Job Description
ABOUT US / BUSINESS BOILER PLATES, VALUES / OVERVIEW
Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, delivers award-winning content to millions across the globe. Based in London, the business' in-house production labels include Carnival Films, creator of worldwide phenomenon "Downton Abbey" and hit drama "The Last Kingdom"; Monkey Kingdom, producer of BAFTA-winning "Made in Chelsea", "The Real Housewives of Cheshire" and "Don't Hate the Playaz"; Australian-based Matchbox Pictures, producer of critically acclaimed series "The Real Housewives of Melbourne", "Safe Harbour", "Stateless" and "Clickbait"; Working Title Television, producer of "Tales of the City", BAFTA-winning "We Are Lady Parts" and hit series "Everything I Know About Love"; and Heyday Television, producer of award-winning series "The Long Song", "The Capture" and "Clickbait", plus the upcoming adaptation of "Apples Never Fall". The studio also backs Tony Ayres Productions (TAP), the company also behind "Clickbait" and anthology series "Fires"; and owns an equity stake in Lark Productions ("The Glass Hotel") in Canada. The studio houses a London and LA-based scripted unit that develops and produces original series such as the Emmy-nominated television adaptation "Hanna" and BBC family adventure drama "Dodger", as well as hit shows such as "Transplant" (Sphere Media/CTV/NBC) and the cyber-thriller "The Undeclared War" (Playground Entertainment/Channel 4/Peacock).
At Universal International Studios, we are focused on our commitment to a more ambitious and inclusive future. Our company values play a huge part in this commitment and the culture of our company.
We’re Ambitious For our Future, We’re In This Together, We’re Actively Inclusive.
JOB DESCRIPTION
HR Manager – International Productions
We are seeking an experienced HR Manager/Business Partner to support our International TV, Film and Theatrical Productions across the UK and Europe, based out of London. This is a highly operational, fast‑paced role providing expert HR leadership within complex production environments, with a strong focus on employee relations, workforce welfare and the management of large freelance populations. Partnering closely with Physical Production and Production leadership, you will provide pragmatic, solutions‑focused HR advice to production teams, cast and crew throughout the full lifecycle of a production. A significant proportion of the role involves supporting freelance contractors, requiring a strong understanding of ER risk, contractual issues, wellbeing, and the realities of working within time‑critical, creative settings. Reporting to the HR Director, Production, you will lead on production‑specific HR strategies to ensure best‑in‑class experiences for cast and crew, embedding company policy and practice while responding effectively to issues as they arise. You will play a key role in managing complex ER cases, supporting welfare concerns, and partnering with employment lawyers and internal Centres of Expertise to ensure compliant and commercially sound outcomes across multiple jurisdictions. In addition, you will work with designated UK production companies and senior stakeholders in both the UK and US, contributing to initiatives that strengthen culture, engagement and future talent pipelines. This includes collaborating on development and early‑career programmes designed to support and engage the next generation of production talent. This role is well suited to someone who thrives in dynamic, high‑pressure creative environments and is comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery. You will be relied upon as a trusted advisor, bringing calm, clear judgement, and proactive solutions across all aspects of employment and freelance engagement in a production context.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Employee Relations & Production HR Support
1. Act as a confident, trusted HR partner within fast‑paced production environments, responding quickly, calmly and pragmatically to complex and sensitive situations.
2. Quickly build strong, credible relationships with Production leadership, including Unit Production Managers, becoming a valued advisor throughout the production lifecycle.
3. Provide day‑to‑day HR support across UK studio productions, with a significant focus on employee relations, welfare, performance management and issue resolution for both employed and freelance populations.
4. Advise on and support a broad range of HR activities including staffing, recruitment, compensation, work eligibility and visa support, training and development, and compliance with HR policies and procedures.
5. Maintain a visible presence on productions, attending regularly to ensure direct access for leadership, cast and crew and to proactively identify and address emerging issues.
