This occupational standard is a revision of the L5 HR Consultant Partner and was renamed People Professional as part of the revision process. The People Professional was approved for delivery of new starts on 28th September 2023 and the HR Consultant Partner was retired for new starts on 27th September 2023 (there should not be any starts on the retired standard from that date). All individuals currently on the L5 HR Consultant Partner will complete this apprenticeship.
This role can be found in organisations of any size, in any sector. In smaller organisations, this type of role is likely to have a broader remit. People Professionals play a key role in supporting the business to meet its strategic objectives by driving forward the People agenda. People Professionals are responsible for various activities from attracting, recruiting, developing, and retaining talent, managing payroll and benefits, supporting positive employee relations, and ensuring compliance with employment law.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to support the business to meet its objectives through the people agenda and relative initiatives. People expertise will be used to provide advice, views, and challenge to the business, enabling the role to be involved in a wide range of projects and tasks.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation will give specific advice and coaching on the interpretation of applicable policies and employment law to the business. They will also support on people related elements of business projects. They will work with stakeholders inside the People function, internal stakeholders, and external stakeholders as appropriate.
An employee in this role will interact with various roles at differing levels of the organisation from within HR to other business areas. The ability to communicate, influence and negotiate is key whilst adopting evidence-based decision making.
An employee in this occupation could be responsible for supporting the business to deliver their objectives through development of a people plan. Making recommendations on what the business can or should do in specific situations. Supporting manager and leaders to implement their people strategies. Using data to provide insights into people trends and issues and creating solutions to deal with them. Maintaining knowledge of both internal and external environment and how this impacts role. Contributing to the review, design and update of any people policies and processes ensuring they are in line with legislative requirements. Keeping up to date with emerging thinking and people trends.
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 1 Implement people strategies and equality objectives for the business. |
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Duty 2 Address people issues within your area of work, managing risks and creating innovative solutions. |
K3 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 |
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Duty 3 Develop and implement annual people plans and projects. Align to business and people strategies ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. |
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Duty 4 Maintain up to date people policies, ensuring developments in people practice are embedded. |
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Duty 5 Make and present evidence-based decisions for people solutions, drawing on and carrying out relevant research and utilising benchmarking data. |
K6 K9 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 |
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Duty 6 Provide advice, guidance, and training to the business on people related issues in line with business policies and employment law. |
K2 K4 K5 K6 K7 K9 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K17 K18 K19 K21 |
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Duty 7 Develop and maintain inclusive relationships with internal stakeholders to influence and support their people requirements. |
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Duty 8 Contribute to workforce design and succession planning, identifying future trends and issues across the organisation. |
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Duty 9 Contribute to the ongoing success and growth to their organisation by providing insight on people related issues. |
K3 K6 K7 K9 K12 K13 K14 K15 K17 K18 |
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Duty 10 Evaluate impact of people policies and procedures on the organisation, its culture, and its people. |
K1 K4 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K19 K20 K22 |
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Duty 11 Lead people development such as talent management, coaching and mentoring arrangements, for their organisation. |
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Duty 12 Support the improvement of the agility and productivity of workforces and organisations, to enable innovation and collaborative working using technology. |
K1 K2 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K19 K20 K21 K22 |
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Duty 13 Enable the 3 pillars of sustainability (Economy, Society and Environment) and social value. |
K1: Internal and external sources of data for people management.
Back to Duty
K2: People systems and how they are utilised for business value.
Back to Duty
K3: People operating models and theories for different business types. e.g., small or large, private or public.
Back to Duty
K4: Functions within the people profession, and how each deliver for the business.
Back to Duty
K5: Business aims and objectives, and how their work contributes to them.
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K6: Evolution of the people professional industry and the current role.
Back to Duty
K7: Sources of specialist HR expertise and or guidance for people issues including ethics.
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K8: Regulatory requirements such as data protection, confidentiality, data management, for the handling and processing of data, and its application.
