Director of People in Stevenage

Shape the future. Lead with purpose. Make a lasting impact. Hertfordshire County Council is seeking an exceptional Director of People to join us at a pivotal point in our journey. We are a large, ambitious and forward-looking authority, driven by a strong sense of purpose and a deep commitment to delivering for our communities. We have built a positive and supportive culture, underpinned by strong workforce foundations and an established People Strategy, alongside a clear ambition to go further. At the same time, we are entering a period of significant change, with Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) now underway.

This presents a rare, career-defining opportunity to take on a senior leadership role, guiding our workforce through change while helping to shape the future of local government across Hertfordshire. Although the detail of LGR is still evolving, this moment offers a genuinely exciting opportunity: to provide stability and clarity in the present, while playing a key role in designing and influencing the organisation of the future.

The Role: As Director of People, you will lead a significant and complex portfolio, supporting a workforce of around 9,000 employees alongside our schools community and Fire & Rescue service. This is a hands-on, high-impact role with real influence over both current priorities and the future shape of the organisation. You will be responsible for leading the strategic and operational delivery of HR, workforce strategy, organisational development and payroll, while also driving the people and workforce workstream for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). As a key member of the corporate leadership team, you will act as a trusted advisor to the Chief Executive and Members, playing a visible and credible role and driving organisational performance, culture and continuous improvement.

Success in this role will require a leader who combines strategic insight with strong operational grip and the ability to build trusted relationships. You will provide clarity and direction through a period of uncertainty, ensuring the organisation remains safe, effective and well-governed from a people perspective. You will strengthen leadership capability and overall organisational performance, while building and sustaining effective relationships with Members, partners and trade unions. While culture and organisational development remain important, there is a clear priority on delivering strong, resilient HR leadership over the coming years, ensuring the organisation has the solid foundations it needs as it evolves.

About You: You will be a credible and thoughtful leader, comfortable operating at Executive level in a complex, politically-led environment. You will bring:

• A strong track record of leading a wider range of HR functions at scale
• Proven experience overseeing and delivering organisational change and transformation, maintaining pace while sustaining core services
• The ability to translate strategy into practical, high-quality delivery
• The credibility to influence, advise and support at the most senior level

Just as importantly, you will:

• Build trust quickly and work collaboratively
• Challenge constructively, bringing fresh thinking and sound judgement
• Operate with confidence, clarity and resilience in the face of ambiguity

We welcome applications from both established Directors and high-potential leaders ready to step up, who can demonstrate the capability to succeed at this level.

How To Apply: If you are ready to take on a role of real scale, influence and impact and to help shape the future of Hertfordshire we would love to hear from you. For a confidential conversation or to find out more, please get in touch with a member of the Penna Team.

Key Dates in Recruitment Timeline: Sunday 19th July – Role Closes. Week Commencing 27th July – Technical/Preliminary Interviews (Online). Week Commencing 10th August – Final Assessment and Final Panel (In person).