Strategic HR| Telerik Academy Upskill
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Telerik Academy Upskill

Strategic HR skills for the next stage of your career

Overview

Stay ahead in a changing workplace.

HR is shifting fast - AI-driven hiring, talent analytics, stronger focus on DEI and employee well-being are redefining the field. This program equips you to navigate these changes with confidence and control. 

In just 3 months you will be able to:

  • Leverage AI-driven recruitment to hire smarter and optimize workforce planning. 
  • Align HR strategies with business goals to drive measurable impact. 
  • Master hiring & performance management to improve employee experience. 
  • Embed DEIB principles to foster inclusive, people-first workplaces. 
  • Navigate labor laws & ethical HR practices with confidence. 
  • Lead HR-driven transformation through change management and innovation. 
Program duration

3 months. You can combine the program with your job or studies

Lectures

Tuesdays and Thursdays (6:00-9:00 pm). Start: May 13; End: Aug 14, 2025

Commitment

6+ hrs/week plus self-prep time. 2 weeks of vacation

Format

Lectures will be held online. Onsite networking events (optional)

Language

Bulgarian

Early bird price 

BGN 3,705 BGN 3,900.

Have any questions?

Ask our experts for valuable insights about the program. Submit your question!

Strategic HR snapshot 

Program core areas

01-strategy-icon

AI-Era Recruitment & Talent Strategies

08-stakeholder-relations-icon

Workforce Relations & Management

09-leadership-icon

Employer branding and CSR

04-sales-icon

Onboarding & Offboarding

07-human-resources-icon

Agile HR

08-stakeholder-relations-icon

Diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging

02-product-management-icon

Design Thinking

03-marketing-management-icon

Organizational structure

10-communication-icon

Stakeholder Management  

04-sales-icon

Learning & Development

06-data-analysis-icon

People Analytics 

08-stakeholder-relations-icon

HR Leadership & Change Management

08-stakeholder-relations-icon

Workplace Mental Health

05-finance-icon

Employee Retention & Engagement

Why go for Strategic HR:
  • Strategy-first approach: understand the big picture and align HR practices with organizational goals 
  • Forward-looking curriculum: leverage emerging technologies and stay competitive. 
  • Hands-on experience: gain experience with HR tools techniques.
  • Real business feedback: get real feedback from business leaders and take ready -to-implement solutions    
  • Access to the very best Bulgarian HR experts 
  • A strong network for lasting relationships and future collaborations 
Learning outcomes

What you will learn

After completing the program, you will learn practical job-ready skills to:  

  • Align HR with business goals, optimize workforce planning, and enhance performance
  • Execute data-driven hiring, leverage AI, and build strong employer value propositions
  • Navigate labor laws, GDPR, compensation, and employee relations confidently
  • Implement DEIB, well-being programs, and retention strategies
  • Use HRIS, predictive analytics, and workforce insights effectively
  • Drive HR transformation with design thinking, change management, and conflict resolution
  • Strengthen HR-business partnerships, stakeholder management, and leadership
alpha-java-inner-3alpha-java-inner-4-2
Curriculum

Meticulously designed curriculum

Learn from the best. You'll be trained by leading practitioners eager to share their know-how and experience.

  • 01Weeks 1-2
  • 02Weeks 3-4
  • 03Weeks 5
  • 04Weeks 6-7
  • 05Weeks 8-9
  • 06Week 10
  • 07Week 11-12
  • 08Week 13-14

Evolution and Purpose of HR

  • Understand the evolution of HR and its strategic role.
  • Explore HR as a calling and its impact on organizations.
  • Discover various career paths within HR. 

Operational Excellence in HR

  • Learn about compensation structures and salary benchmarking.
  • Understand employment laws, GDPR compliance, and ethical HR practices.
  • Gain insights into employee relations and workforce management.

Recruitment essentials

  • Master the recruitment lifecycle and candidate journey.
  • Enhance your sourcing strategies and recruitment marketing.
  • Utilize AI tools and metrics for strategic talent acquisition.

Employer branding and CSR

  • Develop a strong employer value proposition.
  • Enhance candidate experience and employee advocacy.
  • Implement effective onboarding and offboarding processes. 

Vacation

  • One week free of classes to unwind. You'll be able to further strengthen your skills through team assignments.

Agile HR in the digital era

  • Embed agility in HR processes and practices.
  • Leverage HRIS and HR analytics for workforce optimization.
  • Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). 

Design thinking

  • Apply problem-solving techniques to HR challenges.
  • Build a strong organizational culture and manage stakeholders.
  • Foster continuous learning and development.   

Stakeholders' management

  • Learn strategies for effective succession planning.
  • Gain insights into building strong relationships with stakeholders.

Learning & Development

  • Learn strategies for building impactful learning programs.
  • Gain knowledge of fostering a culture of continuous learning.

