HR Business Partner

Role Summary Urban Outfitters exists to fuel the next generation of individuality — and the people who build that brand every day at our Philadelphia home office are the creative engine that makes it possible. The HR Business Partner, Urban Outfitters is a key part of the team that ensures that engine runs well: that UO's talent is developed, its leaders are equipped, its employee experience is intentional, and its people strategy is connected to where the brand is going commercially and culturally.This is a trusted people advisor and proactive thought partner to UO managers and directors, connecting the brand to URBN's HR Centers of Excellence and translating business priorities into talent action. This role operates at the intersection of UO's creative brand identity and the people practices that make that identity sustainable at scale.If you are drawn to UO because you believe HR can be as creative, intentional, and culture-forward as the brand itself — this role is for you. Role Responsibilities Strategic Business PartnershipServe as the primary HR advisor to director-level and above leaders across the UO brand — participating in leadership team conversations, bringing a talent lens to business decisions before they are made, and advising on people matters with confidence and appropriate urgencyConnect UO leadership to URBN COE expertise across Compensation, Benefits, L&D, HR Ops, and ER — serving as an informed connector and quality monitor, ensuring COE programs land well for UO's specific populationTalent Development & Performance ManagementLead annual talent calibration and talent mapping sessions with UO leadership, identifying high-potential talent, at-risk talent, succession depth, and critical role gapsDrive adoption and quality of URBN Connects (UO's performance management program with four annual touchpoints: goal-setting, mid-year, year-end, and development planning) — coaching managers on effective performance conversations and holding the program to a high standard of executionCoach managers and directors on leadership effectiveness, team performance, and individual development with specificity and care — not generic HR guidance, but insight grounded in knowledge of the person, the team, and the business contextPartner with the TD and L&D COEs to connect high-potential UO employees to development programs; follow through on nominations, program participation, and post-program development actionsPeople Analytics & Employee ListeningAnalyze workforce data for the UO population — turnover trends, engagement results, talent health indicators, performance distribution — and translate that data into clear, actionable recommendations for UO leadershipDrive UO's participation in the Employee Engagement Survey and Employee Lifecycle Survey; facilitate leadership communication of results and accountability for follow-through on action plansIdentify patterns in people data — recurring ER themes, turnover triggers, engagement gaps by team or function — and surface them to the HR Leadership with supporting analysisEmployee Experience & CultureChampion the UO employee experience across the full lifecycle — from the moment a candidate engages with the brand through onboarding, development, recognition, and transition — ensuring the experience reflects UO's creative, individual, and community-oriented culturePartner with UO leadership on culture-building programming and engagement initiatives that reinforce UO's brand identity and valuesCoordinate with the onboarding logistics and program execution — ensuring that the operational experience (Day 1, I-9, orientation, New to URBN program completion) is seamlessly integrated with the strategic experience (manager introductions, 90-day check-ins, culture immersion)Employee Relations & ComplianceAdvise managers on employee relations matters — performance management processes, disciplinary actions, and separations — ensuring consistency, fairness, and legal compliance across the UO populationPartner with the HR Leadership and Legal on investigations, accommodation requests, and high-risk ER matters; escalate appropriately and follow through to resolutionMaintain working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment law (ADA, FMLA, Title VII, ADEA, FLSA, EEO) as applied to the UO brand populationChange Management & Organization SupportSupport UO leadership on organizational changes — restructures, role redesigns, team transitions — in partnership with the HR Leadership and URBN Shared Services; develop communications, manage stakeholder alignment, and support adoptionPartner with the HR and Talent Leadership on larger brand transformation efforts; own discrete change management workstreams within broader initiativesCreate and review job descriptions when UO is establishing new roles or updating existing ones; ensure alignment with compensation structures and organizational architectureER Case Intake & TriageServing as the first point of contact for all ER matters within the UO brand — routine policy questions, attendance and conduct issues, minor disciplinary situations, and accommodation intake — in addition to the advisory and escalation responsibilities described aboveMaintaining detailed, confidential ER case records; tracking case volume and category trends to surface systemic patterns to the Director, HRBPHR Program Coordination Managing the operational logistics of recurring HR programs for the UO population — URBN Connects cycle reminders and completion tracking, engagement survey response rate monitoring, merit communication follow-through. Role Qualifications Experience6–9 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years in an HR Business Partner role and demonstrated comfort carrying both strategic and operational HR responsibilities — this role requires fluency at both levels during a defined transition periodExperience in retail, fashion, lifestyle brand, or consumer-facing creative industry strongly preferred — demonstrated understanding of how brand culture, seasonal rhythms, and consumer identity shape people strategyTrack record of building credible, trusted relationships with senior leaders and influencing outcomes without direct authorityDemonstrated experience using people data and HRIS analytics to support business conversations — comfortable building reports, spotting trends, and presenting workforce insights to non-HR audiencesExperience independently managing ER case intake and documentation, onboarding program stewardship, and HR program coordination — not just supporting these areas, but owning them end-to-end alongside strategic partnership responsibilitiesExperience supporting talent calibration, succession planning, performance management delivery, and competency or career framework design in a complex, multi-stakeholder environmentKnowledge & SkillsSolid working knowledge of talent management: performance management, talent calibration, development planning, succession, and competency framework designWorking knowledge of compensation principles sufficient to partner effectively with the URBN Compensation COE on merit, bonus, and equity decisionsWorking knowledge of federal, state, and local employment law (ADA, FMLA, Title VII, ADEA, FLSA, EEO) — applied both to strategic ER advising and to operational compliance documentationProficiency with HRIS platforms (UKG or equivalent): comfortable with standard transaction processing (job changes, status updates, reporting) and analytics reporting (dashboards, workforce trends, program completion tracking)Strong written and verbal communication: able to communicate clearly to non-HR audiences, write legally defensible ER documentation, present workforce insights to brand leadership, and design employee-facing program materialsChange management skills: ability to develop communications, manage stakeholder alignment, and support employee adoption through structured transitionsCoaching skills: demonstrated ability to coach managers and directors on leadership effectiveness, team performance, and people decisions with specificity and appropriate challengeOperational discipline: demonstrated ability to manage a high volume of concurrent HR tasks — onboarding, ER cases, program logistics, data reporting — without letting operational volume crowd out strategic partnership capacity The Perks URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit EEO Statement URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees. Job SummaryJob Family: Human ResourcesEmployee Type: RegularPosition Type: Full-Time