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- Tasks: Lead cultural transformation and drive inclusion across the organisation.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to diversity and inclusion.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Home-based role with UK-wide travel and excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on workplace culture and champion inclusivity.
- Qualifications: Experience in culture transformation and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Join our team as we keep our canals open and alive. Our Head of Culture and Inclusion will focus on cultural transformation, supporting our Trust vision and strategy. This role reports directly to the People Director and is part of the People Leadership team, with one direct report (Inclusion & Diversity Manager).
Working Hours & Travel
This role follows a 37-hour, 5 days a week work pattern. It is a home-based role, with UK-wide travel to key sites.
Role Overview
In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for turning strategy into delivered outcomes through evidence-led programmes, strong governance, and clear accountability across leaders and teams. You will strengthen an inclusive, high trust culture that enables performance and wellbeing, increase colleague voice and engagement, and ensure your Inclusion & Diversity ambitions translate into sustained behavioural change and business impact.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development and delivery of a clear Culture & Inclusion strategy that embeds inclusion, belonging, and fairness across the organisation.
- Drive a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring inclusive behaviours, practices, and decisions are actively reviewed, measured, and evolved.
- Build and sustain trusted relationships with senior leaders, Boards, and key stakeholders to influence inclusive leadership and organisational change.
- Partner across the organisation to ensure culture and inclusion priorities are integrated into resourcing, talent, learning, performance, and reward frameworks.
- Operate credibly across fast-paced, complex environments, balancing strategic focus with pragmatic delivery under pressure.
- Champion inclusive, values-led behaviours at all levels, adapting communication and influence to engage diverse audiences and workforce groups.
- Use insight, data, and qualitative feedback to assess cultural health and inclusion outcomes, translating findings into actionable improvement plans.
- Ensure strong governance, planning, and prioritisation of Culture & Inclusion initiatives to deliver impact with pace and consistency.
- Act as a visible advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion, supporting leaders and teams to role-model inclusive practices and decision-making.
About You
You are an experienced culture transformation lead with demonstrable proven outcomes that have driven cultural change and made significant business impact. Confident influencing at all levels, you combine commercial awareness with a passion for belonging, fairness, and continuous improvement.
Experience and Skill
- Demonstrable evidence of building and delivering multi-year culture and inclusion and diversity roadmaps with measurable outcomes in complex organisations.
- Demonstrated mastery of listening and insight methodologies, including survey design, driver analysis, segmentation, and workforce lifecycle analytics, translating insight into clear, actionable priorities.
- Deep expertise in inclusive leadership and systemic inclusion levers across policy, process, behaviours, and environment, with a strong bias toward practical education, habit change, and sustainable impact.
- Proven experience designing governance frameworks, KPIs, and benefits realisation measures, with regular reporting and assurance to Executive teams and Boards.
- Confident and compelling communicator, able to craft simple, engaging narratives from complex data and influence effectively across senior stakeholders.
- Strong credibility and lived experience working in partnership with colleague networks and communities, ensuring authentic representation, trust, and meaningful engagement.
Contact & Application
If you would like more information or a briefing pack, please get in touch with the recruitment team. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
This is a middle manager role with a package commensurate.
Head of Culture and Inclusion in England employer: Canal & River Trust
Contact Detail:
Canal & River Trust Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Culture and Inclusion in England
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those who are already in roles you aspire to. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings and even referrals.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company culture and values. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their mission, especially around inclusion and diversity.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've driven cultural change or fostered inclusion in previous roles. This will help you stand out as a candidate.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Culture and Inclusion in England
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Head of Culture and Inclusion role. Highlight your past achievements in cultural transformation and inclusion strategies to show us you’re the right fit!
Showcase Your Passion: We want to see your enthusiasm for culture and inclusion! Use your application to express why these values matter to you and how you've championed them in previous roles. A genuine passion can really make your application stand out.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on delivering your message effectively. This will help us understand your qualifications without any confusion.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our official website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Canal & River Trust
✨Know Your Culture & Inclusion Strategy
Before the interview, dive deep into the company's culture and inclusion strategy. Understand their current initiatives and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you articulate how you can contribute to their vision.
✨Showcase Your Impact
Prepare specific examples of how you've driven cultural change in previous roles. Use metrics and outcomes to demonstrate your success. This will not only highlight your expertise but also show that you can deliver measurable results.
✨Engage with Insight and Data
Familiarise yourself with various listening and insight methodologies. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to inform decisions and drive improvements in culture and inclusion. This shows you're evidence-led and can translate insights into actionable plans.
✨Communicate with Confidence
Practice crafting clear and engaging narratives from complex data. During the interview, focus on being a confident communicator who can influence stakeholders at all levels. This is crucial for a role that requires building trusted relationships across the organisation.