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- Tasks: Lead compassionate people support and enhance our culture at Blue Cross.
- Company: Join Blue Cross, a charity dedicated to animal welfare and community impact.
- Benefits: Enjoy 38-43 days holiday, wellbeing support, and professional development opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of people services while making a real difference in animal welfare.
- Qualifications: CIPD Level 5 or above with strong HR experience and empathy.
- Other info: Hybrid role with excellent career growth and a supportive team environment.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 60000 £ per year.
Contract: Permanent, full time
Salary: circa £50,000 per annum
Location: Burford, OX18 4PF on a hybrid basis
Closing date: 30 January 2026
1st interviews: 10 – 12 February 2026
2nd stage: 18 & 19 February 2026
At Blue Cross, our people are central to everything we do to protect and improve animal welfare. We are recruiting a People and Culture Manager to lead the day-to-day delivery of compassionate, high-quality people support across the charity. This is a brand-new role, created to strengthen how we support managers and teams and to translate our People Strategy into practical, values led people practices.
Sitting within the People and People Services directorate, the People and Culture Manager plays a key role in enabling confident, fair leadership across the organisation, particularly in emotionally demanding environments. The role also offers a valuable opportunity to build experience and capability towards senior People and Culture leadership.
More about the role:
- As People and Culture Manager, you will provide expert, pragmatic advice across the full range of people matters, acting as a trusted business partner to the People & People Services directorate.
- You will lead on complex and sensitive casework, coach and develop People and Culture colleagues, and work closely with senior leaders to deliver positive people outcomes.
- As this is a new role, you will have the opportunity to help shape how people services are delivered day to day, contributing to the continuous improvement, credibility, and impact of the People and Culture function.
- You will also contribute to organisational development, culture change, wellbeing initiatives, and workforce planning, using insight and data to identify risks and opportunities.
- The role supports organisation wide change activity, ensuring that people processes are fair, transparent, and compassionate.
This role is offered on a hybrid basis, based from our Burford office, with a minimum of two days a week working from the office. You will also be required to travel regularly to other Blue Cross sites to build relationships and provide effective, visible support to managers and teams.
About you:
- You are a credible and empathetic professional who brings sound judgement, resilience, and a solutions focused approach.
- You are confident supporting managers through complex and emotionally sensitive situations and are comfortable balancing operational delivery with strategic contribution.
- You build strong, trusting relationships, communicate clearly at all levels, and enjoy coaching others to build their confidence and capability.
- You are committed to embedding Blue Cross values of compassion, courage, and inclusivity in everything you do.
Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:
- CIPD Level 5 or above, or equivalent professional experience
- Substantial experience in a generalist HR or people role
- Strong employee relations experience with sound knowledge of UK employment law
- Proven ability to manage complex and sensitive people issues with empathy and professionalism
- Strong communication, influencing, coaching, and stakeholder management skills
- Experience working in a values led, care focused, or emotionally demanding environment
- The ability to demonstrate and apply Blue Cross values of compassion, courage, and inclusivity
Desirable Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:
- CIPD Level 7 qualification
- Experience working in animal welfare, healthcare, social care, or frontline operational environments
- Experience supporting managers and teams working in emotionally demanding roles
How to apply:
Please click Apply to submit your application. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Our recruitment process for this role will take place in two stages. The first stage will be a competency-based interview, focused on experience, approach and alignment with our values. Candidates who progress to the second stage will be invited to attend a discovery session. This will be an informal and interactive session, designed to explore the role in more depth, share perspectives and give candidates the opportunity to meet colleagues and learn more about Blue Cross and our culture. Full details will be shared with candidates in advance. Both stages will be held in person at our Burford offices.
We are committed to running a fair and inclusive recruitment process and will provide support or reasonable adjustments where needed.
Blue Cross benefits:
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today. In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.
Our generous benefits package includes:
- Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
- Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
- Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
- Health cash plan
- Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
- Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
- Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
- Life assurance
- 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
- Enhanced family friendly policies
- Recognition scheme
- Annual volunteer days
- Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers
To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website. If you’d like to learn more about Blue Cross, our mission, and the work we do to support animals and people, take a look at our About Us page.
People & Culture Manager: Burford employer: Blue Cross
Contact Detail:
Blue Cross Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land People & Culture Manager: Burford
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture before your interview. Check out Blue Cross's values and mission, and think about how your own experiences align with them. This will help you show that you're not just a fit for the role, but also for the team!
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your responses to common interview questions, especially those around handling sensitive situations. Use real-life examples to demonstrate your skills in empathy and problem-solving, which are key for the People & Culture Manager role.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to prepare some thoughtful questions for your interviewers! This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if Blue Cross is the right fit for you too. Think about asking about their approach to employee wellbeing or culture change.
✨Tip Number 4
Finally, apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about what we do and how you can contribute to our mission.
We think you need these skills to ace People & Culture Manager: Burford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the People & Culture Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience and how it aligns with our values of compassion, courage, and inclusivity. We want to see how you can contribute to our mission!
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your qualifications; demonstrate how your skills in employee relations and HR practices can make a difference at Blue Cross. Use specific examples to illustrate your experience in managing complex people issues with empathy.
Be Authentic: We value authenticity, so let your personality shine through in your application. Share your passion for animal welfare and how it connects to your professional journey. We’re looking for someone who genuinely cares about making a positive impact.
Apply Early!: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. We might close the vacancy early if we get a lot of applications, so get yours in as soon as possible through our website. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Blue Cross
✨Know Your Values
Before the interview, take some time to really understand Blue Cross's values of compassion, courage, and inclusivity. Think about how your own experiences align with these values and be ready to share specific examples that demonstrate your commitment to them.
✨Prepare for Competency Questions
Since the first stage of the interview will focus on competency-based questions, prepare by reflecting on your past experiences in HR or people roles. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers, especially for complex and sensitive situations you've handled.
✨Showcase Your Coaching Skills
As a People & Culture Manager, you'll need to coach and develop others. Be prepared to discuss your coaching style and provide examples of how you've successfully supported managers or teams in the past. Highlight any specific techniques you use to build confidence and capability in others.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, don’t forget to ask thoughtful questions. This shows your genuine interest in the role and the organisation. Consider asking about the current challenges the People & People Services directorate is facing or how they envision the new role evolving over time.
