Part 4: RACI Table for HRBP, HREP, and COE

03 Feb 2026, Singapore: With reference to my previous article Part 1 HR Partner Competency Model, Part 2 Evolution of HR Partner competency Model and Part 3 Job Description & Competencies for HRBP, HREP, & COE - I will be using the RACI table to differential HRBP, HREP, and COE area of accountability.

A RACI table is a project management tool used to define and clarify roles and responsibilities for tasks or deliverables, ensuring accountability and preventing communication gaps. It maps out who is Responsible (does the work), Accountable (owns the result), Consulted (provides input), and Informed (receives updates). 

RACI table: HRBP vs HREP vs COE

Legend:

• R = Responsible (does the work)
• A = Accountable (owns final decision)
• C = Consulted (provides input)
• I = Informed (kept aware)

1) Strategic Workforce & Business Topics

Activity	HRBP	HREP	COE
Workforce strategy & planning	A/R	I	C
Org design & restructuring	A/R	I	C
Succession planning	A/R	I	C
Talent review (9-box, HiPo)	A/R	I	C
Leadership coaching	R	I	C
Business change management	A/R	I	C

HRBP is strategic owner.

2) Talent & People Processes

Activity	HRBP	HREP	COE
Hiring strategy & workforce demand	A/R	I	C
Recruitment execution	C	R	A (policy/process)
Performance management framework	C	I	A/R
Annual performance cycle execution	R	C	A
Learning needs analysis	C	I	A/R
Leadership development programs	C	I	A/R

COE designs; HRBP applies in business; HREP executes locally.

3) Employee Relations & Compliance

Activity	HRBP	HREP	COE
Disciplinary & grievance cases	C	A/R	C
Investigations	C	A/R	C
Labor law compliance	I	R	A
Union / works council relations	C	R	A
Policy interpretation	C	R	A

HREP is front-line case handler; COE owns policy/legal interpretation.

4) Rewards & Compensation

Activity	HRBP	HREP	COE
Compensation strategy	C	I	A/R
Annual merit / bonus planning	R	C	A
Salary benchmarking	C	I	A/R
Job architecture / grading	C	I	A/R
Benefits design	I	R (admin)	A

COE owns design; HRBP manages business alignment.

5) Employee Lifecycle & HR Operations

Activity	HRBP	HREP	COE
Onboarding & offboarding	I	A/R	C
Employee queries & case management	I	A/R	C
Payroll & benefits administration	I	R	A (policy)
HR systems & data management	I	R	A
HR analytics & reporting	C	R	A

HREP is employee-facing service delivery.

 6) Culture, DEI, Engagement

Activity	HRBP	HREP	COE
Culture & engagement strategy	C	I	A/R
Engagement survey design	I	I	A/R
Engagement action plans	R	C	A
DEI framework & policy	I	I	A/R

COE designs frameworks; HRBP drives business adoption.

+++The End+++

Part 3: Job Description & Competencies for HRBP, HREP, and COE

03 Feb 2026, Singapore: With reference to my previous article Part 2: Evolution of HR Partner Competency Model and Part 1: HR Partner Competency Model, listed below are the potential job description for the respective HRBP, HREP, and COE.

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1) HRBP – Human Resources Business Partner

Role Type: Strategic Partner (Business-facing)

Typical Titles: HRBP, People Partner, Strategic HR Partner, HR Director/VP (Business)

Role Purpose

To partner business leaders to drive workforce strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and culture, ensuring people strategies directly enable business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

A. Strategic Workforce & Organization

• Partner business leaders on workforce planning, capacity modeling, and future skills needs
• Lead organizational design, restructuring, and change initiatives
• Translating business strategy into people and talent priorities

B. Talent & Leadership

• Lead succession planning and talent reviews
• Coach leaders on performance, leadership effectiveness, and employee engagement
• Partner on critical talent acquisition and retention strategies

C. Performance & Culture

• Drive performance management processes and outcomes
• Support culture transformation and engagement action plans
• Act as a change agent during mergers, restructures, digital transformations

D. Governance & Risk

• Ensure people practices align with corporate policies and local regulations
• Escalate complex ER matters and risk issues

Typical KPIs

• Business unit engagement scores
• Leadership bench strength & succession coverage
• Voluntary attrition (critical talent)
• Workforce productivity metrics
• Talent pipeline health