People Analytics and HR Leadership  

  • Utilize predictive analytics to understand workforce trends.
  • Align HR strategies with business objectives.
  • Lead change management and organizational design initiatives.

Vacation

  • One week free of classes to unwind. You'll be able to further strengthen your skills through team assignments.

Workplace mental health

  • Create a supportive workplace.
  • Gain insights into building resources and addressing mental health stigma.
  • Learn about employee assistance programs and stress management. 

Employee engagement

  • Understand the principles of measuring employee engagement.
  • Develop effective employee engagement and retention strategies.
  • Apply practical insights from real-life HR case studies.  

Case study

Personal branding

  • Learn strategies for career development and success.
  • Gain knowledge of leveraging personal branding for career growth.

Future of work

  • Understand the future trends in the workplace and HR.
  • Learn about upskilling and reskilling for future jobs.
  • Gain insights into preparing for emerging HR challenges.  

Final presentations

  • Showcase innovative HR ideas and learnings through final projects.
  • Learn presentation skills and techniques.
  • Gain feedback and insights from peers and instructors and become part of a community.

Is the program for me?

Yes, if you are:
  • HR professional (early to mid-career) – HR Assistant, HR Coordinator, or HRBP looking to expand expertise
  • Recruiter or Talent Acquisition Specialist – gaming for a solid HRBP foundation
  • HR Manager (≤3 years experience) – strengthening leadership, strategy, and workforce planning skills
  • An admin professional transitioning to HR – building a strong HR foundation
How can I apply?
  1. Submit your online application, which includes CV and a couple of motivational questions
  2. Pass an online test
  3. Some candidates might also be invited to attend an interview

Timeline

  • feb
  • mar
  • apr
  • may
  • jun
  • jul
  • aug
  • Feb 6 - Apr 28 | Submit application form and CV
  • Feb 6 - Feb 28 | Early bird application discount
  • May 13 - Aug 14 | Study at Telerik Academy Upskill
  • May 12 | Tuition fees are due. If covered by an employer, payment is due within 5 days of signing the contract.
Important dates
  • Feb 6 - Apr 28 | Submit application form
  • May 12 | Tuition fees are due. If covered by an employer, payment is due within 5 days of signing the contract.
  • May 13 - Aug 14 | Study at Telerik Academy Upskill

 


Your team

Training team

Learn from the best. You'll be trained by leading practitioners eager to share their know-how and experience. 

Lead
trainer

Borislava Georgieva
Borislava Georgieva 
EMEA HR Business Partner, DHL CSI  
Contributed to the success of:
Trading 212, Naxex Technological Development, HR#IT Talents, DHL  

Borislava is an HR leader with 17 years in IT, specializing in strategic HR, leadership development, and talent management. She has led HR functions in global tech firms, shaping key processes.

As a career coach, speaker, and mentor, she founded HR#IT—Bulgaria’s first IT HR community with 2,200+ members. An MBA graduate and certified facilitator, she has earned multiple awards.

Her expertise in HR strategy, career growth, and mental health makes her a vital guide for HR professionals.

Guest Lecturers

Danail Kanchev
Danail Kanchev
Chief People Officer, ApprovalMax
Contributed to the success of:
KPMG,  Adecco, EPAM, CSC/DXC

Dan is an HR leader with 20+ years of experience in recruitment, operations, and people management, particularly in the tech industry.

He is the co-founder of BestInSkill, where he creates HR software solutions. With expertise in tech recruitment, HR operations, and business development, he’s also a trainer and lecturer, holding certifications in Project Management (PMP) and HR (GPHR). 

Paolina Yordanova
Paolina Yordanova
People & Culture Lead,
Roche Bulgaria
Contributed to the success of:
Roche, Dreamix, BULWORK

Paolina is an HR leader with 12+ years of expertise in talent development and organizational design. In her current role, she drives HR strategy, talent management, and workforce initiatives.

She has led transformations in workplace culture and embedded Agile methodologies to enhance team dynamics.

Paolina holds a Master’s in HR Development, is a certified Agile Leader and Scrum Master, and has trained professionals in IT recruitment best practices. 

Georgi Gerginov
Georgi Gerginov
CEO, Anthill
Co-founder, ISTA Conference
Contributed to the success of:
Anthill, SMBuild, Naxex Technological Development, SAP Labs

Georgi is a tech executive with 20+ years in software development and digital transformation. As CEO of Anthill, he builds high-performing R&D teams for mid-sized and large enterprises.

Passionate about human-centered innovation, he applies design thinking to talent strategies and workplace transformation. He also co-founded ISTA Conference to foster tech industry collaboration. Georgi holds an Executive MBA from the University of Sheffield and a Master’s in Computer Science from the Technical University of Sofia.

