People & Culture Business Partner (Fixed Term Contract)

People & Culture Business Partner (Fixed Term Contract)

Employment Type: Fixed Term

Location: New York

Work Site Type: Hybrid

Building a Brand starts with a Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. For 30 years, we have utilized three flexible delivery models: Embedded teams, Corporate Campus operations, and a Full-Service Agency.

Managing over 37,000 events & projects annually across 110 countries, FIRST serves 130+ brands, specializing in Fortune 500 companies within the Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Media, and Professional Services sectors. FIRST is part of the broader Encore family of companies. Encore is a global leader in event production and technology.

Consistently recognized for excellence, recent honors include 2026 Chief Marketer Agency of the Year, the Ad Net Zero Award for sustainability, and more.

What You Would Get To Do

The People Partner is responsible for working closely with their aligned group of FIRST Leadership and stakeholders to build organizational and people capability, shaping and implementing effective people activities.

The role has responsibility for advising and influencing decisions on people practices, supporting in the implementation of business strategy through people, and ensuring compliance with legislative requirements and ethics.

Your Contributions

• Act as a credible and trusted partner for stakeholder group
• Discuss and advise on people policies, procedures and lead employee relations cases to successful outcomes, providing a commercial approach within appropriate procedural and legislative guidelines
• Develop structured recommendations and manage their implementation
• Provide support and guidance with change and organizational initiatives, taking lead on people related project workstreams
• Coaching and providing feedback to stakeholders to improve people capability
• Challenge managers and leadership where greater understanding is required or where there are considered to be business risks
• Successfully implement People programs (including performance reviews, salary reviews, succession planning)
• Collaborate effectively with the wider P&C function and disciplines to facilitate the implementation of key people initiatives
• Ensure successful implementation with stakeholder group, gathering and appropriately sharing feedback for continuous improvement
• Deliver a responsive, consistent, and forward-thinking service to stakeholders
• Proactively identify people challenges and develop solutions
• Gather data and insight to support organizational improvements
• Share and discuss people data with leadership to assist in improved decision-making
• Drive a positive employee experience and culture
• Act as an ambassador of FIRST values and culture
• Create positive interactions with employees at every opportunity
• Support in the delivery of engagement initiatives
• Continuous self-development through research and improving knowledge of HR trends, employment legislation, and best practices
• Attendance at appropriate webinars, forums, events
• Research through appropriate websites and networks
• Knowledge sharing with the wider team

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor's Degree Required
• Position requires 5-7 years of experience
• Extensive generalist knowledge of Human Resources
• Employment law knowledge in local region
• Proficiency in using MS Office, Google software, BambooHR
• SHRM-SCP or CIPD Level 5 certification preferred (or equivalent experience)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proven relationship building and influencing skills
• Ability to use data, metrics and evidence to inform and drive decision making
• Resilient multi-tasker
• Application of sound judgment and professionalism
• Maintaining high ethical practices and confidentiality
• No travelling required
• Strong communication skills and empathy for complex issues

United States Residents: The base pay for this position ranges from $95,000 to $110,000.

FIRST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FIRST is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We stand firm: FIRST will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. If any candidate feels that they are unable to meet the requirements of the role, please get in touch to discuss adjustments or other suitable roles.