Chief People & Culture Officer – High Growth

Absolute Recruit; England; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing SME in the UK is seeking a Chief People & Culture Officer to lead the human resources strategy during a significant scaling phase. The successful candidate will develop and implement a people strategy that ensures alignment with business objectives, fostering a high-performance culture. Responsibilities include leading talent acquisition, employee engagement initiatives, and ensuring compliance with UK employment law. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the HR function from the ground up.

Qualifications

• Proven senior HR leader experience in a scaling SME or fast-paced growth environment.
• Strong background in building or transforming a People & Culture function.
• Excellent communication and influence skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a holistic people strategy aligned with company objectives.
• Lead organizational design work to enhance capabilities.
• Foster a diverse, inclusive, and values-driven culture.

Skills

Senior HR leadership experience

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

People strategy development

Change management

Job description

Salary : £100,000 - £140,000

Location : Hertfordshire

Contract Type : Fixed Term Contract

Our client is a rapidly scaling SME with ambitious growth plans and a strong leadership team.

Chief People & Culture Officer – High-Growth SME

Location : Hertfordshire

Timeline : Design, lead and deliver a full people strategy over the next 18-24 months

About the Company

Our client is a rapidly scaling SME with ambitious growth plans and a strong leadership team committed to building a truly exceptional workplace. As the business continues its expansion, there is a need for an experienced people leader who can design, implement, and embed a comprehensive people strategy that will underpin sustainable growth, capability development, and a high-performing culture.

The Opportunity

This is a newly created executive role, offering the rare chance to shape the entire People & Culture function from the ground up. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief People & Culture Officer will act as a strategic partner to the senior leadership team, ensuring the organisation is equipped with the talent, structures, and culture required for its next stage of evolution.

You will play a pivotal role in professionalising the HR function, rolling out a people roadmap for the next 18-24 months, and building a culture that supports innovation, accountability, and long‑term success.

Responsibilities People Strategy & Organisational Design

• Develop and execute a holistic people strategy aligned with the company’s scale-up objectives.
• Lead organisational design work, ensuring the right structures, capabilities, and leadership frameworks are in place.
• Build and embed a high-performance culture rooted in shared values, trust, and accountability.

Talent Acquisition, Development & Retention

• Design and implement a modern talent attraction strategy to support rapid growth.
• Introduce robust learning and development programmes, leadership training, and succession planning.
• Create clear career pathways, performance frameworks, and capability development tools.

Employee Experience & Culture

• Lead initiatives to elevate employee engagement, wellbeing, and internal communication.
• Foster a diverse, inclusive, and values‑driven culture across the organisation.
• Introduce scalable people processes, technology, and policies that strengthen the employee lifecycle.

HR Infrastructure & Compliance

• Build the HR function, implementing best‑in‑class processes, systems, and governance.
• Ensure compliance with UK employment law and evolving people‑related regulations.
• Support the CEO and leadership team with workforce planning, reward strategy, and organisational risk.

Leadership & Stakeholder Partnership

• Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board on all people matters.
• Coach senior leaders, enhancing their people management capability.
• Partner with operational teams to ensure people strategy directly supports business performance.

Candidate Profile

• Proven senior HR leader (CPO, People Director, Head of People) with experience in a scaling SME or fast‑paced growth environment.
• Strong background in building or transforming a People & Culture function.
• Commercially minded, strategic, and able to balance long‑term planning with hands‑on delivery.
• Demonstrated success in designing and implementing people strategies over 12-36 month horizons.
• Excellent communication, influence, and stakeholder management skills.
• Passionate about creating great places to work and developing high‑performing teams.