Head of People

Salary: £55,000 - 65,000 per year

Requirements:

• CIPD Level 7 qualified or above, or equivalent
• Proven experience as a strong HR generalist professional with strategic and operational experience
• Excellent working knowledge of UK employment law and experience managing complex cases
• Strong use and curiosity of AI tools, with experience developing or contributing to an AI-ready workforce
• Track record of leading end-to-end recruitment, including employer brand and candidate experience
• Confident using people data to produce clear reports and make evidence-based recommendations
• Experience supporting businesses through organisational change, including restructures, acquisitions, mergers, and TUPE
• Strong communicator who builds trust quickly at all levels
• Experience leading, coaching, and mentoring teams

Responsibilities:

• Translate business strategy into a clear people plan with measurable goals
• Lead workforce planning with Heads of Function to anticipate short- and long-term resourcing needs
• Report regularly to the Board and SLT on people performance, risks, and recommendations
• Act as first point of contact for all people matters, including ER, performance, absence, grievance, and disciplinary issues
• Keep HR documentation, handbooks, and policies compliant and current
• Support the business through organisational change, including restructures, M&A, and TUPE
• Own and maintain the HRIS, ensuring data is accurate and drives better decisions
• Lead end-to-end recruitment and onboarding across the business
• Build employer brand with Marketing, including EVP and careers pages
• Build and maintain a skills and progression framework with clear development plans and career pathways
• Coach line managers on training needs and development budgets
• Drive a culture of openness, belonging, and high performance across all teams
• Champion AI adoption across the business, leading by example and implementing tools that create efficiencies
• Work with Heads of Function to understand how AI is reshaping roles and factor this into workforce planning
• Build confidence and curiosity around AI, ensuring people can identify and implement improvements across the full people lifecycle
• Take ownership of internal communications, partnering with the SLT on message and tone and creating a planned, consistent cadence

Technologies:

• AI
• Support
• Marketing

More:

We are supporting a well-established, commercial, fast-paced client in Leeds in their search for a Head of HR. You will work as part of a small team, reporting into the CEO and playing an integral role in the leadership team. This is a strategic and operational HR partner role focused on building a high-performance culture, improving internal communications, and shaping how the business adopts AI to create efficiencies and support workforce planning. The salary for this role is £55,000 to £65,000.

last updated 32 week of 2026