Manager, People Partner

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum.

At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging.

The Role

We are seeking a People Partner to join our India People team. This role will be based in Gurgaon and reports to Vice President, People Partner of India. This role is rooted in Edelman's core values of trust, The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence, The Freedom to be Constantly Curious, The Courage to do the Right Thing and The Commitment to Positively Impact Society. Values that underpin our approach to leadership, collaboration, and employee experience.

This is an individual contributor role that focus on our people, nurturing potential, building connection, and fostering a sense of belonging, while co-creating and executing a people strategy that fuels business outcomes. Together with the Vice President, People Partner of India, you act as the strategic people partner to our leaders in India and will be responsible for development and execution of people strategy connected to business outcomes. You will proactively lead initiatives that shape culture, improve team and organization effectiveness, and create inclusive, high-performance environments.

As a People Partner, and in the spirit of a One People Team mindset, you will work collaboratively with our Centers of Excellence (COEs) and People Operations teams to deliver a cohesive and high-impact people strategy. You’ll partner with COEs — who lead the design and activation of programs in Talent Acquisition, DEIB, Learning & Development, Talent Management, and Total Rewards — leveraging their deep expertise to embed best practices across the business.

In parallel, you will stay closely connected to our People Operations team, which is focused on delivering day-to-day employee experience, ensuring compliance, and managing core operational and transactional people processes. This integrated model enables People Partners to focus on strategic, future-oriented work that drives organizational health and effectiveness, while supported by specialized and operational excellence from across the People function.

Key Responsibilities

Trusted Advisor and Partner

• Serve as advisor and sounding board to leadership on people-related matters. Provide strategic counsel on organizational design, leadership effectiveness, and cultural transformation.

• Build strong relationships with cross-functional partners to co-create and influence talent decisions.

• Act as a role model for Edelman’s values - The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence, The Freedom to be Constantly Curious, The Courage to do the Right Thing and The Commitment to Positively Impact Society.
  

Talent Strategy & Organization Design

• Partner with leaders to design and execute forward-looking talent strategies aligned with business goals.

• Lead organization design efforts, including workforce planning, role clarity, and structure optimization.

• Support local market leadership by aligning talent strategy with cultural and market-specific dynamics.
  

Problem Solving & Executive Coaching

• Provide thought leadership and coaching to leaders on complex issues including team effectiveness, leadership development, and strategic alignment.

• Lead strategic problem-solving on ambiguous or sensitive people issues.
  

Change Management and Organization Transformation

• Lead and execute change management efforts for organizational transformations, ensuring employee engagement and alignment throughout the process.

• Provide strategic guidance on communication plans, adoption strategies, and impact assessment.
  

Employee Relations Management

• Take ownership of escalated or complex people matters, working with the People Team, Legal and Business leaders to shape strategic responses and ensure effective execution.

• Guide leaders on systemic issue resolution, fostering a healthy workplace culture and high-performance environment.
  

Talent Retention, Succession and Market Engagement

• Champion talent retention strategies that reinforce engagement, development, and long-term career growth.

• Proactively identify and engage with internal and external talent aligned to the firm’s growth ambitions and market priorities.

• Cultivate robust pipelines of future-ready talent through strong industry networks and targeted engagement.

• Lead succession planning efforts to ensure leadership continuity across business-critical roles and functions.
  

Program Delivery (One People Team)

• Ability to flex seamlessly between leadership and hands-on execution — able to dial up or down as needed, with a willingness to roll up sleeves and deliver with impact

• Act as the strategic connector between business needs and different people teams (e.g. COEs, People operations) for initiatives related to performance, engagement, inclusion, and capability building.

• Ensure effective delivery and adoption of enterprise-wide HR programs by providing business context and feedback loops.
  

Key Qualifications

• Ideally 6-8 years of progressive experience in strategic HR roles, preferably in multinational or matrixed environments

• Experience in communications, public relations, or within the agency sector preferred

• Deep knowledge of India labor laws and employment regulations is essential

• Proven track record in driving business transformation, high-performance culture and leadership alignment

• Experienced in handling complex case management and employee relations issues with sensitivity and discretion

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills

• Fluent in English; additional language proficiency is a plus

• Ability to influence at all levels and work collaboratively across functions and cultures

Why Edelman?

At Edelman, you’ll join a purpose-driven team that’s redefining the communications landscape. You’ll have the opportunity to work at the intersection of business, brand, and societal change — and to shape not just talent strategies but organizational success.

Interested?
If you're passionate about building empowered cultures and want to make a tangible impact, we’d love to hear from you.

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.