IT STARTS HERE
Santander (www.santander.com) is evolving from a global, high-impact brand into a technology-driven organisation, and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible.
This is more than a strategic shift. It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference.
Our mission is to contribute to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture and all our professionals at all levels are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management.
THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE
The People & Culture division is looking for a Strategic Value Partner based out of Milton Keynes (with some time spent in Triton Square).
As a Strategic Value Partner, you will partner with the CEO of CCB (Corporate & Commercial Business) and their leadership team, aligning people strategy with business objectives. You will drive strategic initiatives across talent management, organisational design, culture, transformation and leadership development, ensuring a high performing, engaged and agile workforce.
We’re shaping the way we work through innovation, cutting-edge technology, collaboration and the freedom to explore new ideas.
You will work closely with your stakeholders to build a deep understanding of the business goals and priorities and be the interface between the business and People & Culture to ensure our people strategies support these goals. Your core accountabilities would include:
Commerciality: Develop a deep understanding of the key strategic business goals and challenges, including the commercial and people levers that influence them
Stakeholder Skills: Coach and influence ExCo/Senior Leaders to develop leadership capability, relationships among teams as well as deliver effective performance feedback aligned to high performance culture
Culture Coach: Coach and influence leaders to role model and embed the TEAMS behaviours and leadership expectations
Talent Management: Collaborate with senior leadership to construct, develop and implement a strategic talent approach that aligns with the SWP strategy and strategic blueprint to ensure we attract, develop and retain talent with a clear focus on succession planning
Change & Transformation – Provide strategic advice and counsel to the business to identify, shape and embed change and transformation activity aligned to SWP
Cross Collaboration: Work closely with CoEs (Talent, Culture & Reward) and the Solutions pool to prioritise and implement strategies across the business that align with workforce planning and the Strategic Blueprint including implementing Global initiatives
External Awareness: Horizon scan, review and benchmark internal and external environments to identify new opportunities for HR and the business.
Data Driven: Analyse workforce trends using HR MI / data to forecast future people related requirements to support senior leaders in workforce planning and succession management, and to ensure successful people outcomes are tracked and measured
Employee Engagement: Leverage engagement outputs to identify key actions and priorities to positively influence the ongoing improvement of cultural shifts such as engagement, DEI and wellbeing through people priorities, leveraging the thought leadership of the Culture AOE, and identifying associated solutions as required
Business Advocate: Act as the voice of the customer across P&C, building knowledge and understanding of business priorities and drivers, to ensure products and services are fit for purpose
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
Our people are our greatest strength. Every individual contributes unique perspectives that make us stronger as a team and as an organisation. We’re enabling teams to go beyond by valuing who they are and empowering what they bring.
The following requirements represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential for success in this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Solid Business Partnering experience, with a strong level of technical HR depth (required)
Significant experience in Financial Services, ideally in Corporate Banking (required)
Proven ability to influence at ExCo level and manage complex stakeholder environments (required)
Analytical mindset with experience using data to inform decisions (required)
Excellent communication, coaching and relationship building skills (required)
Comfortable with ambiguity and adaptability, with the ability to easily adjust or change working style. (required)
Customer obsessed, with a passion for solving problems to help make our customers better happen (required)
It would also be nice for you to have:
Experience of working with a corporate and commercial business (preferred)
Experience of strategic workforce planning, and implementing agile ways of working (preferred)
Experience working in a large scale, global, matrix organisation (preferred)
WE VALUE YOUR IMPACT
At Santander, your contribution matters. We recognise the difference you make every day, and we make sure you feel valued, supported and rewarded in return.
Here, recognition goes beyond pay. It’s about the pride you feel in your work, the impact you have on customers and communities, and the opportunities you have to grow and thrive — personally and professionally.
30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, which increases to 31 days after 5yrs service, with the option to purchase up to 5 contractual days per year
£6,000 car allowance per year
Company funded individual private medical insurance
Protection for you and your family, with company-funded death-in-service benefit and income protection insurance, and the option to take advantage of discounted rates for additional life assurance and critical illness cover.
Share in Santander’s success by saving or investing in our share plans.
As a Santander UK employee, you are able to request staff versions of our products like our Edge Current Accounts and Credit Cards with no fees, as well as apply to many other deals and discounts in Santander products and services
Competitive rewards that reflect the real impact you make and the value you bring.
Wellbeing that goes beyond work — we work with a range of wellbeing partners across our 4 pillars of wellbeing (physical, mental, social and financial) to give you access to a suite of apps, discounted gym and fitness access, weekly online classes, flexible healthcare and mental health support.
Support for every life stage — from menopause and pregnancy to parenthood and beyond, with enhanced family leave, childcare options and tailored wellbeing support.
Time to give back through volunteering opportunities that let you make a difference in the communities we serve.
Global growth opportunities to shape your career, learn new skills and explore what’s possible across our international network.
Competitive rewards that reflect the real impact you make and the value you bring.
Wellbeing that goes beyond work — we work with a range of wellbeing partners across our 4 pillars of wellbeing (physical, mental, social and financial) to give you access to a suite of apps, discounted gym and fitness access, weekly online classes, flexible healthcare and mental health support.
Support for every life stage — from menopause and pregnancy to parenthood and beyond, with enhanced family leave, childcare options and tailored wellbeing support.
Time to give back through volunteering opportunities that let you make a difference in the communities we serve.
Global growth opportunities to shape your career, learn new skills and explore what’s possible across our international network.
Ready to be recognised? It starts with you.
LOCAL COMPLIANCE
At Santander, we’re proud to be an inclusive organisation that provides equal opportunities for everyone — regardless of age, gender, disability, civil status, race, religion or sexual orientation.
We’re committed to creating a recruitment experience that’s accessible, fair and welcoming for all candidates.
We want our people to thrive — at work and at home — while delivering the best outcomes for our customers and supporting each other to grow.
To make this possible, our roles are site-based with a hybrid working pattern, where colleagues are expected to attend the office at least 12 days per month (pro-rata for part-time roles).
When applying, please consider the travel distance, time and cost to your chosen office location.
Right to work in the UK
Every individual must have the right to work in the UK to commence employment with Santander either by way of nationality, visa or work permit. If you do require a working visa / permit this will not influence our decision on whether to progress your application. However, if you do not have a right to work, or an application for a working visa / permit is unsuccessful, Santander will not proceed with your application and will withdraw any conditional offer previously made.
We welcome applications on the understanding that, should you be offered this role, there may be no relocation package available. Santander will pay the employer mandatory government fees that are required to pay in connection with visa sponsorship. You may be liable for your own personal employee immigration and relocation costs.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If this sounds like a role you are interested in, then please apply.
If there’s anything we can do in the recruitment process to help you achieve your best, get in touch. Whether it’s a copy of our application form in another format or additional assistance, we’re available through email. You can contact us at resourcing@santander.co.uk.