Head of People (Support Services and Projects)

All Locations; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension

Retail discounts

Holiday discounts

Cycle to work scheme

Travel discounts via benefits app

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

[Unknown] is seeking a senior People leader to partner with the Executive Team and drive a national people strategy. You will shape job design, organisational design, and change across Support Services, while leading people risk, employee relations and leadership development.

You will work with the CFO/CPO/CIO and the Board, managing budgets, KPIs, and governance to deliver sustainable change and value for the organisation.

Qualifications

• Senior HR leader with strategic responsibility in multi-site or national organisations.
• Credible, resilient, emotionally intelligent with strong leadership presence.
• Experience designing and delivering people strategy, organisation design, and change.
• Proven track record in mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, TUPE, integration.
• Experience coaching and influencing senior leaders in complex environments.

Responsibilities

• Own the organisational approach to job design, organisation design and change management across Support Services.
• Lead people risk management and employee relations at the most complex level.
• Develop leadership capability and succession for long-term organisational success.
• Partner with CFO, CPO, CIO and executive team to align people strategy with goals.
• Design operating models, review structures, and drive performance management strategies.
• Lead complex change initiatives including restructures, mergers, acquisitions, and integration.
• Champion communication, engagement and continuous improvement during change.
• Coach senior leaders and managers to enhance leadership effectiveness and team performance.

Job description

This is a pivotal senior leadership role, operating at a strategic and operational level, partnering closely with Executive and Senior Leaders to enable organisational growth, transformation, and a high-performance, people-centred culture. You will play a critical role in ensuring our structures, leadership capability, and people practices are aligned with our strategic ambitions and values.,

Key Responsibilities

You will own the organisational approach to job design, organisational design, and change management, ensuring clarity, fairness, and accountability across Support Services. You will also lead people risk management, employee relations at the most complex level, and the development of leadership capability to support long-term organisational success. In this varied and high-profile role, you will:

• Strategic leadership + Lead the development and delivery of the people strategy for Support Services and group subsidiaries, aligned to organisational goals and values.
• + Act as a strategic business partner to the CFO, CPO, CIO, Executive Team and Senior Leadership Team.
• + Prepare and present reports on people strategy, risk, and performance to the Board and relevant committees.
• People & organisational design + Own and lead the organisational approach to job design, including job design interviews, role profiling, evaluation, and benchmarking.
• + Design and review operating models and organisational structures to improve performance, clarity, and service delivery.
• + Lead performance management and talent management strategies across Support Services.
• Change, transformation & growth + Design and deliver complex organisational change initiatives, including restructures, TUPE, mergers and acquisitions, and integration activity.
• + Lead people impact analysis, risk identification, and mitigation across change programmes.
• + Champion effective communication, engagement, and continuous improvement through periods of change.
• Leadership & capability + Develop and deliver leadership and management capability programmes, coaching and development interventions.
• + Coach and support senior leaders and managers to enhance leadership effectiveness, decision-making, and team performance.
• + Lead, motivate, and develop high-performing people teams, setting clear expectations and driving continuous improvement.
• Employee relations, risk & compliance + Provide expert advice on complex disciplinary, grievance, and organisational disputes, including mediation where appropriate.
• + Lead people risk management across regions, ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, contractual, and organisational requirements.
• + Work closely with Shared Services, ER, and legal colleagues to manage risk and ensure best practice.
• Finance & performance + Monitor and report on people budgets, workforce metrics, and KPIs, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities.
• + Ensure effective use of resources and delivery against agreed plans and budgets.

Qualifications

• You will be a credible, resilient, and emotionally intelligent senior People leader with significant experience operating in complex, multi-site or national organisations., + Relevant degree in HR, CIPD Level 7, or equivalent senior-level experience.
• + Extensive experience in a senior HR or People Business Partner role with strategic responsibility.
• + Proven track record of leading people strategy, organisational design, and large-scale change.
• + Experience of mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, TUPE, transfer, and integration.
• + Significant experience coaching and influencing senior leaders.
• + Strong background in people risk management, employee relations, and change leadership.

Key Skills and Competencies

• + Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into practical delivery.
• + Exceptional relationship-building and stakeholder-influencing skills.
• + Strong analytical capability, using workforce data to drive insight and action.
• + Confident change leader with the courage to challenge and make difficult decisions.
• + Excellent problem-solving skills in complex, fast-moving environments.

Personal Attributes

• + High integrity and professionalism, acting as a role model for our values.
• + Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable with ambiguity.
• + Empathetic, collaborative, and people-centred.
• + Proactive, improvement-focused, and accountable for outcomes.

What is "The Deal" for you?

This is a full time permanent role and you can be based anywhere across the UK however regular national travel and travel to our head office in Widnes is required as part of the role.

• + Flexibility: You can work your 37.5 hours over 4 days and enjoy a long weekend, or split the hours over 5 days to accommodate your other commitments.
• + Pension: contributory pension scheme
• + Benefits: retail discounts, holiday discounts, cycle to work scheme and travel discounts through our benefits app
• + Best Lives Possible: You'll be working for an award winning charity who is passionate about ensuring our colleagues and the people we support lead the best lives bolder
• + Development: We'll work with you to develop your career or to learn and experience new things. We're passionate about developing our people!
• + Support: From our Employee Assistance Programme (available 24/7), financial support options, and wellbeing fund you'll have the support available to lead an easier (financial) life

This is a rare opportunity to shape people strategy at a national level within a purpose-driven organisation. You'll have the scope, influence, and autonomy to make a lasting impact on how we support our people, deliver change, and grow sustainably - all while staying true to our values.