HR Business Partner Graduate Programme

HR Business Partner Graduate Programme

This role will be based in our modern state-of-the-art co-working facilities in Moorgate, London. This site, at the heart of London provides fantastic amenities, support services and collaborative workspaces with convenient transport links.

We are a global biopharmaceutical leader committed to enhancing the lives of individuals through a diverse portfolio of prescription medicines, oncology treatments, life-saving vaccines, and animal health products. Our unwavering dedication to delivering innovative solutions is the driving force behind everything we do.

We offer exciting 2 year graduate programme opportunities to recent graduates that are looking to work with us to deliver on our mission to save and improve lives. A placement with us will give you the opportunity to collaborate alongside subject matter experts, bring your own ideas and share real responsibility whilst delivering on meaningful projects alongside a passionate, diverse and inclusive workforce.

Graduate Placement Overview

The 2-year programme will provide you with breadth of experience across all the company’s divisions. You will have the opportunity to work on projects in Manufacturing, Research & Development, Animal Health as well as the commercial operations of our Human Health Division and the support functions associated with them. You will also develop a depth of knowledge and skills across the employee life cycle with involvement in talent acquisition, talent development, employee relations, wellbeing, and compensation & benefits.

You will be a key member of the HR team, driving the implementation of our company's People Strategy and will very quickly take responsibility for your own projects and their deliverables. You will need to be flexible in your approach to work, delivering analysis and detailed work to the highest standards whilst also dealing with sensitive issues or delivering large scale employee communications. As your experience and understanding of our business grows you can expect to take ownership of more complex and challenging issues.

We expect you to bring your whole self to the team and value the unique contributions you will bring. You will receive coaching from members of the wider HR team and will have the opportunity to have a mentor from the HR Senior Team.

Examples of duties and responsibilities:

• Intern / student programme management
• HR / Company award submissions eg Top Employer Award, International Diversity and Inclusion Awards
• HR Policy and Process improvement
• Management of Communications to employees regarding changes to terms and conditions, HR policies and processes
• Organisational change projects
• Grievance and disciplinary processes
• Core administration in support of the HR team

Technical Requirements:

Essential

• Honours degree or equivalent
• Highest level of integrity
• Empathetic and High Emotional Intelligence
• Flexible and proactively stepping outside of your comfort zone
• Self-aware and seeks out feedback in order to drive development

Eligibility Criteria for Undergraduates:

We are looking for students based in the UK who complete their undergraduate degree between 2024 and 2026.

Important Note:

• We do not provide sponsorship for UK work visas during or after the graduate program.
• To be eligible for the 2-year program, you must have the right to work in the UK for its entire duration.

Next Steps:

In the event of your successful progression to the next stage, one of our future talent team will contact you within two - three weeks of the application closing date.

Start Date:

September 2026

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Required Skills:

Business, Business Administration, Business Performance Management, Compensation Program Design, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), Employee Development, Employment Legislation, European Labour Law, HR Documentation, HR Systems Implementation, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Human Resource Metrics, Human Resources Analytics, Management Process, Project Management, Qualification Development, Recruiting Processes, Social Media Communications, Technical Acumen

How to Apply (Please read):

Please complete the online application form by answering questions within the application and upload your CV and Cover Letter in a combined document in the ‘resume/CV’ section.

Our standard Future Talent recruitment process is: An online application, a virtual conversation and then a final assessment.