HRBP Competency Framework

Technical / Functional

• Strategic workforce planning
• Organization design & change management
• Talent management & succession
• Business acumen & financial literacy
• Labor law & ER fundamentals
• HR analytics & data-driven decision-making

Behavioral

• Strategic thinking
• Stakeholder influencing & consulting skills
• Executive presence
• Change leadership
• Coaching and facilitation

Leadership (for Senior HRBP)

• Enterprise mindset
• Courageous conversations
• Systems thinking
• Talent stewardship
• Ethical leadership

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2) HREP – Human Resources Employee Partner / HR Advisor

Role Type: Operational Partner (Employee & Manager-facing)

Typical Titles: HR Employee Partner, HR Advisor, People Advisor, HR Generalist

Role Purpose

To provide front-line HR advisory and operational support to employees and managers, ensuring policies are applied consistently and employee issues are managed effectively.

Key Responsibilities

A. Employee Relations & Case Management

• Handle grievances, disciplinary actions, investigations
• Provide guidance on policy interpretation and compliance
• Manage performance improvement plans (PIPs) and termination processes

B. Employee Lifecycle

• Onboarding, transfers, promotions, exits
• Support managers on employee lifecycle processes
• Coordinate with payroll, benefits, and HR systems

C. HR Advisory

• First-line advisory for managers on people issues
• Educate employees on policies and programs
• Support local engagement and well-being initiatives

D. Compliance & Documentation

• Maintain employee records and case documentation
• Ensure adherence to labor laws and corporate governance

 Typical KPIs

• Case resolution cycle time
• Employee satisfaction with HR services
• Compliance audit results
• Policy adherence metrics
• Manager satisfaction scores

HREP Competency Framework

Technical / Functional

• Employee relations & investigations
• Local labor law knowledge
• HR policies and procedures
• HR systems (Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle)
• Documentation & case management

Behavioral

• Empathy and interpersonal skills
• Conflict management
• Attention to detail
• Professional judgment and confidentiality
• Service orientation

Professional Maturity

• Ethical decision-making
• Risk awareness
• Stakeholder management at manager/supervisor level

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3) COE – HR Center of Excellence Specialist

Role Type: Functional Expert / Policy Owner

Typical Titles: Talent COE Lead, Rewards Specialist, Learning COE, Org Design Expert

Role Purpose

To design enterprise-wide HR frameworks, policies, tools, and programs and provide deep expertise to HRBPs and HREPs.

Key Responsibilities

A. Framework & Policy Design

• Develop global HR policies, frameworks, and standards
• Design talent, rewards, learning, and OD methodologies
• Ensure governance and global consistency

B. Program Development

• Design leadership development programs
• Build performance management systems
• Develop compensation structures and job architecture

C. Advisory & Governance

• Provide expert consultation to HRBPs and HREPs
• Monitor compliance and effectiveness of HR programs
• Conduct benchmarking and external market analysis

D. Innovation & Analytics

• Research emerging HR trends and best practices
• Build people analytics frameworks and dashboards
• Drive digital HR transformation and tools

Typical KPIs

• Adoption rate of HR frameworks
• Program effectiveness metrics
• External benchmark positioning
• Audit and governance outcomes
• Stakeholder satisfaction (HRBP feedback)

COE Competency Framework

Technical / Functional

• Deep domain expertise (Talent, Rewards, OD, Learning, ER, etc.)
• Policy design & governance
• Market benchmarking & analytics
• HR technology & digital tools
• Research and thought leadership

Behavioral

• Systems thinking
• Analytical and conceptual skills
• Consulting and influencing
• Stakeholder education & facilitation

Enterprise Leadership

• Global mindset
• Innovation and continuous improvement
• Governance and risk stewardship
• Thought leadership in HR domain

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Comparative Capability Depth (Consulting View)

Capability	HRBP	HREP	COE
Business Strategy	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐	⭐⭐
Employee Relations	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Policy Design	⭐	⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Change Management	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Data & Analytics	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stakeholder Influence	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Career Progression Path (Typical MNC)

• HREP → HRBP → HR Director / CHRO or
• HREP → COE Specialist → COE Lead / Global HR Expert

Executive Governance Principle Many companies codify this competency separation:

• HRBP = Strategic Consultant
• HREP = Employee Advocate & Operational Advisor
• COE = Architect & Policy Authority

+++The End+++