Associate People Director – Corporate Functions - EMEA

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Job Description:

We are seeking a passionate and strategic Associate People Director who thrives on building high-performing teams, partnering with stakeholders, and fostering an inclusive, engaging culture. This role blends strategic oversight with hands-on involvement to align people strategies with business objectives, ensuring the continued success of the Activision Blizzard operations in EMEA.

Reporting to the Senior People Director, you will serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the AB Go-to-Market (GTM) teams, who drive Franchise Marketing and Communication plans across the region, contributing to an annual revenue of $1.4 billion. Additionally, you will provide support to our AB & King (ABK) Corporate Functions, such as Finance, HR, IT, Information Security, and more.

You will be a collaborative, influential and skilled at navigating a complex matrix organization while balancing the diverse HR needs of various stakeholders. Partnering closely with Center of Excellence (COE) and the broader HR team, you will deliver impactful, results-driven initiatives.

You will work with leaders across ABK to develop and implement people strategies and solutions that align with both short-term priorities and long-term organizational goals. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and enhance the employee experience during a pivotal and dynamic period of change.

To thrive in this position, you must be a people-focused problem solver with exceptional emotional intelligence and integrity. You will bring outstanding attention to detail, a proactive approach, and strong critical thinking skills to drive meaningful outcomes.

What you'll be doing:

• Build trusted relationships with leaders, coaching and supporting them in executing people initiatives
• Translate business strategies into people and organizational priorities, driving cultural and operational transformation
• Serve as a strategic advisor, influencing decisions that align with business goals and people priorities
• Partner with leaders to improve the organization structure and operating model
• Design and execute people strategies including delivery of cyclical activities, learning initiatives, engagement activities and process improvement
• Partner with COEs to leverage expertise in Talent Management, Diversity & Inclusion, and Employee Engagement
• Lead processes such as talent planning, succession planning, workforce planning, performance management including compensation and equity planning 
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to ensure strategic hiring that aligns with business needs and DE&I goals.
• Drive retention strategies and create skilling plans to address development gaps for critical roles.
• Leverage data to inform decisions, shape strategies, and influence stakeholders with compelling storytelling.
• Analyse key people metrics (e.g., attrition, talent gaps) to identify trends and drive actionable solutions.
• Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I), embedding these values across all people strategies.
• Lead organizational development and cultural initiatives, ensuring effective communication and seamless implementation.
• Guide leaders through change management processes to enable smooth transitions and maintain high engagement.
• Lead and participate in other cross-functional projects as needed to improve HR processes, policies, and systems

We’re looking for a highly skilled and motivated HR professional who embodies our values and thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. You will have a blended background of strategic and operational HR skills continuously applied to improve the company’s culture. Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• Strong coaching and advisory skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across all levels of leadership
• Expertise in talent management, workforce planning, organizational design, and change management and can ensure excellence in the execution for all people-related processes
• Proficiency in analysing and interpreting data to drive insights, actions and build a people-centric plan with relevant initiatives
• Strong communication and storytelling skills to effectively convey complex ideas
• Initiative in a fast-moving environment; proactive problem solver, roll-up-one’s-sleeves attitude with courage of conviction and steadfast integrity
• Outstanding project and process management skills with a track record of delivering high-quality results in a complex, dynamic business environment
• Strategic business partnering experience gained from complex, matrixed organizations
• A proactive, hands-on approach balanced with strategic thinking
• A growth mindset and a passion for fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures
• Resilience and adaptability to thrive in a fast-paced, constantly evolving environment
• A team player that values being part of a collaborative and high performing team
• In-depth knowledge of UK employment law

Nice to have

• Experience in digital, entertainment, or technology sectors
• Proven track record in organizational development and talent management at a senior level
• Experience of working in an international diverse environment and a strong understanding of DE&I principles