At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead HR initiatives for global defence programmes and ensure workforce readiness.
- Company: Innovative company transforming operations at sea with a focus on technology and sustainability.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Join a mission-driven team that values courage, trust, and creativity in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior HR roles within defence or security sectors and strong workforce planning skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We are using and creating technology to transform operations at sea to enable people and the planet to thrive. We are open-minded and fearless in our approach to innovation and don't believe in boundaries. We challenge everything and have massive ambitions to drag aging industries into the tech era. We take safety, equality and education very seriously, and our responsibilities don't stop at our front door. Our business is built on the belief that there's definitely a more environmentally responsible way to operate at sea.
We employ people who share our core values. We expect our people to be courageous, trustworthy, and conscientious, driven by a desire to do the right thing. We strive for excellence, work collaboratively, and are genuinely excited by our work. We offer opportunities for our people to develop beyond their role and span a multitude of disciplines. These are open to all, regardless of background and experience level. Working with us means being part of a team that is harnessing technology and creativity to disrupt a traditional industry. We are not your average workplace.
The HR Lead – Programmes is a senior, delivery-focused HR leader responsible for ensuring the workforce is mobilised and deployed to support complex, global defence and security programmes. Operating within a high-growth, programme-led environment, the role owns the end-to-end People Plan, aligning workforce strategy, recruitment and organisational design to programme milestones and operational readiness. Acting as a critical enabler of delivery, the HR Lead ensures people-related risks do not impact execution, working closely with Programme Leadership and enabling functions (Security, IT, Facilities, Recruitment) to deliver a security-compliant workforce at pace.
The role requires experience operating in global defence or security-cleared environments, including managing constraints related to vetting, compliance and deployment logistics.
What you will be doing
- Own and deliver the Programme People Plan, aligning workforce structure, ramp profile and deployment to programme milestones
- Lead workforce planning, including demand forecasting, role prioritisation and phased mobilisation
- Ensure workforce readiness through effective onboarding and integration
- Oversee delivery of a scalable HR model aligned to programme demand
Recruitment and mobilisation leadership
- Oversee the recruitment delivery strategy (direct, agency and contractor models)
- Ensure candidate pipelines meet forecast demand across disciplines
- Partner with Recruitment to deliver hiring targets and mitigate risks (e.g. scarcity, offer drop-off, clearance delays)
- Track and report hiring performance against ramp plan and milestones
Operational integration
- Coordinate onboarding aligned to security clearance, IT and facilities requirements
- Ensure effective workforce integration into programme teams
- Oversee early lifecycle management, including engagement, retention and issue resolution
Governance, risk and compliance
- Ensure alignment with defence requirements, including: Security vetting and clearance, and handling of sensitive information
- Provide workforce reporting to programme governance, including risks and readiness
- Own workforce inputs to programme risk registers
Who you are
- Proven experience in a senior HR leadership or HRBP role within programme-led environments, supporting defence or security-cleared programmes
- In-depth workforce planning capability, including demand forecasting and mobilisation planning
- Experience leading large-scale recruitment aligned to programme milestones
- Ability to operate at senior stakeholder level and influence programme leadership
- Strong analytical capability, using workforce data to manage risk and performance
- Commercially aware, aligning people strategy to delivery, revenue and margin
- Experience operating in fast-paced, complex programme environments
Salary: The salary varies for this position as we are recruiting in multiple regional locations and job grades. The salary process is based on skills, abilities, and experience required.
What you can expect:
At Ocean Infinity, we believe in creating equal opportunities for all, celebrating each and everyone’s differences. We are driven by transforming the industry, through our technology, thoughts, behaviours and actions. Being inclusive and respectful to all is fundamental to who we are. It is the right thing to do and enables innovation and creativity to thrive. There is more work to be done, and we know that we aren’t perfect, but our commitment to these values is unwavering. They are central to our mission and the impact we have on the industry, meaning, we cannot live without them.
Human Resources Lead - Programmes in Southampton employer: Ocean Infinity Group
Ocean Infinity Group is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant city of Southampton, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and inclusivity. As a Product Manager, you will have the opportunity to lead the development of cutting-edge data solutions while benefiting from a supportive environment that prioritises employee growth and collaboration. With a commitment to professional development and a focus on impactful projects, Ocean Infinity Group stands out as a rewarding place to advance your career.
