director of projects + people experience

wagamama; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK restaurant group is seeking a Director of Projects + People Experience to enhance business effectiveness and the employee experience. This pivotal role involves overseeing key projects, implementing a wellbeing strategy, and shaping the reward system, all while fostering an inclusive workplace culture. Ideal candidates will have executive-level communication skills, significant strategic experience, and a background in the hospitality sector. The job offers a competitive salary and hybrid work options.

Benefits

Competitive salary + 30% bonus potential

Hybrid working

Monthly food allowance

Private healthcare

3% pension contribution

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Family-friendly pay for expectant parents

Qualifications

• Confident communicator and influencer at exec level.
• Demonstrated experience of operating at a director level.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into action.
• Inspiring leader who empowers others and builds high-performing teams.
• Experience in fast-paced, multi-site or hospitality environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic initiatives to enhance business effectiveness.
• Oversee planning, implementation, and delivery of projects.
• Lead the wellbeing strategy to support a resilient workforce.
• Create a forward-thinking reward strategy.
• Ensure successful implementation of business initiatives.

Skills

Confident communicator at exec level

Experience operating at director level

Strategic thinker

Inspiring leader

Experience in hospitality environments

Creative and curious mindset

Team player

High integrity

Attention to detail

Job description

at wagamama, food is life 🥢 and we’re here to make every bite count. with over 165 restaurants across the UK (and growing fast) we’ve been dishing up vibrant, fresh asian inspired flavours since ‘92. it’s all about good food, good vibes, and good company 🍜🔥

were looking for a director of projects + people experience to join us on our journey 🌱 ready to dive in and stir things up?

purpose

as our director of projects + people experience you will be responsible for driving strategic initiatives that enhance buisness effectiveness and elevate the employee experience. This role ensures the successful delivery of key projects aligned with business priorities while fostering a culture of engagement, inclusion, and continuous improvement. they provides leadership in projects, change management, and experience design to create a workplace where employees thrive and business goals are achieved.

key accountabilities

deputising for cpo in their absence, providing strategic leadership across all the people functions within the restaurant group maintaining continuity in decision making and ensuring alignment across the full group. the includes overseeing and directing the people team, acting as a key support across the full group + attending key meetings in cpo’s absence including exec meetings.

projects define and lead the strategic project roadmap for people initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic goals. oversee the planning, implementation, and delivery of projects, including culture programs + engagement initiatives. drive collaboration, partnering with the senior leadership teams to ensure seamless implementation. own internal communications for projects, ensuring clear, timely, and engaging messaging to all stakeholders. monitor initiative progress, making adjustments to ensure successful embedding, using feedback loops and data to inform continuous improvement. manage timelines, budgets, and risks across multiple projects, ensuring initiatives are delivered on time, within scope, and with maximum impact. keep stakeholders informed, managing expectations with clarity + empathy, providing regular updates and facilitating two-way communication

wellbeing lead, develop + implement our wellbeing strategy which will build a resilient workforce whilst ensuring our teams feel supported and educated. t

reward create + deliver a forward-thinking reward strategy working across the restaurant group to shape + align the reward strategy with business goals, ensuring fairness, transparency, and employee engagement

lead culture + implementation programme lead the successful implementation of all business initiatives across teams, driving cultural transformation and ensuring full implementation of strategic programs to achieve organisational objectives

people experience + recruitment expert in all aspects of people experience at wagamama, leveraging insights, expertise, and thought leadership to challenge conventional approaches. take full ownership of the end-to-end employee experience, ensuring it reflects our values and culture.

comms align the internal people communications strategy with the communications manager, ensuring clear, consistent, and engaging messaging that reinforces the business culture and priorities.

what you'll need

• confident communicator and influencer at exec level
• demonstrated experience of operating at a director level
• strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into action
• inspiring leader who empowers others and builds high-performing teams
• experience in fast-paced, multi-site or hospitality environments preferred
• curious, creative and always looking for better
• a talented and collaborative leader, adept at engaging, motivating, and developing teams across the business
• a team player, dynamic and enthusiastic, with a ‘can do’ attitude and a passion to be the best
• genuinely interested in the performance of the business, rather than a single focus on their own area of expertise
• high integrity, able to instil trust at all levels, with a desire to create success that they can be “proud” of
• attention to detail and sees the bigger picture. able to move seamlessly from focussing on detail to the broad strategic challenges and contributing to the success of the whole business

what’s in it for you

• competitive salary + 30% bonus potential
• hybrid working
• come as you are culture, with modern offices, fresh fruit and soft drinks
• £200 monthly wagamama food allowance — enjoy all your favourite dishes on us!
• private healthcare
• 3% pension contribution
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• + further discounts across retail, hospitality & leisure — perks that make life sweeter
• Supporting you every step of the way! family-friendly pay: 26 weeks full pay + 13 weeks half pay for expectant or adopting parents

nothing brings people together like great food. no matter where you’re from or who you are, you’ve got a seat at our table | because food is the ultimate connector, and here everyone belongs