HR Director in Chelmsford

Join to apply for the HR Director role at People Puzzles. Commercial, dynamic, energetic, creative, curious, pragmatic, influential, inspiring, kind… do these words describe you? If yes, then this is a fantastic opportunity to join and collaborate with like‑minded HR Director superstars in the People Puzzles community.

Our team is now looking to add a new team member to join us and work with clients around Romford, Billericay, Chelmsford and the surrounding areas.

Who are you? A highly successful CPO, CHRO, People/HR Director or Senior HR Consultant that loves to help businesses unlock their potential and drive people solutions that change lives. You might be looking for an alternative to corporate life and are excited to work with SME businesses/entrepreneurial leaders. You possess strong technical HR skills, yet also have a solid grasp of business concepts and naturally excel at developing and implementing business strategies that align seamlessly with People strategies.

You may want more control over your working life? Perhaps you have dipped your toe into the consulting world…and now you are looking to take the plunge? You love to collaborate and you are looking to join a network of like‑minded, commercial People Directors who are there to support each other and ultimately SME business owners. You enjoy building trusting relationships across all levels and are comfortable influencing at board level. You like your ‘trusted advisor’ status and have excellent stakeholder management skills. You tend to always exceed expectations and wow! You are seeking a more flexible work‑life balance with good earnings potential. You want to control how many days you work (with the earnings potential that matches it). You thrive in a fast‑paced environment and enjoy discovering and implementing innovative, commercially viable solutions while engaging everyone in the process. In essence, you are a catalyst for action, leveraging your intelligence, charisma, and vibrant energy to get things done.

And what about us? We are an award‑winning fractional HR consultancy with 80+ of the UK’s most trusted people experts, delivering business transformation through proven people strategies and chosen by over 1,000 ambitious business leaders.

• Lead the delivery of HR solutions to our client businesses; business and strategic HR planning, culture change, business transformation, change management, leadership development, organisational design, D&I, wellbeing, L&D and Talent Management.
• Full accountability for managing your portfolio of clients and working in partnership with the whole team to ensure a first‑class HR service is provided.
• Work with the Regional Director and our marketing team to support the process for attracting and gaining new clients.

• Proven experience inputting into the strategic direction of the business & partnering with the Board & Senior Executive team.
• Business consultancy skills: ability to spot opportunities and influence at all levels.
• Ideally be CIPD (L7) qualified or equivalent.
• A strong “people person” with a natural ability to lead teams and nurture and build relationships.
• Credible and able to “connect” with SME business owners.
• Autonomous, tech‑savvy and organised – you genuinely love and seek out new ways to work and embrace technology.
• Commercial – you are a business person “who does HR”. You see the big picture.
• Pragmatic, you work strategically but are happy to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in.
• A great listener, and even better at asking great questions, you’ll wake up every day and think “how do I add value and do something special for my clients today?”

We believe in Team. We attract individuals who can put their energies into being part of our team and fully embrace all aspects of working as part of our local and national teams. Network: you will have access to an amazing community of People Directors who are always ready to support each other. In addition to this, we have carefully chosen strategic national partnerships that enhance our services and provide support to our People Directors. CPD: We provide CPD offerings and we always embrace the ethos of continuous learning and growth. We are proud of our culture. Our four core values “win/win, always passionate, still learning and be pragmatic” provide the foundation on which the culture is built. We seek individuals who are aligned with our culture and values. We have a creative marketing team that is constantly brainstorming ideas to boost awareness and generate new opportunities. Sales and business development: Our team of Regional Directors in sales plays a crucial role in assisting you in expanding your portfolio. As with any endeavour, the effort you invest directly correlates with the rewards you receive, so we encourage your active participation to make your Puzzles journey both successful and fulfilling.

There is some scope for client work to be remote, although most client work is onsite so interested applicants will need to be within easy commute of all the areas listed above. If you are shortlisted you will be required to complete a behavioural assessment and a background/identity check.