Ina Mladenska
Ina Mladenska
HR Business Partner, Sofia Stars
Contributed to the success of:
Sofia Stars, Naxex Technological Development, Trading 212
Ina is an experienced HR professional with over a decade in the field, currently working as an HR Business Partner and Payroll Specialist. Passionate about people and communication, she has organized team events, facilitated employee transfers under tight deadlines, and managed compensation and benefits. She also oversees HR budgeting and has successfully implemented payroll software. Committed to innovation, Ina actively contributes to digitalizing labor dossiers and internal training initiatives.

Got any questions about the program?





Connect to the expert trainers for insights and information about the Strategic HR program.

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Tuition fees

Pay in installments

- 195 BGN

Regular price BGN 175.5/mo

BGN 165,5/mo

Early bird price by Feb 28*

Apply now

Pay over 24 months with a bank partner**

Pay in full

- 195 BGN

Regular price BGN 3 900

BGN 3 705

Early bird price by Feb 28*

Apply now

Terms tailored
to your needs

  • *Early Bird Price: Complete your full application by February 28 with code EB5, and you will get a special Early Bird discount (5%) from your tuition, applicable if you choose monthly payments or full upfront payment.
  • Tuition fee can be paid by either You or Your Employer upfront.
  • **Opportunity to pay in installments with a loan from a bank, partner of Telerik Academy - Allianz.
  • Deferred payment over 12-24 months’ period.
  • Candidates working in the NGO sector can apply for a 90% discount off the tuition fee (two per cohort).
  • Drop-out with no consequences up to 2 weeks of the program start.

*Illustrative installment payment method. Different terms may apply based on borrowers’ credit score and creditworthiness as well as the bank’s current offering.

Inspiring passion for learning.
Changing lives and businesses.

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    FAQ

    What will I learn at Telerik Academy Strategic HR program?

    Three months of strategic HR training to develop job-ready skills. By the end of the program you will learn to align HR with business goals, optimize workforce planning, execute data-driven hiring, navigate labor laws, implement DEIB initiatives, leverage AI tools, drive change management, and strengthen leadership and stakeholder management.

    Who can apply and how?

    This training program is designed for early to mid career HR professionals, HR managers with up to 3 years of management experience and administrative professionals transitioning to HR.

    To enroll, you must be 18 years or older.

    The admission process includes the following steps:

    • CV and application form submission (mandatory)
    • Online test (mandatory)
    • Interview (upon request)
    Do I need any previous experience?

    We highly recommend having at least 1-2 years of prior experience in HR-related field.

    Can I choose between online and onsite training?

    The program will be held online. Please note that attendance is key to our students’ successful graduation. Participants must attend all classes. Up to 3 days of absence are allowed, plus the program has 2 vacations (1 week each).

    How much does the training cost and what are the payment methods?

    The tuition fee for Telerik Academy Strategic HR Upskill is BGN 3,900. This fee can be covered by you or your employer. Payment is due no later than one business day before the start of the program. If your employer is covering the tuition fee, payment is due within 5 business days after the contract is signed.

    Alternatively, you can opt to pay in installments with a loan from a bank, partner of Telerik Academy. You can benefit from a deferred payment over a 12 - 24-month period.

    What is the candidate selection process?

    We use a holistic review process when evaluating applicants for admission. The final selection of candidates is not based on a simple formula of grades and test score. Instead, we consider a variety of factors: application documents, CV and personal motivation for applying.

    Some candidates might also be invited to attend an interview. Interviews focus on candidates’ motivation and aspirations and determine if the program is appropriate for each candidate based on their needs, expectations and experience.

    What is the length/cadence of the program? Can I balance it with work?

    You can certainly combine the Upskill Strategic HR Program with your job. To get the most out of the program, you’ll need to immerse yourself in it for 3 months. To recharge your batteries, you’ll have 2 weeks of vacation.

    What does “two-week trial period” mean?

    If you drop out of the program within the trial period, which is in the first 2 weeks of the program, you won't pay any tuition fee.

    Does Telerik Academy help alumni find new jobs after successful graduation?

    The skills and experience you gain will help you excel in your career and/or find a new job, just like it helped our alumni reach their career goals.

    How can I apply for the discounted tuition fee for candidates working in the NGO (Not- for-profit) sector? Are there any special terms that apply?

    Candidates working in the NGO sector are eligible to apply for a 90% discount off the regular program pricing. There are two seats available per cohort. To apply, candidates must submit their application through our website and meet the specific requirements for selection, which may include an entrance test or an interview.

    If selected, the candidate's employer will be required to sign a contract with Telerik Academy and cover 10% of the regular tuition fee. Please note that the selection process evaluates the candidate’s profile, not the NGO’s.

    Have other questions?

    Drop us a line and we'll get back to you shortly.

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