Head of People & Talent

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