At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead our people strategy and drive organisational growth in a dynamic production company.
- Company: Join an award-winning, B Corp™ Certified workplace in the heart of Shoreditch.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, mental health support, and perks like free lunches and socials.
- Other info: Collaborate with international teams and thrive in a fast-paced, innovative environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on employee experience and culture while shaping HR strategies globally.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in senior HR roles and a passion for people development.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Based in the heart of Shoreditch, we are a multi-platform production company, social media agency, and digital media network who are on a search for a commercially focused People Director to drive our people strategy. As People Director, you will provide HR leadership to ensure our people strategy aligns with organisational goals and fosters a high-performance culture. You will steer the business through growth and transformation, and provide operational excellence across recruitment, people operations and L&D across the UK businesses.
The role requires close collaboration with senior leadership to align HR functions with the overall global business objectives, and plays a key role in shaping the company’s talent acquisition, retention, organisational design, employee experience and development strategies. This opportunity presents a blend of executive-level influence, hands-on delivery and HR compliance and risk management, uniquely tailored for a fast-paced UK Enterprise. The role also offers the opportunity to work collaboratively with the US and German People Teams to ensure a consistent culture and guidance on long term HR strategies.
PERKS OF THE JOB
We are proud to be an award winning, B Corp™ Certified workplace with employee wellbeing at the heart of everything we do. We offer hybrid and flexi-time working, mental health and wellbeing programmes, enhanced gender neutral parental leave, interest free financial support and a digital nomad policy that allows you to work from abroad in two one week blocks a year. Plus all the usuals such as pension contributions, annual leave and office perks like free lunches, socials, and health treatments!
HOW YOU'LL SPEND YOUR TIME
- Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership
- Strategic Advisory & Commercial Integration: Partner with the SLT to align the People & Culture strategy with business growth, workforce planning, and talent development.
- Risk & Governance: Oversee UK employment compliance and HR risk management as a member of the Risk and Compliance Board.
- Talent & Organisational Design: Drive business effectiveness through organisational transformation, skills gap mitigation, and robust succession and contingency planning.
- Operational Leadership & People Delivery
- Operational delivery: Responsible for the delivery of the UK People function covering recruitment, L&D and People Operations to the business.
- Budgetary responsibility: Own and manage the People budget, ensuring clear ROI across recruitment spending, L&D spend, and software vendor contracts.
- Team management: Lead, mentor, and develop the internal HR team to deliver a highly efficient, proactive service across all UK business units.
- Technical HR, Compliance & International Employment Law
- UK: Maintain best-in-class compliance with UK employment law, managing complex employee relations (ER) cases, re‑organisation plans and contract variations in close collaboration with the General Counsel. In addition part of the role is ensuring policies, contracts, and the staff handbook are rigorously updated and aligned with ACAS codes of practice, UK employment legislation, and GDPR (including management of employee data).
- US/Germany/Australia: Providing oversight and guidance to the local People Teams and support the implementation of global policies and training on global compliance related issues.
- Germany: Support to navigate co‑determination, strict data protection (GDPR/BDSG), and rigid German termination laws.
- Australia: Ensure alignment with the Fair Work Act, National Employment Standards (NES), Modern Awards, and superannuation compliance.
- Global Operations: Manage relationships with Employer of Record (EOR) and Professional Employer Organisation (PEO) partners.
- Talent Acquisition & Retention
- Manage the end‑to‑end talent pipeline to align recruitment with UK operational needs.
- Optimise global talent acquisition across employment models (EOR, PEOs, contractors) to meet budget targets.
- Maintain scalable performance frameworks to ensure accountability across remote and local teams.
- Performance Management and Development
- Manage quarterly performance cycles (KPIs/OKRs) to align individual output with business goals.
- Drive L&D programs to upskill teams, define career paths, and improve operational output.
- Partner with department heads to analyse skill gaps, manage underperformance, and prioritise L&D investments.
- Use engagement metrics (e.g. eNPS, pulse surveys) to foster a transparent, high‑performing culture.
- Reward, Performance & Development
- Oversee UK/APAC payroll and finance liaison for compliance.
- Manage compensation, benefits, and rewards to optimise retention within budget.
- Direct performance metrics, feedback systems, and OKR/KPI alignment.
- Employee Experience and Engagement
- Foster a positive and inclusive company culture, focusing on employee engagement, wellbeing, and satisfaction.
- Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all people‑related programmes and policies.
- Optimise the HR tech stack to improve efficiency, automate workflows, and maintain a single source of truth for data.
- Improve employee engagement through data‑driven strategies.
WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
Skills matter, experience is useful, attitude is everything.
