Human Resources Director in City of London

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced, commercially driven HR leader to build and shape our UK people function. This is a hands-on, strategic role focused on organisational design, performance management, talent acquisition, and cultural development —with minimal administrative burden.

You will be the architect of our UK people strategy , responsible for designing and implementing scalable HR frameworks, driving performance and accountability, and building a high-performance culture from the ground up. As a trusted business partner, you will work closely with UK leadership and China HQ to translate business strategy into clear, actionable, and motivating people plans.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-growing, entrepreneurial organisation where you can have significant impact and autonomy.

Key Responsibilities

Organisational Design & People Infrastructure (0-to-1 Build)

• Design and implement a lean, agile organisational structure that supports current business needs while allowing for future growth.
• Build scalable HR policies, processes, and frameworks that comply with UK employment law and evolve with the business.
• Establish core HR infrastructure, including onboarding, employee records, payroll set-up, and HRIS implementation.

Strategic Performance Management

• Design and embed a robust, transparent performance management framework that links individual, team, and business objectives.
• Translate high-level business strategy into clear, measurable KPIs and actionable goals for the UK team.
• Drive regular performance reviews, objective-setting processes, and continuous feedback mechanisms to foster accountability and high performance.
• Develop fair, commercially sustainable reward and recognition programmes (including bonus and incentive structures) that motivate teams and attract top talent in the UK market.

Talent Acquisition & Retention

• Lead end-to-end recruitment for senior and critical roles, building a strong employer brand and talent pipeline in the UK.
• Develop a compelling employee value proposition that appeals to UK professionals and reflects an ambitious, entrepreneurial culture.
• Design and implement retention strategies to engage and retain key talent during periods of rapid growth and change.

Cultural Bridge & Change Leadership

• Act as a cultural ambassador, facilitating effective collaboration and mutual understanding between China HQ and the UK team.
• Champion a culture of openness, transparency, and resilience, helping the team navigate ambiguity and maintain morale during the start-up phase.
• Lead team-building, communication, and engagement initiatives to unite the UK team around a shared mission and values.

HR Business Partnering

• Act as a true HR business partner to UK leadership and line managers, providing commercially astute people solutions to business challenges.
• Coach and mentor managers on people management, leadership development, and team effectiveness.
• Proactively identify organisational bottlenecks, skill gaps, and friction points, and recommend solutions to drive business performance.

Legal & Compliance (Employment Law & GDPR)

• Ensure full compliance with UK employment law, GDPR, and all relevant regulatory requirements.
• Manage complex employee relations cases, including disciplinary matters, grievances, and terminations, mitigating legal risk while ensuring fair and legally sound outcomes.
• Oversee UK visa sponsorship (Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence) and global mobility processes.

Key Requirements

Essential

• Education: Bachelor's degree or above in Human Resources, Business Management, Law, or a related field.
• Experience: 8+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years at Director/Head level , ideally in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, or growth-stage environment. Experience building an HR function from scratch is highly desirable.
• Language: Fluent business English (written and spoken). Mandarin is a plus but not required .
• UK Employment Law: Deep, practical knowledge of UK employment law, GDPR, tax, pensions, and immigration (including Skilled Worker sponsorship).
• 0-to-1 Mindset: Proven ability to build HR functions, organisational structures, and performance cultures from the ground up. Comfortable working with ambiguity and creating structure where none exists.
• Strategic & Commercial: Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills with a genuine understanding of what drives business performance.
• Collaborative & Resilient: High emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels. Comfortable navigating cross-cultural environments.

Desirable (Nice to Have)

• CIPD qualification (Level 7 preferred).
• Experience in the real estate, property, construction, or built environment sectors.
• Experience in a cross-cultural liaison role, particularly between a Western subsidiary and an Asian headquarters.

What We're Looking For in You

• Resilient and adaptable – you thrive under pressure and remain clear-headed in ambiguous, fast-changing environments.
• Influential yet pragmatic – you can challenge constructively, build consensus, and drive decisions without formal authority.
• Hands-on and strategic – you can balance big-picture thinking with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and deliver.
• A coach and mentor – you enjoy developing others and building leadership capability across the organisation.

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• A clear, fit-for-purpose organisational structure is designed and implemented to support business growth.
• A performance management framework is successfully embedded, with clear KPIs linking business strategy to individual and team objectives.
• Key senior and critical roles are filled with high-calibre talent.
• The UK team is engaged, motivated, and aligned with the company's mission and strategic direction.
• A positive, high-performance culture is visibly established, with open communication and strong collaboration between the UK team and HQ.

Why Join Us?

• High impact: You will have genuine autonomy to shape the people function and make a tangible difference from day one.
• Entrepreneurial environment: We are building something new, and we value initiative, creativity, and fresh ideas.
• Career growth: As the business grows, so will your role and responsibilities.