6. Partner closely with Employment Law, UK and US HR colleagues and Centres of Expertise to resolve matters effectively, balancing legal compliance, risk management and the time‑critical nature of production.
Learning, Development & Capability Building
7. Provide coaching and guidance to employees and managers, offering clear, constructive feedback in a proactive and compassionate manner.
8. Design, adapt and deliver learning interventions to production teams, ensuring understanding of essential HR processes, policies and ways of working with Human Resources.
9. Act as a brand ambassador for development and early‑career programmes, ensuring managers are aware of available offerings and how to access the broader learning curriculum.
10. Champion and drive key HR initiatives across client groups, tailoring delivery to the realities of production environments.
11. Identify opportunities to support future talent pipelines and partner with the business on development planning for emerging production talent.
Engagement, Inclusion & Wellbeing
12. Foster a positive employee relations environment by maintaining confidentiality, building trust and credibility, and balancing business priorities with individual welfare.
13. Partner with UK and US Studio HR Production teams to ensure alignment, consistency of approach and compliance with UK legal and regulatory requirements.
14. Lead on the implementation and ongoing compliance of the Respect in the Workplace (RITW) policy across all productions, providing guidance, training and support as required.
15. Develop and execute HR strategies aimed at enhancing the engagement experience for freelance populations, with a particular focus on wellbeing and safe, inclusive working environments.
16. Work collaboratively with the HR Director and Diversity Forum Lead to deliver agreed inclusion and diversity strategies across productions.
17. Lead or support the coordination and rollout of RITW and other mandatory compliance training across productions.
The Wider Role
18. Contribute to and lead a wide range of HR projects and initiatives as required, recognising that production environments are dynamic and priorities can change rapidly.
19. Manage day‑to‑day HR activity with the support of an HR Generalist, ensuring high standards of service delivery and responsiveness at all times.
Qualifications
SKILLS / QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Experience & Technical Expertise
20. Proven experience as an HR Business Partner or HR Manager, operating confidently within fast‑paced, complex and dynamic environments.
21. Strong working knowledge of UK employment law, with demonstrable experience managing complex employee relations and welfare cases to successful outcomes.
22. Experience creating and executing practical HR strategies while balancing operational, tactical priorities in time‑critical settings.
23. Comfortable supporting freelance and contingent workforces, ideally within creative, production or project‑based environments.
24. Experience working within matrixed organisations, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, collaborate effectively and ensure clear communication across multiple stakeholders.
Stakeholder Management & Influence
25. Able to quickly build trusted, credible relationships with senior leaders, managers and diverse workforce groups.
26. Strong influencing skills, with the confidence to manage conflict, challenge constructively and provide clear, pragmatic advice.
27. Effective communicator, able to flex style and approach when working across different cultures, seniority levels and creative environments.
28. Comfortable partnering with a broad range of stakeholders, including production leadership, UK and US HR colleagues and specialist functions.
Personal Attributes & Ways of Working
29. Highly organised and resourceful, with the ability to juggle multiple priorities and deliver solutions under pressure.
30. Solutions‑focused, methodical and detail‑oriented, with strong time‑management skills and the ability to meet tight deadlines.
31. Able to work independently with sound judgement, while knowing when to escalate or seek collaboration.
32. Resilient, calm and adaptable, thriving in environments where priorities can shift rapidly.
Mindset & Motivation
33. Willing and able to travel, with a genuine interest in spending time on production sets across the UK and Europe.
34. Able to demonstrate the “human” in Human Resources, showing empathy, sound judgement and a genuine commitment to employee and freelance welfare.
35. Passionate about Media, production and creative environments, with a clear interest in supporting inclusive, engaging and high‑performing productions.
All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove they are able to work in the United Kingdom. The responsibilities associated with this position are not limited to the above description and may be modified at any time by the Company.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and we’ll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, speak to our recruitment team who will be happy to support you.
Additional Information
As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to AccessibilityS.