- Equivalent Role Experience: Proven experience operating as a People Director, Head of HR, or equivalent senior leadership role within a similar organisation (c.300–1,000 employees, £50m–£200m revenue).
- Change Management: Experience in workforce scaling, designing and implementing multiple reorganisation plans or other large‑scale change management initiatives, and managing complex ER cases.
- Multi‑Jurisdictional Footprint: Demonstrable experience managing entities or large employee bases across multiple territories, including deploying EOR models in multiple territories.
- Scale & Agility: Experience working in a fast‑paced, scaling mid‑market business. You must be comfortable toggling between boardroom strategy and hands‑on operational delivery.
- Qualifications: CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent international HR qualification/degree). Equivalent practical expertise is heavily valued.
Technical Skills & Knowledge
- Deep Employment Law Expertise: Comprehensive technical knowledge of UK employment law, including (but not limited to) experience of TUPE transfers (incoming and outgoing).
- Experience in international jurisdictions: A working vocabulary and operational grasp of US, German, and Australian labour frameworks is preferred but not essential.
- HR Tech Savvy: Advanced experience optimising global HRIS, ATS, and performance management software (e.g. HiBob, Workbuzz).
- M&A / Entity Setup (Desirable): Experience supporting international expansion, entity creation, or cross‑border M&A/TUPE integration.
Core Competencies & Soft Skills
- Commercial Acumen: You speak the language of business and finance. You treat headcount and people initiatives as commercial investments tied to ROI.
- Cultural Intelligence: Strong cross‑cultural communication skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across different time zones, working styles, and local customs.
- Pragmatic Problem Solver: High emotional intelligence (EQ) paired with an objective, compliance‑driven approach to resolving complex workplace conflict and organisational bottlenecks.
- Decisiveness: Ability to make firm, risk‑managed decisions in ambiguous global legal situations.
- Solutions focused: Ability to anticipate issues and offer solutions to the SLT in a timely manner.
People Director in London employer: all
As an award-winning, B Corp™ Certified workplace located in the vibrant heart of Shoreditch, we pride ourselves on fostering a high-performance culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and development. With flexible working arrangements, comprehensive mental health programmes, and unique benefits like a digital nomad policy, we offer a dynamic environment where you can thrive both personally and professionally while driving impactful people strategies across our global operations.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land People Director in London
✨Join HR Networks
Get involved in HR-specific communities, like the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and local HR meetups. This is a fantastic way to connect with industry professionals and learn about job openings before they even hit job boards!
✨Make Your Presence Known
Attend HR conferences and workshops in your area to network with potential employers. Don't be shy—introduce yourself, exchange business cards, and let them know you're keen on a full-time role in HR. Who knows, you might just land a friendly face at all!
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Create content around HR topics you’re passionate about, like employee engagement or diversity initiatives. Share articles or insights on LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge and get noticed by recruiters. It’s a subtle yet effective way to show you’re the right fit for a full-time role at all.
We think you need these skills to ace People Director in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your HR Skills:When you’re crafting your CV, make sure you highlight specific HR skills that are relevant to the role at all. Include any experience with recruitment processes, employee relations, or performance management, and don’t forget to mention your familiarity with HR software or tools that could give you an edge.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine, so tailor it to all and the specific HR role. Highlight your passion for people management and how your unique approach can help foster a positive workplace culture. Be sure to sprinkle in examples from your past experiences that illustrate your problem-solving abilities and interpersonal skills.
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any HR certifications or relevant training under your belt, be sure to showcase them! These qualifications can really set you apart from other candidates when applying for this full-time HR position at all. List them prominently on your CV to catch the hiring manager's eye.
Align with Company Culture:Make sure your application speaks to all's values and culture. Research the company and align your experiences or values with what they stand for. This will show them that you're not only a fit for the role but also for the overall vibe of the team and organisation.
How to prepare for a job interview at all
✨Brush Up on HR Best Practices
As you're diving into human resources, it’s crucial to be well-versed in the latest HR practices and legislation. Get familiar with key topics like employee engagement, talent acquisition, and diversity initiatives, as these could easily pop up in your interview with all.
✨Know Your Recruitment Tools
Most HR roles involve using various recruitment tools and ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). Make sure you can comfortably discuss platforms like Workday or Greenhouse. If you've had direct experience, share those examples; if not, show your eagerness to learn!
✨Highlight Your People Skills
A full-time HR role at all will require strong interpersonal skills. Prepare to share stories that demonstrate how you’ve successfully navigated conflicts or supported team members in past experiences. Authenticity goes a long way in this field.
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Being up to speed with current HR trends, like remote working protocols or mental health initiatives, can set you apart. Be ready to discuss how these trends could impact all and how you would contribute to adapting HR strategies.
