UK&I HR Director in London

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About the Role

As an HR Director (UK&I), you’ll lead our HR strategy and operations across the UK and Ireland while serving as a key member of the EMEA HR leadership team, driving a high-performing people strategy aligned with our global HR vision and local market needs. We are looking for someone who is passionate about seeking new opportunities to create impactful work, partnering with leadership to transform the employee experience, navigate complex change, and leverage modern tech and AI tools across the region.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the UK&I HR strategy to support business growth and maintain alignment with broader EMEA and global HR objectives.
• Partner with country leadership to provide strategic HR guidance, ensuring all people initiatives directly support business goals across the UK and Ireland.
• Lead organizational design and change management programs to build agile, high-performing structures and drive seamless adoption across teams.
• Oversee local HR operations, ensuring compliant, efficient execution across payroll, benefits, data integrity, and HR systems like Workday.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on UK and Irish employee relations, navigating local labor laws, performance management, and complex dispute resolutions.
• Drive local employee listening, wellbeing, and engagement strategies, utilising data analytics to inform decision-making and elevate workplace culture.
• Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) by embedding equitable practices across talent acquisition, development, and daily operations.
• Explore and implement AI and AI-enabled tools to optimise HR processes, elevate productivity, and advance data-driven decision-making.

About You

The essentials:

• 10+ years of HR experience with proven leadership in a country or regional HR role within a multinational environment.
• Deep expertise in UK and Irish employment law, labor regulations, and local workplace cultural nuances.
• Demonstrated success in driving people strategies, organisational change, and employee engagement through growth or transformation.
• Strong proficiency in HR platforms and systems (e.g., Workday) alongside advanced Excel skills for data-driven planning.
• Exceptional influence and communication skills with a proven ability to build strong relationships with executive leaders.
• Resilient, adaptable, and empathetic work style, comfortable managing complex employee matters and tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluency in English.

Not a must, but a plus:

• Broader EMEA HR experience, particularly across mainland Europe, the Nordics, or MEA.
• Fluency in additional languages such as French, German, or Dutch.
• Hands-on experience applying AI tools to HR workflows, operational design, or talent management.

At Monks, we believe in fostering an environment where a diversity of perspectives can thrive. We proactively work to design hiring processes that promote equity and inclusion while mitigating bias. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage qualified applicants, from all backgrounds, who are excited to contribute to our mission.

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a respectful and empowering work environment for all people to freely express themselves amongst colleagues who embrace diversity in all respects. Including fresh voices and unique points of view in all aspects of our business not only creates an environment where we can all grow and thrive but also increases our potential to produce work that better represents—and resonates with—the world around us.

Interested? Apply for this job!

At Monks, we are committed to protecting your personal information. As part of our recruitment process, we collect and process personal data to evaluate your application and communicate with you. To understand how we handle your information, including the types of data we collect, how we use it, and your rights, please read our Monks Candidate Privacy Notice. We encourage you to review this notice to ensure you are fully informed about how your data will be managed during your application process.