Chief People Officer in Bracknell

Key responsibilities:

• Provide clear direction to the department, ensuring all colleagues understand the importance and value of their individual role in achieving the Company’s mission and goals.
• Ensure appropriate policies, procedures and work practices are implemented, understood, adhered to and maintained across the department including in accordance with any ISO or other certifications and with the Company’s cultural values.
• Plan and propose headcount and other resources to ensure the department produces the highest quality and most efficient work.
• Oversee talent acquisition activities to ensure adequate staffing at all times.
• Devise, implement, review and maintain appropriate targets, objectives and other relevant performance measures across the department. Provide additional support where improvements are required.
• Ensure appropriate training needs analysis and succession planning is in place across the department to identify personal development and training initiatives to meet future demands.
• Build effective working relationships and processes with other relevant departments to ensure smooth operations across the entire Business.
• Motivate, coach and develop the department’s management team. Give regular constructive feedback and recognise good behaviour/performance. Proactively address areas of poor performance with the team and support them to improve.
• Regularly meet with direct reports to set and review personal and team performance standards.
• Provide weekly reports/updates on department activity and progress to management as required.

People Strategy, Policy and Administration

• Develop, recommend and implement as agreed, People plans to support the growth of the business and to meet its objectives, whilst retaining flexibility for change management and within budget.
• Ensure all policies, procedures and contracts relating to HR and Health and Safety are up to date and legally compliant.
• Data analysis: collect and review data on engagement, absence, performance and other appropriate measures to inform Company and departmental improvement projects.
• Compliance and Administration: management of HR records, contracts, legal and regulatory compliance, management information. Ensure activities meet with health and safety, environmental policies and general duty of care.

Lead Day-to-Day People Team Activities

• Source, secure and on-board new colleagues through robust and thorough Talent Acquisition processes.
• Promote and encourage a positive corporate culture in line with the Company’s Cultural Values.
• Oversee appropriate processes and procedures that assess and feedback colleague job performance.
• Provide day to day advice and best practice information to colleagues and management as required.
• Implement appropriate capability, disciplinary and grievance measures to effectively resolve employee relations issues.
• Implement and maintain appropriate succession planning activities in agreement with management.
• Work with heads of department to devise training and career development plans for their areas.
• Oversee sourcing and booking of training as approved.
• Provide management coaching and training as required.
• Support and input to graduate training scheme content and delivery.
• Ensure smooth processing and risk mitigation with any terminations.

Projects and Continuous Improvement

• Devise and deliver People projects in pursuit of improving business efficiency and effectiveness.
• Own any People-related activities in relation to mergers, acquisitions, TUPE and collective consultations.
• Establish and maintain appropriate reporting and monitoring techniques to identify performance against business objectives, and areas where improvement is required.

Candidate's profile:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant subject.
• CIPD membership/certification, preferably Level 7.
• A strong track-record in HR generalist and change management roles.
• Extensive experience of managing a team.
• A thorough working knowledge of UK employment legislation.
• Strong experience in managing complex and sensitive employee relations issues, including disciplinary, capability, grievance and organisational restructuring programmes and projects.
• A strong understanding of the interviewing process, benefits administration, payroll and other HR functions.
• Experience of delivering strategic learning and development projects to improve business performance at all levels.
• Experience of using HRMS/HRIS or other database systems to input, record, maintain and monitor information.
• Previous experience working in the IT and Telecoms sector.
• Outstanding commercial acumen and strategic business insight.
• A general understanding of finances, resourcing and aims of the business.
• Exceptional written, verbal and inter-personal communication skills – high personal gravitas and able to influence. Able to handle difficult situations with clarity and confidence.
• Exceptional time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks.
• Ability to build strong working relationships.
• Ability to work at both a strategic and operational level.
• Ability to hold any information in strictest confidence.
• Strong numeracy and excellent accuracy/attention to detail.