Chief People and Culture Officer

Brunel University of London; Uxbridge; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university in the UK is seeking a Chief People and Culture Officer to drive its HR strategy forward. The successful candidate will possess board-level experience, a strategic vision, and proven leadership skills. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of human resources at the University amid its ongoing growth and transformation.

Qualifications

• Extensive expertise in institutional HR strategy and transformation.
• Significant experience in team building and trade union consultation.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and policy innovation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver Brunel’s People and Culture Strategic Plan.
• Lead the University’s HR services and workforce change programmes.
• Inspire and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.

Skills

Team building

Performance management

HR strategy development

Financial acumen

Resource planning

Employment law knowledge

Leadership skills

Job description

We are seeking a talented and strategic Chief People and Culture Officer (CPCO) to support the continued development of the University.

College / Directorate

Directorate of Human Resources

Department

Human Resources

Full Time / Part Time

Full Time

Posted Date

29/05/2025

Closing Date

22/06/2025

Ref No

4845

Brunel has a proud history of being different. We trace our origins back to 1798 and the establishment of three technical Colleges established to educate people in professional, technical and applied subjects. Through our establishment as a university in 1966 to today, these foundations remain at the heart of our identity – we have a global reputation for the excellence of our teaching and research, and remain committed to serving the needs of business, industry and the professions.

This is an exciting time to join the University. In July 2023 , we launched our new strategy – Wielding Brunel’s World-class Difference – which aims to propel Brunel to new heights and establish us as a world-leading technical university, and we are on a positive trajectory. In the past two years, we have climbed more than 70 places over the 2024 and 2025 QS League Table surveys, our National Student Survey results, and key research metrics.

We are now seeking a talented and strategic Chief People and Culture Officer (CPCO) to support the continued development of the University. Reporting directly to the Vice-Chancellor & President, and a key member of the University’s Executive Board, the CPCO is the most senior HR professional in the University, responsible for the development and delivery of Brunel’s People and Culture Strategic Plan and for leading the University’s HR services.

We are seeking a strategic and astute HR professional with board-level experience who combines extensive expertise in developing and delivering institutional HR strategy with proven success in leading transformational workforce change programmes. The ideal candidate will demonstrate significant experience in team building, performance management, trade union consultation, and formal HR processes, with strong financial acumen and resource planning capabilities. They must possess the strategic vision to create long-term people and culture provisions, deep knowledge of employment law and policy innovation, and the leadership skills necessary to inspire large teams while building consensus across diverse stakeholders.

Applications should consist of a full curriculum vitae detailing professional qualifications and experience, accompanied by a covering letter describing briefly how candidates meet the candidate specification outlined in this document, why the appointment is of interest, and what they believe they can bring to the role.

For details of the appointment, including further information about the job description, person specification and how to apply, please visit Perrett Laver - Leading Global Executive Search Firm . The job reference number is 7915.

For informal inquiries please contact Research Associate, Kyle Adams on [e-mail] or [phone].

The closing date for applications is Midnight BST on Sunday 22nd June 2025.