People and Culture Lead in Woking

Taco Bell was born and raised in California and has been around since 1962. We went from selling everyone’s favourite Crunchy Tacos on the West Coast to a global brand with 8,200+ restaurants, 350 franchise organizations, that serve 42+ million fans each week around the globe. We’re not only the largest Mexican-inspired quick service brand (QSR) in the world, we’re also part of the biggest restaurant group in the world: Yum! Brands. Much of our fan love and authentic connection with our communities are rooted in being rebels with a cause. From ensuring we use high quality, sustainable ingredients to elevating restaurant technology in ways that hasn’t been done before, we will continue to be inclusive, bold, challenge the status quo and push industry boundaries. We’re a company that celebrates and advocates for different, has bold self-expression, strives for a better future, and brings the fun while we’re at it. We fuel our culture with real people who bring unique experiences. We inspire and enable our teams and the world to Live Más. At Taco Bell, we’re Cultural Rebels.

As the UK&I People & Culture Lead, you will drive the P&C function across Taco Bell in the UK and Ireland. You will work closely with the UK&I Market Leader and Head of People and Culture, ONEurope, ensuring HR strategies are aligned with business objectives and the broader European People Strategy. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing recruitment, leadership development, employee relations, and engagement, while also collaborating with franchise teams to share best practices and maintain a strong, aligned HR community across both corporate stores and franchise locations.

Work‑Hard, Play‑Hard

• Hybrid working (our office is based in Woking Surrey)
• Company and performance‑related bonus
• Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution
• Private healthcare with the option to increase to include family cover
• Annual holiday allowance starts at 25 days with the option to buy or sell up to 5 extra days per year. After 5 years’ service, annual holiday allowance increases to 30 days
• Competitive parental leave and flexible return to work options
• Wellbeing Reimbursement - A fund to claim back costs throughout the year that support your well‑being such as vitamins subscriptions, language lessons, gym membership
• Flexible and voluntary benefits including Dental Insurance, Health Screening and Gym Discounts

The Day‑to‑Day

• Lead and execute the HR strategy for corporate stores in the UK & Ireland, ensuring fair and consistent talent management practices
• Share best practices with franchise teams to drive alignment in recruitment, talent development, and people management across corporate and franchise operations
• Oversee leadership development, including coaching and training for RGMs and Area Coaches
• Manage the people capability cycle, ensuring alignment with business goals and enabling growth across corporate stores
• Lead employee relations, ensuring fair and consistent handling of performance and conduct matters, while driving engagement and retention initiatives
• Ensure compliance with labour laws and Taco Bell policies. Oversee the implementation and effective use of HR systems (e.g. Paradox, Harri) to support recruitment, scheduling, and performance management
• Oversee end‑to‑end people planning for new store openings, including workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, and training execution to ensure stores open fully staffed and operationally ready
• Maintain strong field presence through regular store visits, conducting HR audits and health checks to ensure compliance, reinforce standards, and coach managers on people practices

Is this you?

• 7+ years of experience in HR management, with a focus on talent development
• Proven ability to work with both corporate and franchise teams, aligning HR strategies and sharing best practices across both sectors
• Proven strategic and conceptual thinking skills
• Strong coaching, leadership development, and employee relations experience
• Proficiency in HRIS systems (e.g., Paradox, Harri), performance management tools, and compensation strategies
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, able to influence and engage at all levels of the organization
• Ability to manage multiple HR subjects while aligning with business needs and corporate strategy
• A creative, flexible, and innovative team player who thrives in a dynamic environment

Taco Bell is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging for all dimensions of diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other protected characteristic. Taco Bell is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities or special needs.