Associate Director - People Advisory

Warner Scott Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Warner Scott Recruitment is recruiting an Associate Director for the People Advisory team in London to lead HR M&A delivery, including due diligence, integration planning, and client advisory across major deals. You will work with Partners and Directors to oversee engagement delivery, risk, and quality while guiding junior staff and contributing to business development.

The role combines technical HRM&A depth with client ownership in a market-leading, fast-growing practice, offering high-profile

Qualifications

• Significant experience delivering HR M&A programmes and HR due diligence in top consulting firms.
• Strong ability to manage client relationships and lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Proven track record of developing junior staff and mentoring colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver HR M&A engagements, including due diligence and integration work.
• Advise on strategy development, organisation design, and employee experience across deals.
• Manage engagement quality, risk, and client communications with Partners/Directors.
• Drive business development through proposals, pitching and client expansion.
• Mentor and develop junior team members and oversee staffing of engagements.

Skills

HR M&A

Client management

Team leadership

Business development

Job description

A leading UK professional services network is looking to hire at Associate Director level into its People Advisory team, based in London. This is a senior hire within a fast-growing, market-leading practice, supporting clients across HR M&A on some of the largest and most high-profile deals in the market. The team works across a broad range of sectors including Financial Services, Healthcare, Real Estate, Consumer, Industrial, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, and Business Services, offering a collaborative, flexible and ambitious environment with genuine scope for progression.

The Role

You will take responsibility for leading client delivery and supporting practice development, advising on all aspects of HR and change management across the deals process, from HR due diligence through to deal execution.

Working closely with Partners and Directors, you will lead teams across complex Integration & Separation deals, combining deep technical expertise with client relationship management, business development and people leadership. You will act as a primary point of contact for clients, building and expanding relationships with large corporates, whilst overseeing engagement management, quality and risk, and the coaching and development of junior team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver complex Integration & Separation deals, including HR M&A programmes and HR due diligence.
• Advise clients through strategy development, organisational design, people transitions and employee experience.
• Deliver and review high-quality transaction reports and M&A documentation, including HR due diligence and Transitional Service Agreements.
• Lead client meetings and interviews, acting as primary point of contact across the overall engagement.
• Support the growth of the HR M&A business through proposals, pitching and business development.
• Oversee and drive the development of staff, acting as mentor and coach to junior team members.

Candidate Profile

• Significant experience preparing and delivering HR, Organisation Design or Strategy programmes within an M&A environment, for a top consulting firm.
• Deep technical expertise in at least one area such as operating model and organisation design, talent retention strategy, cultural assimilation, HR-related synergies, HR operating models, or labour relations.
• Strong understanding of the deal lifecycle and the role of HR and change management within it.
• Team management experience, including leading colleagues and client staff, with a track record of development and growth planning.

What's on Offer?

• Work directly with Partners and Directors on some of the largest and most high-profile HR M&A engagements in the market.
• Gain exposure to global integrations, separations and Joint Ventures across a diverse range of sectors.
• Play a key role in the growth and development of a market-leading, digitally innovative practice.
• A collaborative, flexible and inclusive working environment with genuine investment in your development.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR M&A professional to step into a senior leadership role, combining technical depth with client ownership and team development responsibility within one of the market's most successful and fast-growing People Advisory teams.