvement in retention and talent management strategies.

Payroll Management: Support the payroll process by working closely with the payroll provider to review reports, ensure data accuracy, and ensure timely and compliant payroll processing. Liaise with external providers to ensure fair, competitive, and compliant compensation packages for all employees, maintaining up-to-date and accurate records in line with regulatory requirements. You will also support the documentation of payroll processes, and work with the Head of People where a new payroll provider or technology is required.

Employee Development and Training: Partner with external coaches and training providers to deliver tailored development programs that align with employee needs and organisational goals. Lead internal training sessions on HR related topics, including diversity and inclusion, leadership, and compliance.

HR Projects and Change Management: Play an active role in strategic HR projects, including process improvements, employee experience initiatives, and organisational change. Support business transformation efforts by contributing to change management strategies and ensuring smooth transitions.

HR Administration and Compliance: Ensure seamless execution of all HR administrative processes, including employee record updates, HRDC grant applications for training and development, and maintaining data integrity. Oversee the completion of formal documentation such as employment contracts, changes to terms and conditions, promotions, salary increases, department transfer and compliance-related paperwork to ensure transparency and regulatory adherence.

Policy and Legal Compliance: Work alongside senior people team members to ensure that policies are up to date and compliant with local employment laws. Help communicate policy changes to employees and assist with ensuring adherence to legal standards.

Additional Responsibilities: While the core focus of this role will be on supporting day-to-day People activities, you may also be asked to contribute to ad-hoc projects or tasks as needed. This will provide valuable exposure to a variety of People functions and will allow you to develop a broader skill set. Your flexibility and willingness to take on diverse responsibilities will be essential in supporting the broader goals of the People team and ensuring the smooth operation of people-related initiatives across the organization.

Key skills and experience:

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: 2-4 years of generalist HR experience, with a proven track record in employee relations, performance management, and supporting HR initiatives at a strategic level.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of HRIS systems, payroll management, and compliance frameworks.
• Strategic Thinking: Demonstrated ability to align People initiatives with business strategies.
• Cultural Dexterity: Experience working across diverse teams and adapting to regional and cultural nuances.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication, with the ability to influence stakeholders effectively.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Analytical mindset with the ability to address complex challenges and provide actionable solutions.
• Flexibility: Adapt to dynamic organisational needs.
• Language Skills: Fluency in English.

So, who are we and what do we do?

QS is the world leader in higher education services, analytics, insights and intelligence. From consultancy to student mobility, academic partnerships to branding solutions, our services power both institutional and individual success.

We’re behind the world’s most widely read university rankings (Meltwater 2023). Our QS World University Rankings® reach hundreds of millions, shaping decisions and guiding futures.

Since launching in 1990, our impact and influence have only grown. Today, we work with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions, over 12,000 employers, and governments seeking change and socioeconomic development through higher education.

Join QS and you’ll join an 800-strong community of problem-solvers, creators, collaborators and change-makers based in 40+ countries and 11 international offices, including Australia, Malaysia, India, Romania, Singapore, France, Germany, the USA and our headquarters in London.

With every talented new hire, business acquisition and bold initiative, we’re strengthening our reach and delivering even greater value to institutions and learners worldwide. Are you ready to shape the future of higher education?

We take investing in our people very seriously.

As standard you will have:

• Competitive base salary
• Access to an annual bonus scheme (for qualifying roles only)
• 21 days annual leave – increasing to 23 days after 5 years’ service + 8 days casual leave
• 14 days holiday for the year 2025
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Access to Provident Fund and Pension Fund Scheme
• Group Medical Insurance
• A vibrant social environment and multicultural and multinational culture

But that’s not all. Outside of these standard benefits we also offer resources to allow professional growth and wellness initiatives to nurture a healthy mindset:

• Free subscription to the Calm App – the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation
• A focus on welfare which is led by our global wellness team, with mental health first aiders globally
• Access to a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives and groups
• Strong recognition and reward programs – including a peer-to-peer recognition platform, quarterly and annual QS Applaud Awards, Connect with your Career annual personal development event
• Support for volunteering and study leave
• Free subscription to LinkedIn learning – with over 5,000 courses and programmes at your fingertips
• Options to join our outstanding global Mentorship programme

Like what you’ve heard? Great, apply now!

As a candidate, we know the application and interview process can be daunting and so it’s important that you have a great experience with us. Our dedicated Talent Team will work hard to ensure you are fully informed at all stages and you are really excited by this opportunity to do meaningful work in the education space.

Equal opportunities

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is proud to be a fair and equal organisation where everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their full potential, irrespective of their background or personal attributes. We celebrate our diversity and believe through sharing our experiences we can learn from one another, be stronger together, and enable our business to thrive.