Interim Head of People & Culture (9-month fixed term contract)

This is a high-impact opportunity for a high-calibre HR professional with the leadership skills and expertise to deliver change and support across our organisation at the highest levels.

As the Head of People & Culture, you will play a key leadership role in the creation of a workforce strategy, driving the implementation of a culture change plan, and embedding HR operational change. You will act as a trusted advisor to our interim CEO and senior leaders regarding workforce planning, organisational design, culture, and people-related risks, delivering a strategy that operational teams can achieve.

As a senior leader and strategic influencer, you will also oversee the delivery of core HR operations and lead change initiatives, guiding other leaders and managers through the change process with coaching and frameworks for support.

Your role will also involve:

• Leading and inspiring a team to deliver an agile, professional and people-centred service
• Developing a wider picture of the organisation, identifying current and future needs and designing interventions for growth and transformation
• Ensuring we are equipped with suitable and compliant policies, processes, and systems support
• Delivering best practice across recruitment, performance management, employee relations, reward, and retention
• Partaking in, and potentially leading, the delivery of strategic P&C projects and initiatives
• Developing and embedding frameworks for succession planning, talent management, and capability development
• Providing benchmarks across all areas of People & Culture

To be considered as our Head of People & Culture, you will need:

• Experience leading and developing HR teams
• Experience of being a trusted leader of organisational change
• Proven leadership experience in managing departments and teams
• Strong background in navigating and advising on employee relations, including TUPE, restructures, redundancies, and other complex matters
• The ability to develop, motivate and nurture relationships across departments
• The ability to inspire and influence others across stakeholder groups, including staff, members and volunteers
• A customer-focused mindset, with excellent communication, facilitation and data-driven decision-making skills
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law, HR best practice, and safe recruitment processes
• A CIPD qualification or proven substantial equivalent work experience

Salary of circa £70,000 per annum, depending on experience. 28 days holiday per annum plus bank holidays. Benefits, including stakeholder pension scheme, life assurance, birthday leave, and optional private health cover.

At a pivotal moment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), with your relevant people expertise and experience, you will gain the chance to influence organisational direction, strengthening your leadership portfolio at a strategic level through visible, significant work.

Although initially an interim role, for the right individual, there is the potential for this to become a permanent position where your impact will be maintained for the longer term, making this a career-defining appointment.

This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency. Webrecruit and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment.