At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire a large HR team to enhance people operations across multiple sites.
- Company: Join Travelodge, a company committed to inclusivity and colleague wellbeing.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, generous holiday, and hotel discounts.
- Why this job: Be a catalyst for change in a dynamic, people-first organisation.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading large teams and strategic HR initiatives.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a supportive and innovative environment.
The predicted salary is between 84000 - 196000 ÂŁ per year.
Find where you belong! Are you an inspirational HR leader ready to take on a pivotal role in a large, fast-paced, multi-site organisation? Do you thrive on translating strategy into action and modernising people operations through digital tools and data‑led insight? If so, our People Director (Operations) position could be the perfect next career move for you.
What’s it all about? The People Director (Operations) will bring our people agenda to life across an organisation with thousands of colleagues in hundreds of locations. You'll ensure a consistent, engaging, and future‑ready colleague experience and position us as a benchmark for people‑first operations in our sector. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the People Director (Strategy), this role is a blend of operational excellence and forward‑looking influence. You won't just be an enabler—you'll be a catalyst for engagement, retention, productivity, and long‑term business success.
Specifically this role will cover:
- People Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement: Lead, coach, and develop a large, multi‑skilled team. You’ll be acting as a trusted advisor to the Executive Committee on people operations and succession planning.
- Workforce Planning & Talent Development: Lead strategic workforce planning, ensuring the right capability and capacity for business needs. You'll oversee the Talent Delivery team to build strong talent pipelines, succession plans, and learning interventions.
- Recruitment & Onboarding: Oversee timely, cost‑effective, and high‑quality recruitment. Develop a multi‑channel attraction strategy and lead the design of a seamless onboarding process to improve early retention and performance.
- Employee Relations & Compliance: Lead the business through a period of legislative change through the consistent application and continual review of policies and procedures.
- People Systems & Reporting: Own the day to day service of people related systems including our HRIS, LMS and ATS, ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
- Employee Experience & Engagement: Embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into every stage of the colleague lifecycle.
Why Travelodge? We believe in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can be their true self and belong. We work hard to improve the diversity of our teams and celebrate our differences. And we care about our colleagues’ wellbeing, so we ensure there are plenty of resources available so everyone can look after their emotional, physical, financial and work wellbeing. We call this “Better Me”.
Who will this appeal to? You will be a passionate and seasoned leader with substantial experience of leading large scale people teams in a centralised support model. Ideally from a multi‑site, customer facing environment, you will be comfortable working at a strategic level whilst having the agility to get hands on when required. The ability to operate with credibility and integrity with senior stakeholders is essential. You will be a self‑starting, confident, articulate communicator with experience of managing budgets. You will demonstrate adaptability and innovation and understand the benefits of digital transformation.
What are the extra benefits of working for Travelodge?
- Competitive Salary c ÂŁ140,000
- Contributory pension scheme
- Annual bonus (discretionary)
- Car Allowance
- Hybrid working - a minimum of 60% of your time should be spent in our office in Thame, but you’re welcome to come in every day if you prefer!
- 50% personal discount for hotel bookings and great friends and family discounts!
- 25 days holiday increasing with length of service + Bank Holidays
People Director - Operations in Walsall employer: Travelodge Hotels Limited
Contact Detail:
Travelodge Hotels Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land People Director - Operations in Walsall
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. A personal recommendation can go a long way in landing that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company culture and values. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their people-first approach. We want to see you shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to build confidence. The more you rehearse, the more natural you'll feel when it’s time to impress the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace People Director - Operations in Walsall
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the People Director (Operations) role. Highlight your experience in leading large teams and any digital transformation projects you've been involved in. We want to see how you can bring our people agenda to life!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to showcase your passion for HR leadership and how you can modernise people operations. Don’t forget to mention your strategic mindset and ability to engage with stakeholders at all levels.
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your past roles, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your impact. Whether it's improving retention rates or successfully implementing new systems, we love to see quantifiable results that highlight your capabilities.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a seamless application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Travelodge Hotels Limited
✨Know Your People Strategy
Before the interview, dive deep into the company's people strategy. Understand how they engage their workforce and what initiatives they have in place for talent development. This will help you articulate how your experience aligns with their goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Be ready to discuss your leadership approach and how you've successfully led large teams in the past. Use specific examples that highlight your ability to coach, develop, and inspire others, especially in a multi-site environment.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement Scenarios
Think of scenarios where you've acted as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders. Be prepared to share how you navigated complex discussions and influenced decisions, showcasing your credibility and integrity.
✨Emphasise Digital Transformation Experience
Since the role involves modernising people operations through digital tools, be sure to highlight any experience you have with HRIS, LMS, or ATS systems. Discuss how you've used data-led insights to drive improvements in employee experience and engagement.