Academic Jobs - Home of Higher Ed Logo
Western Governors University Jobs

Western Governors University

People & Talent Business Partner

Closes:

Salary: $100,000 – $150,000 per year

931

Job Type: Full time

Job Number: JR-025699

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Professional 311 Pay Range: $100,000.00 - $150,000.00

Job Description

The People & Talent Business Partner will support specified client group(s), by providing strategic guidance to ensure effective planning and implementation of people initiatives. This role supports all levels of leadership to build talent, manage culture, enhance employee engagement, and ensure that decisions and actions are centered on doing the right thing. The P&T BP will also support assigned Senior People & Talent Business Partner(s) with broad generalist responsibilities. This individual will have accountability for their assigned client group's results and is an individual with the ability to partner and influence without having official organizational people management responsibility.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Fosters and builds trusted advisor relationships with assigned business leaders.

  • Manages complex People & Talent projects and practices cross-organizationally, including competency model, talent assessment, succession planning, employee engagement, career development, talent management, talent development, change management, and performance management.

  • Analyzes trends and metrics in partnership with the People & Talent team to develop solutions, programs, and policies.

  • Works closely with business leaders to improve working relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention.

  • Partners with business leaders to manage culture and enhance employee experience.

  • Facilitates group learning activities and ad hoc leadership discussions to build leadership competencies.

  • Provides guidance and input on restructures, workforce planning, talent selection, and leadership acquisition.

  • Identifies employee and leadership development gaps and collaborates with the People & Talent Learning Team to identify plans to close gaps.

  • Participates in operational and strategic business department meetings with senior leadership.

  • Conducts effective, confidential, thorough, and objective investigations to manage and resolve employee relations issues.

  • Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of people, reducing legal risk, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

  • Leads people initiatives to ensure clear understanding, articulation of, and application of initiative.

  • Represents business group priorities and initiatives to People & Talent leadership to ensure solid understanding of business group challenges and deliverables.

  • Contributes to the continuous improvement of People & Talent processes, policies, and procedures.

  • Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities. The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Strong understanding of employment law and other state and federal compliance regulations.

  • Comprehensive understanding of People & Talent policies, processes, and procedures and ability to apply them to people situations.

  • Ability to make recommendations to effectively resolve problems or issues using sound judgment and problem-solving skills consistent with university philosophy and within applicable legal parameters.

  • Ability to objectively and effectively coach employees and people leaders through complex, difficult, and emotional issues within a diverse organization.

  • Ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments and with all levels of individuals.

  • Self-starter who takes initiative, is inquisitive, seeks out information, self-engages, and achieves results based on established goals.

  • Clear, effective communicator with exceptional and persuasive oral and written communication skills.

  • Superior interpersonal skills and professional presence with significant capacity to engage, inspire, develop, and influence.

  • Demonstrated results in innovation and the ability to inspire creative thinking, new ideas, new ways of accomplishing tasks, and creating results.

  • Strong business acumen.

  • Excellent organizational skills, along with the ability to set and meet goals and priorities.

  • Proven track record of making and implementing tough decisions.

  • Demonstrated ability to apply Excel and other data management and analysis tools in researching and analyzing various types of data.

  • Consistently exhibits Leadership Principles and Cultural Beliefs.

Education

  • Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business, Interdisciplinary Studies, or a related field.

Experience

  • 7 years of related experience, with at least three years of direct client group and leader support as a generalist or business partner.

  • Experience working with HRIS systems, Applicant Tracking Systems, and Performance Management Systems.

  • Experience and broad knowledge of agile operations and project management.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Broad knowledge of project management.

  • Broad understanding of Change Management methodologies.

  • Human Resources Certification (PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP).

Travel

This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.

Job details

Title
People & Talent Business Partner
Employer
Western Governors University
Location
4001 S 700 E #300, Millcreek, UT 84107, USA
Published
Aug 19, 2026
Closes:
Oct 18, 2026
Job type
Full time, Human Resources
Field
General HR
Salary

Salary: $100,000 – $150,000 per year

Tell them AcademicJobs.com sent you!

About the employer

Western Governors University Jobs

Western Governors University

3.5 Star Employer Ranking

Western Governors University (WGU) offers a flexible, competency-based education model, fostering career growth and personal development with a focus on student success.

Visit the employer page

Hire Experts… Post a Job

Post a Job

Roles… Create a Job Alert

Related Jobs

View All Jobs
Sumter, South Carolina667

Human Resources Generalist

Central Carolina Technical College
Baltimore, Maryland63

CII – Senior Accommodations, ADA, and Leave Specialist

University of Maryland, Baltimore
Stephenville, Texas545

Academic HR Specialist

Tarleton State University
Green Bay, Wisconsin831

FOR HR USE ONLY - Part-Time Employment (Non-Student)

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Brockton, Massachusetts50

Temporary Human Resources File Clerk, Part-Time

Massasoit Community College
Berkeley, California63

Human Resources Director (0624U), Facilities Services - #88939

University of California, Berkeley
Columbia, South Carolina425

Human Resources Coordinator

University of South Carolina
Anaheim, CA939

Human Resources Specialist

North Orange County Community College District
Stanford, California1,283

Human Resources Administrator

Stanford University
Princeton, New Jersey580

Human Resources Generalist

Princeton University