Head of People & Talent
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced People professional to shape and drive a company’s people strategy. You will be the sole HR professional in the business and a trusted strategic partner to the leadership team.
You will lead all aspects of People and Talent across a growing consultancy, from strategy through to execution. This role requires someone equally comfortable setting direction and rolling up their sleeves, a pragmatic, commercially minded operator who thrives in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
Key Responsibilities
People Strategy & Business Partnering
- Develop and implement a people strategy aligned with business objectives and growth plans
- Partner closely with the senior leadership as a trusted advisor on all people matters
- Act as a strategic partner to senior leaders, providing commercially sound HR guidance
- Support organisational design and workforce planning
- Lead succession planning to identify and develop critical talent pipelines
Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
- Own and drive the end-to-end talent acquisition strategy, including employer branding, sourcing, selection, and offer management
- Build scalable, repeatable recruitment processes and manage relationships with external agencies and suppliers
- Own the ATS and ensure an excellent candidate experience throughout the hiring journey
- Design and manage a structured onboarding programme to set new starters up for success
Learning, Development & Performance
- Own employee development and training programmes, fostering a culture of continuous learning
- Design and manage performance management frameworks aligned with business objectives
- Lead initiatives to support employee engagement, well-being, and retention
Change Management & Culture
- Lead and support change management initiatives, ensuring effective communication and stakeholder engagement
- Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment
- Drive a culture of collaboration, accountability, and excellence
Reward, Compliance & HR Operations
- Design and manage competitive compensation and benefits programmes
- Ensure compliance with UK employment law and regulations
- Own and optimise HR systems, leveraging data and analytics for decision-making
- Manage the full employee lifecycle from onboarding through to offboarding
Qualifications & Experience
- CIPD qualified (Level 5 minimum; Level 7 preferred) or equivalent experience
- Proven experience in a senior, generalist HR leadership role — ideally as a standalone or first HR hire
- Experience within a consultancy, professional services, or similar fast-paced environment is advantageous
- Demonstrable track record of developing and executing people strategies that support business growth
- Experience leading or supporting change management programmes
- Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice
Skills & Competencies
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to link people strategy to business performance
- Confident stakeholder manager with the ability to influence at senior and board level
- Strategic thinker who can operate hands-on in a lean environment
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable working with ambiguity
- Collaborative mindset with a passion for people, culture, and organisational effectiveness