Head of Talent

Oakleaf Partnership; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A premium education brand is seeking a Head of Talent Management to lead their talent strategy across the UK and US. This role will oversee Talent Acquisition and Development, ensuring alignment with the company's mission to redefine early years education. The ideal candidate will be a strategic leader, comfortable with rapid change, and experienced in multi-site organizations. This is an opportunity to shape the future of talent in a purpose-driven environment.

Benefits

Competitive Salary

Bonus

Stock Options

Qualifications

• Experienced in multi-site, fast-paced organizations like education or retail.
• Proven in leadership recruitment and succession planning.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Talent Acquisition and Talent Development with direct reports.
• Lead talent strategy from resourcing to succession planning.
• Define and embed the Employer Value Proposition.

Skills

Leadership

Talent Acquisition

Talent Development

Collaboration

Strategic Thinking

Job description

I am proud to be partnering with a premium, purpose-led education brand which is scaling rapidly, in both the UK and the US. Backed by private equity and committed to quality over quantity, they are building something unique in the early years education sector.

Competitive Salary + Bonus + Stock Options
Hybrid – 2 days City of London / 1 day on site / 2 days WFH

With a focus on curriculum, environment, nutrition, and people, my client is redefining what outstanding early years education looks like globally. They are now looking for a Head of Talent Management to lead their growing team and shape the future of talent across the UK and US footprint.

The Role

This role oversees both Talent Acquisition and Talent Development, with two direct reports. You’ll lead the talent strategy end-to-end – from resourcing and leadership development to mobility and succession planning.
You’ll be responsible for:

* Connecting the dots across recruitment, development, secondments, and internal mobility.
* Evolving the leadership development and future talent strategy (including apprentices and graduates).
* Building and scaling the casual workforce model – similar to an internal agency or “bank”.
* Defining and embedding the Employer Value Proposition (EVP) in partnership with marketing and brand.
* Challenging current thinking and bringing fresh perspectives to build a truly differentiated talent approach.
* Driving talent consistency across UK and upcoming US sites as they scale globally.

Essential Criteria

* Experienced in multi-site, fast-paced, and scaled organisations – such as education, retail, hospitality, or healthcare.
* A strategic leader across both Talent Acquisition and Talent Development – you get how the two connect.
* Proven in leadership recruitment, succession planning, and internal mobility frameworks.
* Comfortable with rapid change, ambiguity, and the pace of a PE-backed business.
* A hands-on, visible leader, equally comfortable with senior stakeholders and front-line teams.
* Values-driven, collaborative, and excited by the challenge of scaling while maintaining excellence.
* Able to embrace tech and work closely with offshore teams to drive efficiency and innovation.