Back to Duty
K9: Employment legislation and policies.
Back to Duty
K10: Problem solving, and decision-making techniques.
Back to Duty
K11: Project management practices, and techniques.
Back to Duty
K12: Emerging digital trends, and how these can be embedded in people practice.
Back to Duty
K13: Commercial and budgetary implications of people management.
Back to Duty
K14: Commercial awareness of the business, and the external environment which it operates within.
Back to Duty
K15: Prioritisation tools and techniques e.g., priority matrix.
Back to Duty
K16: Internal and external sources of data for benchmarking.
Back to Duty
K17: Negotiation and influencing models and techniques.
Back to Duty
K18: Communication techniques for interacting with stakeholders including appropriate presentation techniques.
Back to Duty
K19: Approaches and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Back to Duty
K20: Approaches to employee wellbeing.
Back to Duty
K21: Data analysis techniques.
Back to Duty
K22: Current practices and developments in the sector in achieving sustainable people operations.
Back to Duty
S1: Communicate information through appropriate channels to enable key stakeholders to understand what is required.
Back to Duty
S2: Build and manage multiple and diverse stakeholder's relationships.
Back to Duty
S3: Advise on application of policy, regulation, and law for HR issues.
Back to Duty
S4: Use data and metrics to mitigate areas of risk and highlight opportunities.
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S5: Negotiate with and influence stakeholders to support achievement of business and organisation objectives.
Back to Duty
S6: Present insight and conclusions on workforce issues or people process failures.
Back to Duty
S7: Enable stakeholders to deliver people solutions. e.g., through negotiation, providing guidance.
Back to Duty
S8: Lead and improve people capability within the business.
Back to Duty
S9: Manage and deliver people related business and change projects.
Back to Duty
S10: Handle and process people data according to legislative requirements.
Back to Duty
S11: Embed organisational people policy to promote a diverse and inclusive culture with stakeholders.
Back to Duty
S12: Analyse financial implications of people solutions ensuring value for money.
Back to Duty
S13: Support the delivery of people strategies using technology and innovation in accordance with regulations and policies.
Back to Duty
S14: Make decisions on people policy and issues raised, escalating concerns outside own area of responsibility.
Back to Duty
S15: Use prioritisation tools e.g., priority matrix to manage workload, and deliver against business objectives.
Back to Duty
S16: Challenge matters which conflict with ethical values or legislation.
Back to Duty
S17: Contribute to the development of people policies and procedures or people initiatives.
Back to Duty
S18: Interpret people and management data, from both internal and external sources to identify trends.
Back to Duty
S19: Educate and support stakeholders to deal with wellbeing issues.
Back to Duty
S20: Benchmark to improve people policies and procedures, or people initiatives.
Back to Duty
B1: Motivated and resilient to challenging situations.
Back to Duty
B2: Work flexibly and adapts to circumstances.
Back to Duty
B3: Seek learning opportunities and continuous professional development, incorporating them into their work.
Back to Duty
B4: Act in a professional manner with integrity.
Back to Duty
B5: Work collaboratively with others across the organisation and external stakeholders.
Back to Duty
B6: Take personal responsibility for and promote sustainable working practices.
Back to Duty
B7: Encourage a diverse and inclusive culture.
Back to Duty
B8: Takes personal responsibility for and promotes wellbeing.
Back to Duty
B9: Role model ethical behaviour, and practices, and challenge decisions, and actions that are not ethical.
Back to Duty
English and maths qualifications must be completed in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 | Occupational standard, end-point assessment plan and funding band revised. | 28/09/2023 | Not set |
| 1.2 | Standard revised | 07/03/2023 | 27/09/2023 |
| 1.1 | The funding band for this standard has been reviewed as part of the apprenticeship funding band review. The new funding band is £7000. Typical duration changed from 36 months to 19 months on 30/05/2022 | 05/07/2019 | 06/03/2023 |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 18/08/2017 | 04/07/2019 |
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