Assistant Director

Description:

This role is a member of the Global Service Line (SL) Talent team and will work flexibly to support the Global SL Talent Leader and/or SL Talent leader priorities to provide Talent advice to the business and to ensure key stakeholder relationships are managed effectively. The role will help SL Talent leaders to understand business strategy, priorities and workforce requirements and to provide advice on Talent matters, including workforce planning, business-led change (e.g. M&A, new SSL practices) and capture business needs to ensure that Talent function services/solutions deliver business value. The role will work closely with the SL Talent Leaders to support delivery of Talent processes, and to optimise Area relationships and connections with Region SL Talent teams to collate business needs/issues, share best practices, champion Talent initiatives

Your Key Responsibilities

Essential Functions of the Job:

As directed by SL Talent leaders, work flexibly to support effective business partnering with one or more business stakeholder groups (e.g. Area SL Leaders or Sub Service Line/s etc) and/or work to address particular business priorities 
Work closely with the SL Talent leaders and business leadership to understand Talent/workforce agenda and deliver Talent priorities
Provide support to the SL Talent Leader or Senior Talent Consultant (STC) to advise on strategic Talent workforce matters, including workforce planning, retention, skills/competency development and business changes (including integration, M&A, new practice creation, workforce growth/reduction). Use data analytics to provide insight on trends, potential areas for concern and to inform solutions
Assist the SL Talent leader and/or STC to understand business needs, assess issues and make recommendations, work to ensure issues or opportunities are presented to the Talent functions to ensure services/solutions are effective to address SL needs
Ensure effective delivery of Talent management processes for the SL level (e.g. Talent acquisition, development and management) working closely with Talent functions as required
Collaborate with Talent function colleagues (where required) to support effective delivery of Talent process, policies and best practices in the SL (e.g. D&I and Total Reward) to champion and promote diversity and well-being
Work closely with the SL Talent Leader in an Area to manage effective relationships and communications with Region SL Talent teams. Facilitate and participate in networks to communicate SL business and Talent strategy, share best practices, identify needs/opportunities for Talent change and to collaborate to resolve problems that will enhance Region SL Talent delivery
As directed by the SL Talent leaders, help facilitate change and support the implementation and successful adoption of Talent-led projects and initiatives in the Regions
As required, help to resolve ad hoc urgent Talent queries pertaining to an assigned stakeholder group or raised by Region Talent teams. Where required, prepare presentations and reports as requested by business leadership 
Leverage experience across Talent ecosystem to provide guidance and address talent matters.
Due to global nature of the role; travel and willingness to work alternative hours will be required

Analytical/Decision Making Responsibilities:

Understand business strategy and performance trends and consider Talent implications 
Leverage internal data and models to consider strategic workforce planning issues globally. Ensure data and analytics can be presented effectively to leadership 
Analyse the Talent implications of business changes and ensure Talent requirements are managed effectively 
Analyse business issues/opportunities as they relate to Talent. Assess root causes and propose solutions
Work with the Global SL Talent Leader to consider and help determine SL priorities and sharing across talent eco-systems, leveraging existing global talent services/solutions, inputting to design thinking for new or improved services/solutions
Partner with Talent Functions teams to ensure the effective development of business cases to raise requests for budget/investment and project resources to enable change

Supervision Responsibilities:

Capable of working independently and of managing a schedule and plan to support SL Talent leaders and SL Talent Directors 
As required, work with business and Talent colleagues to ensure the stakeholder group receives effective, data-driven advice. 
Manage Region networks to enable the SL Talent teams to communicate effectively with Region SL Talent teams 
Work across the talent eco-system and wider firm to enable execution of SL talent priorities
Where required, work as an SMR for a Service Line and contribute to decisions on the design, development and deployment of Talent solutions
Independently maintain and leverage (when appropriate) an internal network, including effective partnerships with senior stakeholders, across EY practices/departments that will enable personal effectiveness in the position

Skills And Attributes For Success

To qualify for the role you must have

Strong knowledge of Talent management services, associated processes and best practices, including employee relations
Business and commercial acumen – ability to understand business imperatives and consider the implications for Talent
Relationship management skills – ability to work with, challenge and advise a business partner
Consulting skills - ability to understand business challenges, assess issues/opportunities and propose solutions

Ideally, you’ll also have

Project/Change – sound knowledge of project management and change management methods and application
Strong cultural awareness - ability work in globally dispersed teams and with networks across diverse geographies 
Teaming skills - partner effectively across talent ecosystem and wider EY firm 
Communication skills – ability to convey complex issues succinctly and clearly in a timely way 
Organizational skills - the ability to set priorities, operate within budget and effective time frames
Cope with ambiguity - to drive change and performance outcomes in a complex and agile environment
Diversity & Inclusion - demonstrate inclusive leadership skills in the broadest context
Due to global nature of the role; English language skills - excellent written and verbal communication will be required
Educated to degree level. Higher professional or master’s qualification in a related discipline is preferred, not required
Active membership in related professional bodies or industry groups is preferred, not required

What We Look For

Extensive experience in a closely related role as a business partner or strategic advisor in Talent 
Significant experience of interpreting business strategy and championing the successful execution of strategic priorities 
 Significant experience of operating and influencing across multiple levels of an organization
Credible trusted advice to senior business leaders to address challenges, diagnose root causes of performance gaps and recommend options 
Experience of influencing and communicating challenging messages between the business and talent teams where necessary
Significant experience of leading global virtual teams/networks 
Experience of leading change working effectively with project resources to deliver required outcomes
Significant experience of coaching leaders through the embedding of change initiatives in global, matrix organizations (such as EY)
Strong experience of sponsoring or acting as subject matter representative on projects
Significant experience of working in fast-paced, ambiguous, stressful environments to deliver required results