Chief People Officer - Part Time FTC

Page Executive; Kendal; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 64,000; Part time

Job summary

Page Executive is recruiting an Interim Chief People Officer (part-time, 2 days per week on-site in Kendal) to partner with the Executive leadership team. The role focuses on strengthening core people and organisational foundations to support growth, with an emphasis on leadership development and change leadership across the manufacturing group.

We are seeking candidates who can balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, influence senior stakeholders, and translate people decisions into

Qualifications

• Previous Chief People Officer, People Director, Organisation Effectiveness or Transformation leadership experience.
• Experience operating in manufacturing, engineering, industrial or technically-led environments.
• Strong organisation design, leadership development and change leadership expertise.
• The confidence to influence, coach and challenge experienced executive stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic adviser to the Chief People Officer and an executive coach.
• Partner with leaders to improve performance, effectiveness and value creation.
• Support broader organisational transformation and capability build.
• Help strengthen leadership capability and drive culture change.
• Align people initiatives with growth, profitability and long-term value creation.

Skills

Executive leadership

Organisational transformation

Change leadership

Strategic thinking

Commercial acumen

People analytics

Stakeholder management

Job description

• Drive commercial growth, leadership impact and organisational capability
• Partner with leaders to improve performance, effectiveness and value creation

About Our Client

With Head offices near Kendal, James Cropper is a market-leading materials technology business with a proud manufacturing heritage and a growing international reputation for innovation. Operating across both Advanced Materials and Paper & Packaging, the Group serves customers in sectors including aerospace, energy transition, luxury packaging and industrial manufacturing. Following a period of strategic transformation, the business is now focused on accelerating growth, strengthening commercial capability and creating greater alignment across its operations. This role will play a key part in helping deliver those ambitions. The business are open to working pattern but we envisage it to be a 0.5 FTE role over a 12 month period with review points and the potential to extend - making it ideal for candidates looking to develop more or a fractional or portfolio career. You'll have the opportunity to challenge constructively, influence strategically and deliver meaningful outcomes. Success will be measured by business impact, not the volume of HR activity

Job Description

Reporting into the Executive leadership team, you will act as a strategic adviser, executive coach and organisational effectiveness partner. Key priorities for the Chief People Officer - Part Time FTC will include:

• Strengthening the core people and organisational foundations required to support future growth with a capable and engaged HR team.
• Improving leadership capability and management effectiveness across the Group.
• Partnering with leaders to increase commercial focus, customer centricity and organisational performance.
• Challenging ways of working and supporting a culture that embraces innovation, accountability and collaboration.
• Helping build stronger succession, talent and capability pipelines.
• Improving workforce insight, organisational decision-making and evidence-based people investments.
• Supporting greater collaboration between two distinct divisions while respecting their individual identities and operational needs.
• Ensuring that people initiatives are aligned to growth, profitability and long-term value creation.

The Successful Applicant

You will bring executive-level experience combined with strong commercial insight and a track record of organisational transformation. We're particularly interested in individuals who can demonstrate:

• Previous Chief People Officer, People Director, Organisation Effectiveness or Transformation leadership experience.
• Success operating within manufacturing, engineering, industrial or technically-led environments.
• Strong organisation design, leadership development and change leadership expertise.
• The confidence to influence, coach and challenge experienced executive stakeholders.
• A practical approach that balances strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.
• Commercial acumen and an ability to connect people decisions to business performance.
• Experience building capability, improving leadership effectiveness and supporting growth.
• Most importantly, you'll be someone who sees people through the lens of business outcomes and can quickly build credibility with senior leaders.

What's on Offer

Interim CPO opportunities on a part time basis are rare. The business is open to work patterns but a minimum of 2 days a week on site in Kendal with flexibility from home for any additional days. The package will be reflective of the role and size of organisation. Please note this is a salaried role and not a day rate position for a period of 12 months but could extend beyond that based on success and value creation. This is a chance to make a tangible and lasting impact on a well-respected British manufacturing business entering an exciting new phase of growth and transformation. People are at the heart of Page Executive. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. As an inclusive recruiter we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. If you require any adjustments or accommodations during the recruitment process, we'll work with you to ensure you can perform at your best.