Head of Human Resources

CMA Recruitment Group; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Annual bonus

Hybrid & flexible working

Executive exposure

Career development prospects

Job summary

CMA Recruitment Group is partnering with an ambitious organisation in Southampton to appoint a Head of HR Business Partnering. The role requires a commercially astute people leader who can drive business performance in a high-growth, private-equity-backed environment.

You will lead a high-performing HRBP function, partner with executive leadership, and help shape the people strategy during an exciting expansion phase including potential acquisitions.

Qualifications

• Significant HRBP leadership experience in fast-moving, commercial environments.
• Proven ability to influence executives and board-level stakeholders.
• Experience with organisational growth, change, transformation and M&A.
• Track record of aligning people strategies with business outcomes and performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop an HRBP function across multiple business areas.
• Advise senior executives, influencing commercial and organisational decisions.
• Support growth initiatives, organisational design, workforce planning, and leadership capability.
• Partner with leaders through change, transformation and acquisition activity.
• Build leadership capability via coaching, development and succession planning.
• Drive a performance-focused culture balancing commercial success with engagement and values.
• Utilise people data and analytics to inform decisions and improve outcomes.
• Champion a modern HR function recognised as a key contributor to performance.

Skills

HR Leadership

Stakeholder Mgmt

Change Management

Employment Law

Data Analytics

Commercial Acumen

Education

CIPD qualification or equivalent

Job description

CMA HR Division is delighted to be partnering exclusively with a fast-growing, ambitious organisation to recruit a Head of HR Business Partnering for a newly enhanced leadership role based in Southampton.

This is not a traditional HR leadership position. We're looking for a commercially astute people leader who thrives in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments and sees HR as a genuine driver of business performance, growth and competitive advantage.

The organisation is entering an exciting phase of expansion, supported by ambitious growth plans including acquisition activity, organisational scaling and continued investment in its people agenda. As a key member of the senior HR leadership team, you will partner closely with operational and executive leaders to ensure the people strategy directly supports commercial objectives.

This opportunity will particularly appeal to candidates who have built their careers within high-growth businesses, private equity-backed organisations, challenger brands or commercially focused environments where pace, agility and business partnership are fundamental to success.

What will the Head of HR Business Partnering role involve?

• Leading and developing a high-performing HR Business Partnering function, driving strategic support across multiple business areas
• Acting as a trusted advisor to senior executives and business leaders, influencing key commercial and organisational decisions
• Supporting business growth initiatives, organisational design, workforce planning and leadership capability development
• Partnering with leaders through periods of change, transformation and acquisition activity
• Building leadership capability through coaching, development and succession planning initiatives
• Driving a performance-focused culture that balances commercial success with employee engagement and organisational values
• Utilising people data, commercial insight and workforce analytics to shape decision-making and improve business outcomes
• Championing a modern, commercially aligned HR function that is recognised as a key contributor to organisational performance

Suitable Candidate for the Head of HR Business Partnering vacancy:

• Significant HR Business Partnering leadership experience gained within commercially focused, fast-moving organisations
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and operate confidently at Executive and Board level
• Strong experience supporting organisational growth, change, transformation and ideally M&A activity
• Demonstrable track record of aligning people strategies to business outcomes and commercial performance
• Experience leading and developing high-performing HR teams
• Pragmatic, solutions-focused approach with the credibility to challenge, influence and drive change when required
• Strong employment law knowledge combined with exceptional commercial awareness
• CIPD qualified or equivalent experience.

Additional benefits and information:

• Competitive base salary of £100,000
• Annual bonus scheme
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Significant exposure to executive leadership and strategic business initiatives
• Opportunity to influence the future direction of a growing organisation during a highly exciting stage of its journey
• Excellent long-term career development prospects

This appointment will suit an ambitious HR leader who enjoys operating close to the business, influencing strategic decisions and helping organisations scale successfully. If you are currently working within a high-growth, entrepreneurial or private equity-backed environment and are looking for an opportunity where you can genuinely shape organisational success.

CMA complies with all relevant UK legislation and doesn’t discriminate on any protected characteristics.