HR Business Partners - Elena's story

Hi, my name is Elena, and I am a Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) at the Home Office. We’re currently advertising vacancies in this role, details below, so I want to tell you a bit about my experience of working in it.?

I was recently permanently appointed to the role following a period of temporary promotion as a HRBP for Immigration Enforcement and Border Force. Prior to my current role, I spent ten years of my career in the private sector as a Reward Advisor, working for a number of well-known management consulting firms, helping global pharmaceutical companies with their compensation challenges. Whilst I enjoyed travelling the world and working with talented colleagues, the culture and values of private organisations weren’t for me.???

In 2018 I decided to embrace the fantastic world of the Civil Service, joining the Home Office Reward Team. I’ve never looked back.

I found the most supportive and inclusive colleagues I could have ever hoped for. I consider myself proud to work in such a brilliant and forward-looking organisation that strongly supports continuous development, encourages people to successfully apply for promotion opportunities, and is committed to employee wellbeing.

I hold a degree in Foreign Languages and Literature and a Masters in HR Management. I have always been interested in human studies and am fascinated by people interactions. From an early age, it was clear my strengths were on letters rather than numbers. Believe it or not, I spoke my first word when I was only three months old!

Progressing a career in Reward wasn’t enabling me to achieve my full potential because I wasn’t passionate and motivated enough to develop my career in this field. I was looking for a challenging and broader generalist HR role where I could advise and influence stakeholders on a wide range of people priorities. Both of my temporary HRBP opportunities made me realise that this was, without a doubt, the perfect job for me! I was also lucky to have the most incredible line manager who fully believed in me and dedicated time and time mentoring me to become a permanent and effective HRBP.?

I currently partner a regional command in Border Force which is the law enforcement arm of the Home Office, responsible for securing the border by enforcing immigration and customs regulations. I advise two directors responsible for a workforce operating nationally across various aviation, maritime and postal ports. The command also sits at the heart of Border Force as it provides the link between the Chief Operating Officer and all operational regions.

Every day brings new challenges. I could be advising senior managers on complex HR cases, working with expert teams to develop solutions that support the delivery of business priorities and supporting the leadership team to make evidence-based decisions, whilst being their critical friend. On other days, I could be facilitating the development and implementation of their People Plan or coaching and advising on complex change programmes requiring strong influencing, communication, and leadership skills.?

I am making a difference for Border Force. I feel highly respected and recognised for the work I do, and I’d encourage anyone to apply for a HRBP role.?

To learn more about our current HR Business Partner vacancies, and to apply, visit our Careers website.??