Pontypridd, Wales, United Kingdom, June 2025 — Alison Jones (FCIPD) has been appointed as Head of People Partnering and Operations at the University of South Wales (USW). With a dedicated career spanning nearly 14 years at the university, Alison brings deep institutional knowledge, strategic HR acumen, and a people-first leadership approach to this pivotal role.
Prior to this appointment, Alison served as HR Business Partner from 2015 to 2025, where she was instrumental in implementing the USW People Plan. She worked closely with the university’s senior leadership—including the Vice Chancellor and Executive Directors—providing strategic HR advice across all campuses and affiliated institutions such as Merthyr College and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
From 2011 to 2014, she held the position of Senior Human Resources Adviser at USW, delivering a comprehensive HR service and partnering with managers to align people strategies with broader institutional goals. Her contributions during this time laid the groundwork for many long-standing people initiatives at the university.
Before joining USW, Alison built a robust HR foundation over nearly a decade at Cardiff Council, where she held multiple roles including Human Resources Manager – Social Care and Health, Human Resources Manager – Children’s Services, and Principal HR Officer – Policy. In these capacities, she supported large-scale departments, led recruitment and absence improvement programmes, and developed strategic HR policies for a workforce of over 17,000.
Her early HR experience includes over four years as a Senior Human Resources Officer at Cardiff Council, where she provided policy guidance and personnel support to a wide range of departments and leaders.
Alison holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance, both from the University of South Wales, along with a Bachelor’s degree in PE and Sport Science from Loughborough University.
University of South Wales
The University of South Wales (USW) is one of the UK’s most forward-looking institutions, with over 30,000 students from more than 120 countries. Formed through a strong foundation in industry and the professions, USW includes the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and The College Merthyr Tydfil. The university is a top choice for students pursuing careers in STEM, business, creative industries, and education. With a strong emphasis on employability, USW boasts a graduate employment rate of 94% within six months of graduation.
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