Head of Talent

JR United Kingdom; Derby; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing, private equity-backed education company seeks a strategic Head of Talent to lead their talent strategy. This leadership role focuses on attracting top talent, improving organizational culture, and championing diversity and inclusion. The ideal candidate is experienced in high-growth environments and is passionate about education.

Qualifications

• Proven success in high-growth environments, ideally PE-backed.
• Deep expertise in talent acquisition, L&D, and engagement.
• Strong execution skills with a data-driven mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute talent acquisition strategy aligned with business growth.
• Build employer brand and enhance candidate experience.
• Champion learning programs and performance management frameworks.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Talent acquisition

Leadership development

Data-driven decision making

Diversity and inclusion

Job description

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We’re a fast-growing, private equity-backed education company on a mission to transform learning outcomes at scale. With ambitious growth plans and a commitment to excellence, we’re building a world-class team to shape the future of education.

We’re looking for a strategic and hands-on Head of Talent to lead our end-to-end Talent strategy, reporting directly to the COO.

This is a critical leadership role responsible for attracting, developing, and retaining top talent across the business—while building a culture of high performance, continuous learning, and inclusion.

More about the role:

• Continuous improvement and execution of a scalable talent acquisition strategy aligned with business growth (currenlty one of the fastest growing businesses in Europe)
• Building a strong employer brand and candidate experience
• Partner with leaders to forecast and fulfill talent needs across all functions with the support of your team
• Using data to make informed decisions and business directives
• Lead the design and delivery of learning programs that build capability and support career growth
• Champion and ensure the businesses academy and apprenticeship programme and scheme are world class and fit for purpose
• Champion leadership development, coaching, and succession planning
• Embed a culture of continuous learning and feedback
• Oversee performance management frameworks that drive accountability and growth
• Lead employee engagement initiatives and culture-building programs
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across all talent practices
• Build and lead a high-performing Talent team
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team on all talent-related matters

More about you:

• Proven success in high-growth, fast-paced environments—ideally PE-backed/ mission-driven
• Deep expertise across talent acquisition, with further experience in L&D, performance, and engagement
• Strategic thinker with strong execution skills and a data-driven mindset
• Passionate about education and building high-impact teams