People, Capability & Change Lead in Leeds

This is a Full Time vacancy. The role of People, Capability & Change Lead helps us turn great people ideas into real operational change. First Locate is growing—and so is the level of ambition across our business. We are a forward-thinking, fast-paced and progressive organisation, always looking for better ways to support our people, strengthen our managers and improve operational performance.

Our HR team has already done some brilliant work designing the frameworks, tools and people initiatives the business needs. We are now looking for someone with the drive, resilience and influence to bring that work to life across the operation. This is not a role for someone who wants to design a framework, launch it and move on. We need someone who will understand the problem, build the right solution, bring our leaders and managers with them and stay close enough to make sure change is properly embedded and delivering results.

What will you be doing?

Reporting directly to the Head of HR, you will work closely with the SLT and operational management community to identify the people and capability issues affecting performance, growth, quality, engagement and retention. You will take ownership of key People Plan priorities and turn them into practical, end-to-end plans that strengthen:

• Management capability and accountability
• Talent identification and succession planning
• Career pathways and internal progression
• Performance standards and people KPIs
• Early-life retention and employee experience
• Future Leaders and management development
• Organisational change and operational excellence

You will use people data, employee insight, operational feedback and recurring ER trends to understand what is really getting in the way—and then design solutions that work within a busy operational environment. This could mean embedding quarterly talent reviews, creating a meaningful succession pipeline, developing our Future Leaders approach or strengthening the tools and routines managers need to lead their teams effectively. You will also work closely with Learning and Development to turn genuine capability gaps into focused, measurable interventions—not training for training’s sake. Most importantly, you will make sure initiatives move beyond design and become part of how we operate.

What are we looking for?

This is a senior-level role requiring relevant experience in a similar people, capability, organisational development or change position. You will already have operated at a senior level and be confident working directly with senior leaders and operational management teams. Strong stakeholder influence is essential—you must be able to build credibility quickly, constructively challenge existing thinking and maintain momentum when delivery becomes difficult.

You will need:

• Relevant experience in a similar senior-level people, capability, talent, performance or organisational-change role
• Evidence of designing and delivering initiatives from diagnosis through to measurable implementation
• A proven ability to improve management or operational capability—not simply provide advice or training
• Strong stakeholder-management and influencing skills, including experience working directly with senior leaders
• The confidence and resilience to challenge, influence and hold others accountable for delivery
• The ability to use people and operational data to identify root causes and shape practical solutions
• Strong programme and project discipline, with experience managing plans, ownership, governance and evaluation
• A practical understanding of talent, succession, performance management, organisational change and employee engagement

Experience within a fast-paced, operational, contact-centre, regulated or multi-site business would be a real advantage.

What we offer

Alongside the opportunity to have genuine influence and ownership, you will receive:

• Discretionary bonus
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Loyalty rewards, including additional annual leave

This is an opportunity to join an established HR team at an exciting point in the growth of the business. You will have direct access to senior leaders, genuine ownership of high-impact work and the opportunity to shape the management capability, talent and people frameworks that will support First Locate’s next phase of growth. You will not be joining us to maintain the status quo. You will be here to build on the great work already underway, strengthen how it lands across the business and help turn our People Strategy into visible operational results. If you are commercially minded, people-focused and motivated by making change actually happen, we would love to hear from you.

About Us

At First Locate, an Investors in People Gold accredited organisation, we’re all about treating people fairly, communicating clearly, and doing the right thing. First Locate are one of the UK's largest outsource resources for debt resolution and payment processing. We have been a leading Debt Management business for over two decades. Our First Locate Family is made up of approx. 250 people from North and West Yorkshire who provide excellent customer service to all our clients and extended customers. Our Mission is simple: ‘Helping our clients efficiently manage their customers by providing high quality investigative and debt recovery specialists who deliver innovative and market-leading services’.

The Benefits:

• Flexible working & family leave
• Simply Health Rewards Package
• Annual Bonus Scheme
• Loyalty reward for Length of service

“1st Locate excels in embedding culture, DEI, and employee engagement. Judges highlighted its measurable outcomes, clear governance, and employee support, showing strong alignment between culture, client satisfaction, and performance. A company that invests in people, growth, and innovation.”

“We are a trusted supplier to many of the UK’s largest utility companies, government departments and retailers.”

Lewis Kershaw, Accounts Team

“First Locate gave me the opportunity at a young age by taking me on as an apprentice, which I have since fully completed and passed thanks to everyone at First Locate for helping where needed. I have since moved to a more advanced role within the Accounts department where I am continually learning and taking on new opportunities daily as they arise.”