Are you an experienced HR generalist who relishes projects and purpose?
People & Culture at Fairtrade is a small function with a big mandate: building a high performing, values-led culture; managing all HR operations for approximately 90 staff; leading the anti-oppression agenda; and acting as a trusted, values-led partner to managers and leaders supporting them to support the high performing and inclusive culture that Fairtrade needs to deliver its mission.
Reporting to the newly appointed Director of People & Culture, the People Experience Lead has a key role to play in ensuring that we develop an employee journey reflective of our ambitions around inclusion, anti-oppression and further developing a high-performance culture. In this project focused role you’ll lead a number of improvement workstreams where your initial responsibilities will include:
- Implementing our new career and pay framework.
- Reviewing our recruitment and onboarding processes, ensuring that these embed our values and anti-oppression commitments and support new joiners to be successful and deliver impact in their roles.
- Champion equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging across all people practices, ensuring the employee journey is inclusive, fair and actively anti-oppressive.
- Providing support for People Operations as required, including advising on HR or facilities related matters.
About you
This is a 6-month fixed term contract looking for an urgent start, so applicants will need to be available immediately or at short notice.
As a new role, you’ll bring a proactive, positive and solutions focused approach to your work, combining the ability to take projects forward independently but also collaborate effectively with the team. We’re looking for a proven background in an HR generalist role, with experience that covers the following:
- Strong working knowledge of core HR practices across the employee lifecycle (recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, and people operations).
- Understanding of change management approaches and tools.
- Understanding of UK employment law and its practical application in a generalist HR environment.
- Experience or awareness of working in mission-led, values-driven or non-profit organisations.
- Knowledge of equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-oppressive practice, and how this translates into organisational policies and processes.
- Familiarity with culture change, employee experience, or organisational development principles.
- Awareness of good practice in recruitment, onboarding, and inclusive hiring.
About Fairtrade Foundation
At the Fairtrade Foundation, we work as part of a global movement to secure a shared commitment to change - supporting farmers and workers around the world to secure sustainable and resilient livelihoods and building strong supply chains. Our work brings together farmers and workers, businesses, supporters and policymakers to address systemic challenges to ensure global trade works for people and the planet. We are driven by purpose and impact values of accountability, integrity, and respect are committed to a culture where our and partnership shape how we work and make decisions. We are committed to embedding inclusive, anti-oppressive practice across all aspects of our work, ensuring that diverse perspectives are valued and that power is shared more equitably. Our people are motivated by our mission and bring not only the right skills and experience, but also the behaviours that enable us to work at our best collaborative, acting with integrity, and taking ownership.
At Fairtrade we are committed to the safeguarding and protection of children & vulnerable adults in our work.
Practicalities
- Salary: £41,892
- Working arrangements: Hybrid, with a minimum of 2 days in the London office.
All applications will be directed to our Recruitment Partner, Tom Godber at The Highfield Partnership




