HR Director — Group People Leadership

Location: Hybrid (London, Birmingham or Manchester) 

Travel: Regular travel across the UK

We're working with a growing UK group to appoint an experienced HR Director who can shape its People strategy and build a strong function to support the business through its next stage of growth.

This Group HR Director opportunity offers a broad remit, close partnership with senior leaders and the scope to influence organisational performance, leadership capability and employee experience.

As HR Director/Director of People, you’ll lead an existing team and develop a consistent approach across the group, balancing shared standards with the cultures and needs of individual businesses. You’ll need commercial judgement, confidence leading change and the willingness to stay involved in implementation.

The HR Director role

• Develop and deliver the group People strategy, aligned with commercial priorities
• Shape how the People function operates across the businesses
• Lead and develop the team across HR, talent, learning and development, reward and people operations
• Strengthen organisational design, leadership capability and succession planning
• Build effective workforce plans to support growth and transformation
• Develop job architecture, career pathways, early careers, reward and internal mobility initiatives
• Support leaders and employees through change while improving engagement and recognising good work

What I’m looking for in a Group HR Director

• Broad, senior UK HR leadership experience, including influencing senior stakeholders and business decisions
• Evidence of building or significantly improving a People function during growth or organisational change
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to translate strategy into practical delivery
• Experience leading and developing a team across a broad HR remit
• Confidence working across different businesses or locations
• A warm, approachable leadership style, with the ability to challenge constructively, give clear direction and bring people with you
• CIPD qualified

This HR Director/People Director position would particularly suit someone from education, training or a regulated environment. Other industry backgrounds will be considered where the leadership and transformation experience is relevant. European HR experience would be advantageous, though it isn’t essential.

Salary and working arrangements

The HR Director is a senior level position. This is a permanent role, working on a hybrid working module. You must be based close to London, Birmingham or Manchester and will involve travel across the UK. 

If you’re an experienced HR Director or Director of People looking for the opportunity to shape a growing function and make a lasting contribution, please get in touch for a confidential conversation.