Who We Are

Since 1843, The Economist Group has championed independence, excellence and openness, helping people understand and tackle the critical challenges shaping the world. Today, we are building on that legacy as a global media and information-services company powered by digital innovation, analytical rigour and evidence-based insight. Across our three businesses - The Economist, Economist Enterprise and Economist Education - we deliver trusted analysis and insights to individuals and organisations in more than 170 countries.

United by a shared purpose to drive progress, we empower decision-makers to make sense of change and chart a course through an increasingly complex world. As a colleague, you will be part of a culture that values ideas, encourages ownership and holds itself to high standards. We invest in people who are curious, thoughtful and adaptable, whether they are launching new products, reporting on global events or harnessing emerging technologies such as AI to improve how we work.

Here, fresh thinking is taken seriously, ambition is matched by integrity, and great work is recognised. Working across disciplines, geographies and perspectives, we are united by a commitment to innovation, excellence and creating meaningful impact. The role The People Operations Specialist sits within the People Operations, Systems and Analytics team.

This role is suitable for someone interested in starting or progressing their career within the HR space. People Operations team is responsible for delivering accurate, timely and consistent colleague lifecycle processes globally. We provide first-line support to employees through our PeopleDesk inbox, maintain trusted colleague data and records, and work with our People partners to ensure that operational processes are compliant, clearly documented, consistently applied and continuously improved.

This is a hands-on operational role, suited to someone who enjoys delivering excellent customer service. You will support colleague lifecycle activity across multiple regions, resolve first-line queries, maintain high standards of data quality and process discipline, and contribute ideas that help make our services simpler, more reliable and more efficient. You will work closely with stakeholders both across the People team and the wider organisation.

You will be expected to understand where People Operations ownership begins and ends, resolve matters within your area of responsibility and escalate specialist or higher-risk matters appropriately.

Responsibilities

Service delivery via PeopleDesk Act as a first point of contact for first line queries, providing clear, accurate and practical responses within agreed service levels Take ownership of queries through to resolution, including coordinating with other People teams where specialist input is required Apply good judgment when triaging queries and escalate complex, sensitive or specialist matters to the appropriate team Identify recurring queries, gaps in guidance and service issues, and recommend improvements to documentation, training or processes Colleague lifecycle processes Deliver accurate and timely administration across the colleague lifecycle, including onboarding, employment changes, probation, payroll, leave, international transfers and offboarding Prepare documentation, including contracts, offer documentation, salary and promotion letters, employment verification letters Support new joiner orientation and onboarding activity in partnership with the Leadership and Organisational Effectiveness team Data quality, compliance and controls Maintain accurate and complete colleague records in HiBob and other relevant systems Complete scheduled data quality checks and promptly investigate and resolve discrepancies Maintain appropriate records and evidence for right to work, contractual changes, payroll inputs,

Benefits

and other compliance

Requirements

Handle colleague information in accordance with data protection, confidentiality