Head of Talent

William Reed Ltd; Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

William Reed Ltd is seeking a Head of Talent who will lead the development of a robust talent strategy that attracts and retains top-tier talent. This senior role involves coaching and supporting teams to drive inclusive cultures while managing various talent initiatives, ensuring alignment with the company’s objectives and fostering professional growth.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Additional leave for cultural celebrations or birthday

Volunteer day for charity support

Contributory Pension

Wellbeing benefits including health care cash plan

Qualifications

• CIPD / HR qualification, level 7 preferred.
• Experience in senior-level HR roles focusing on talent management.
• Skilled in employee engagement strategies and coaching senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Define company-wide talent strategy aligned with organizational goals.
• Coach and support the Talent Acquisition Manager and People Partner.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to integrate talent initiatives.

Skills

Coaching

Employee Engagement

Talent Management

Succession Planning

Leadership Development

Education

CIPD / HR qualification, level 7 preferred

Job description

Who we are

We are William Reed.

We are a global media group delivering exceptional content through events, digital, data & insight.

From agribusiness, ingredients and food processing, to retail, hospitality & fine dining – we provide the inspiration, insight and connections to power our customers’ success.

We have offices in Gatwick, Brighton and London, UK; Montpellier, France; Singapore and Chicago, US. In line with the Company’s current Agile Working Policy, the successful candidate would be eligible to work part of the week from our Gatwick office and to work remotely for the rest of the week. We offer a flexible working environment and candidates seeking either full-time or part-time opportunities are encouraged to apply.

Position

We’re looking for a Head of Talent to play a leading role in shaping our talent strategy – attracting, developing, engaging, and retaining top-tier talent across William Reed.

Reporting to the Chief People Officer, you’ll join a collaborative and passionate People team, taking the lead in building a robust talent ecosystem that supports our growth, success, and values. You’ll manage and develop the Talent Acquisition Manager and People Partner – Learning & Engagement, empowering them to deliver their objectives and drive meaningful, people-focused initiatives.

This role blends strategic and operational leadership across talent acquisition, learning and development, succession planning, talent management, coaching, and employee engagement – with the autonomy and visibility to make a lasting impact.

What you’ll be doing:

• Play a leading role in defining a company-wide talent strategy aligned with organisational goals and values
• Partner with senior leaders to integrate talent initiatives that support business needs
• Provide coaching and mentoring to senior leaders and high-potential employees, and support the development of mentoring and buddy schemes to foster a coaching and feedback-led culture across the business
• Lead, coach, and support the Talent Acquisition Manager and People Partner – Learning and Engagement to excel in their roles, fostering their professional growth and development.
• Collaborate with the Talent Acquisition Manager to design and deliver innovative hiring strategies, enhance our employer brand, and ensure an excellent candidate experience
• Work with the People Partner – Learning & Engagement to shape impactful training and leadership programmes, drive a culture of continuous learning, and optimise the use of the apprenticeship levy
• Develop and manage a comprehensive succession planning framework that builds leadership readiness and career progression pathways
• Alongside the People Partners, oversee talent reviews and performance management processes, promote internal mobility, and use data to inform decisions and track progress
• Work closely with leadership to identify and nurture high-potential employees for cross-functional opportunities.
• Collaborate with the People Partner – Learning & Engagement to develop and execute strategies that boost employee engagement, including surveys, feedback analysis, and action planning
  
  

Requirements

What you’ll need:

• CIPD / HR qualification, level 7 preferred
• Coaching qualification
• Experience working in a senior-level HR role across talent management, succession strategies, OD, or broader people transformation – ideally within complex, evolving, or multi-site environments
• Proven success in coaching senior leaders and managing mentoring or buddying schemes that support employee growth and retention.
• Experience leading the development and implementation of a unified EVP across multiple brands, balancing company-wide consistency with brand-specific messaging to enhance talent attraction and internal mobility.
• Skilled in employee engagement strategies, surveys, and follow-up action planning to drive culture and performance.
• Experience designing and delivering L&D programmes, including leadership development, with a focus on integrating learning technologies and evaluating effectiveness.
• The ability to engage, influence and challenge senior leaders with confidence and credibility
• A resilient and growth-oriented mindset – able to lead through ambiguity, manage complexity and adapt quickly to change
• A passion for building inclusive cultures – you know that diverse perspectives are not a nice-to-have, but a leadership imperative
• Effective and supportive people manager, skilled in nurturing others’ growth, creating space for direct reports to lead while providing guidance, feedback, and development opportunities.
  
  

Other information

Company Benefits and Initiatives Include:

• 25 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays – increasing by one additional day after 6 years, up to a maximum of 30 days.
• An additional day of leave for you to take on a cultural celebration day or on your birthday if you like. A day for you! At William Reed, we call this our “MeDay”.
• A volunteer day to take for supporting a chosen charity and giving back to the community.
• Opportunity for hybrid working
• Contributory Pension
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Group Income Protection
• Enhanced family-friendly leave pay entitlements
• Wellbeing benefits, including: A health care cash plan, Employee assistance programme, Virtual GP service and Access to health & wellbeing resources and tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
  
  

Why work for us:

We provide a supportive work environment and are committed to maintaining a healthy work/life balance for all of our employees. Working for William Reed means that you will be joining a stable organisation that is committed to developing its employees and brands.

We warmly welcome and encourage applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds and characteristics.

If you need any support in accessing this opportunity, please do not hesitate to discuss this with us.