At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead transformative people strategy programmes that reshape organisational effectiveness.
- Company: Join Korn Ferry, a leader in human capital consulting.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and impactful work.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities to influence at the highest levels.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in public sector organisations and drive meaningful change.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading people strategy and workforce transformation.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Lead complex people strategy programmes that reshape how organisations work. This role sits firmly within the human capital / people strategy space — not IT, not tech delivery. It's about leading large‐scale programmes that translate people strategy into real organisational outcomes, ensuring workforce, structure and capability are aligned to deliver impact.
At Korn Ferry, we partner with public sector organisations to solve some of their most complex workforce challenges — from organisation design and workforce transformation to career architecture and job evaluation. Within our Local Public Services (LPS) practice, we work at the heart of transformation across councils and public bodies, helping them redesign how work gets done and how people enable delivery.
As demand grows, we're looking for a Senior Principal to lead and land these programmes — bringing pace, structure and credibility to delivery, and ensuring people strategy translates into sustainable organisational change.
The role is a senior leadership role focused on delivering people strategy at scale. You will take end‐to‐end ownership of complex, high‐profile programmes — acting as the senior point of accountability across delivery, governance and client outcomes, while staying grounded in the people agenda.
You will operate across core human capital priorities, including:
- Organisation design and local government reorganisation
- Job evaluation and workforce frameworks
- Work & career architecture and skills frameworks
- Large, multi‐workstream people transformation programmes
Critically, this role goes beyond design. It is about implementation and embedding change — ensuring people strategies are executed effectively, adopted by organisations, and deliver measurable impact.
What you'll be doing:
- Owning and leading large, complex people strategy programmes (typically £250k–£2m+)
- Acting as a trusted partner to HR leaders, CPOs, Chief Executives and senior officers
- Translating people strategy into structured, deliverable programmes with clear outcomes
- Establishing and driving programme governance, pace, risk management and delivery discipline
- Leading multi‐disciplinary teams across organisation design, reward and workforce transformation
- Navigating complex, often politically sensitive environments with confidence and credibility
- Creating clarity and confidence — ensuring programmes land successfully and commercially
We're looking for a human capital programme leader — someone who combines strategic perspective with delivery authority. You'll likely bring:
- Strong experience leading people strategy or workforce transformation programmes within consulting or advisory environments
- A track record of owning client relationships and programme outcomes, not just contributing technically
- Credibility with senior HR and business leaders, with the ability to influence at executive level
- Experience operating within complex, ambiguous and high‐scrutiny environments
- The ability to connect people strategy with organisational and operational delivery
- Experience from Big Four, human capital consulting, transformation advisory or large‐scale public sector programmes is highly relevant.
Apply now or get in touch for a confidential conversation.
Senior Principal (People Centric Programmes) in London employer: Korn Ferry
At Korn Ferry, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation in the human capital space. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through our focus on meaningful projects that drive real organisational change, particularly within the public sector. With a strong emphasis on professional development and a supportive environment, we empower our team members to lead impactful programmes that reshape how organisations operate.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Principal (People Centric Programmes) in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who work in human capital or people strategy. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings that aren't even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company’s recent projects and challenges. This will help you tailor your responses and show how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in delivering complex people strategy programmes.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully led large-scale programmes and navigated complex environments. This will demonstrate your credibility and ability to deliver impact.
✨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 proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Principal (People Centric Programmes) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in leading people strategy programmes. We want to see how your background aligns with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects you've managed.
Showcase Your Impact:When detailing your past roles, focus on the outcomes of your work. We’re interested in how you’ve driven change and delivered results in complex environments. Use metrics where possible to illustrate your success!
Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We value authenticity and want to get a sense of who you are beyond your professional achievements. Share your passion for people strategy and how it drives you.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Korn Ferry
✨Know Your People Strategy Inside Out
Make sure you thoroughly understand the principles of people strategy and how they apply to organisational outcomes. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led similar programmes, showcasing your ability to translate strategy into action.
✨Demonstrate Your Leadership Skills
This role is all about leading complex programmes, so be prepared to share stories that highlight your leadership style. Talk about how you've navigated politically sensitive environments and built trust with senior leaders, as this will show your capability to influence at the executive level.
✨Showcase Your Programme Management Expertise
Familiarise yourself with programme governance, risk management, and delivery discipline. Be ready to explain how you've established these frameworks in previous roles, and how they contributed to the success of large-scale people transformation initiatives.
✨Connect the Dots Between Strategy and Delivery
It's crucial to demonstrate your ability to link people strategy with operational delivery. Prepare to discuss how you've ensured that strategies are not only designed but also effectively implemented and adopted within organisations, leading to measurable impact.
