Interim Chief People Officer (12 month FTC) in Essex

Interim Chief People Officer (12 month FTC) enterprise‑level CPO role at a pivotal inflection point At a pivotal point in its organisational journey, Interim Chief People Officer to join the Executive Leadership Team and play a critical role in strengthening organisational culture, performance, leadership capability, and long‑term organisational health. Key responsibilities Working collaboratively with the Executive Leadership Team to define, plan, and embed organisational strategy, delivering people outcomes that support long‑term organisational health and strategic ambitions. Leading and role‑modelling cultural evolution; acting as a critical accountability partner to the CEO and Executive Team on leadership behaviours, culture, and the creation of a psychologically safe, high‑trust environment. Developing and leading the People Directorate in alignment with purpose and strategy, driving improvements in colleague engagement and progressing the digitisation of the end‑to‑end people experience. Leading, coaching, and motivating a high‑performing People Directorate team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and performance. Partnering with the CEO and Executive Team on organisational design, leadership capability development, succession planning, and workforce planning. Championing and embedding people‑centred transformation and change programmes, ensuring they are sustainable and widely adopted. Using internal and external insights to shape future thinking around organisational design, operating models, and culture, enhancing long‑term resilience. Taking responsibility for the financial stewardship of the People function, including budgeting, expenditure control, and disciplined resource deployment. Working closely with the CEO to embed Enterprise Leadership principles across executive and senior leadership levels. The Successful Applicant The successful candidate will be an accomplished executive‑level people leader with a strong track record of delivering sustained organisational change in complex environments. You will bring An organisation‑first mindset, with proven executive leadership experience delivering transformation in a complex and/or regulated environment within a similarly sized or larger organisation. Demonstrable experience of digitising the people experience and increasing people data maturity. A track record as an inspirational leader who develops high‑performing teams and delivers measurable outcomes at senior and executive level. Evidence of successfully building and sustaining positive organisational cultures during periods of significant change. Strong commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to contribute meaningfully to enterprise‑level decision‑making. Deep expertise in organisational change, transformation, and contemporary people best practice. Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with credibility at Board and Executive level. A collaborative leadership style, balancing support and challenge, with high personal accountability and a commitment to equity, continuous learning, and improvement. Clear evidence of advocating for and delivering specific organisational changes, supported by strong communication and influencing capability. Experience of managing and controlling significant budgets. What’s on Offer A high‑profile interim executive role within a purpose‑driven national charity. The opportunity to shape organisational culture, leadership capability, and people strategy at a pivotal moment in journey. Hybrid working with regular travel to Cambridge and central London. #J-18808-Ljbffr