Head of Talent & Organisational Development in Runcorn

Shape the future of work in Runcorn (Hybrid: 3–4 days on-site) with a highly competitive total reward package. We’re moving fast, thinking differently, and redefining what’s possible. Last year, we secured two employer awards, and we’re proud that our Rowlands Pharmacy business has just been recognised as a Top 100 Sunday Times Best Employer UK. To build on this momentum, we’re now searching for an impact-driven Head of Talent & OD to help shape what comes next.

About the Role

Sitting at the heart of the HR team, this role will enhance our talent management propositions, products, and services. Grounded in a modern HR value chain approach, your mission will be to elevate what we do and how we do it. You’ll bring all this to life through leading our talent management speciality hubs and working collaboratively with HR operations.

What You’ll Do

• Using data to identify patterns, diagnose root causes, and deliver improvements across processes, policies, and systems.
• Working with HR Shared Services to deploy technology that simplifies HR - improving platforms such as our LMS, ATS, and Performance & Reward systems.
• Reimagining our employer brand, social presence, EVP, sourcing channels, and assessment methods to strengthen our ability to attract and retain talent.
• Enhancing colleague and manager experiences across key areas of the employment lifecycle — sourcing/attraction, selection, onboarding, development, engagement, belonging, performance, and reward.
• Elevating communications and adoption of colleague propositions and HR initiatives, ensuring they land effectively with everyone.
• Ensuring that your team’s commitments and KPIs drive strong performance and continuous improvement.
• Benchmarking and horizon scanning and making recommendations to ensure we keep pace with the evolving employment landscape.

What Success Looks Like

You’ll succeed by optimising our talent management products, services, and propositions into simpler, faster, better experiences whilst also enabling our colleagues and managers to do their best work.

About You

You’re a strategic, data-driven leader with the ability to execute at pace. You combine deep HR/OD expertise with a passion for designing and delivering HR experiences that have tangible business impact. You’ll bring:

• Strong experience in redesigning and elevating talent management programmes — recruitment, onboarding, L&D, engagement, performance, reward, and retention.
• Considerable experience of leading delivery focussed Talent Management/HR teams that are both results-oriented and relationship-centred.
• An appetite for, and relevant experience, in using data to diagnose issues and shape pragmatic and simple HR solutions.
• A strong record of improving colleague engagement and experience across the full employee lifecycle and making HR “easy to do business with.”
• Experience in deploying modern technology (including some AI) to enhance talent management.
• The ability to craft and deliver engaging, multi-channel communications and campaigns that drive awareness and adoption.
• Evidence of delivering initiatives that have improved retention and reduced turnover/attrition.
• Experience operating at senior leader level in a fast-paced, large-scale environment — ideally Retail or Distribution.
• A CIPD or OD qualification; psychometrics qualification (desirable).

Ready to Shape the Future?

If you’re an ambitious HR, Talent, or OD professional who is energised by continuous improvement, enthusiastic about delivering meaningful and impactful HR change, and ready for your next challenge — we’d love to hear from you!