Head of Talent and Organisational Design

The Francis Crick Institute; London; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Francis Crick Institute seeks a Head of Talent and Organisational Design to lead strategies in talent management and culture. This role, integral to the People Strategy 2025-2028, requires an experienced leader with a commitment to inclusivity and development, essential for fostering a high-performing organizational culture.

Benefits

Benefits associated with the role

Qualifications

• Significant experience in Talent, Organisational Development, or Learning within a complex, multidisciplinary organization.
• Proven ability to lead and embed inclusive talent and leadership practices.
• Strong track record of organisational design and development.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and execution of talent and leadership strategies.
• Develop and embed initiatives around performance and organisational development.
• Act as a thought leader advising senior stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership development

Organisational capability

Talent management

Succession planning

Inclusivity practices

Project management

Data analysis

Education

Significant senior-level experience in Talent or Organisational Development

Job description

Salary for this Role:

From £85,000 plus benefits, subject to skills and experience

Job Title:

Head of Talent and Organisational Design

Reports to:

Candice Cross

Closing Date:

20/Jul/2025 23.59 GMT

Job Description:

Head of Talent and Organisational Design

Reports to: Chief People Officer

This is a full-time & permanent position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

We are being supported by Tucker Stone to fill this role, if you wish to apply, please email an application directly to [e-mail] – any applications received directly will be forwarded to Tucker Stine directly.

About us…

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to collaborate and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About our role...

The Head of Talent and OD will lead the design and execution of talent, leadership, learning, and culture strategies to ensure the Crick continues to be a world-class place to work and do science. This role will be pivotal in delivering our 2025–2028 People Strategy and in building a future-ready, inclusive, and high-performing institute.

As a strategic partner to senior leadership and a champion for our people and culture ambitions, you will develop, embed, and evolve initiatives around leadership capability, succession planning, performance, organisational development, and culture change.

Key responsibilities

These include but are not limited to:

Talent and Succession Planning

• Lead the design and delivery of talent strategies that build critical pipeline strength across science and operations.
• Identify and manage succession plans for key roles, ensuring alignment with long-term institutional needs.
• Work with HR Business Partners and senior leaders to assess potential, retention risks, and future skill needs.

Leadership and Management Development

• Define and implement the Crick Leadership Standards to align expectations, behaviours, and performance.
• Design and lead development programmes for early-career researchers, operational managers, and senior leaders.
• Create structured onboarding, coaching, and leadership support across the lifecycle.

Organisational Development & Culture

• Lead on embedding the ‘Crick Way’—a unified framework for behaviours, decision rights, and leadership expectations.
• Support cultural transformation initiatives, focusing on cross-functional collaboration, values, and inclusivity.
• Partner with stakeholders to define and embed the Crick’s research culture and behavioural expectations.

Learning & Performance

• Refresh performance and development frameworks to align with behavioural and reward strategies.
• Lead the creation of career pathways and development models that enable transparent progression across all staff groups.
• Promote continuous learning through scalable and inclusive programmes.

Collaboration & Influence

• Act as a thought leader within the People Team and the wider organisation, advising and coaching senior stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with HRBPs, Talent Acquisition, Reward, and EDI to align priorities and interventions.
• Use data and insight to inform strategy, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement.

Key experience and competencies

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, open and collegial, in addition to the following:

Essential

• Significant senior-level experience in Talent, Organisational Development, or Learning within a complex, multidisciplinary, or research-based organisation.*
• A strong track record of leading succession planning, leadership development, and organisational capability initiatives that align with long-term strategic goals.*
• Demonstrated expertise in organisational design, including shaping structure, roles, and culture to support evolving institutional needs.*
• Proven ability to lead and embed inclusive talent and leadership practices, with a deep understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.*
• Experience designing and delivering employee engagement strategies that drive culture change, strengthen staff voice, and enhance retention and wellbeing.*
• Skilled in managing cross-functional projects with measurable outcomes, using people data and insights to inform design and evaluate impact.
• Confident working at pace and navigating ambiguity, with the ability to balance strategic vision with practical delivery.
• A credible leader and strategic partner, able to influence at all levels.
• Strong programme management, analytical, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Inclusive mindset, emotionally intelligent, and collaborative by nature.
• Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.

Desirable

• Experience working in a research, academic, or scientific setting.
• Understanding of higher education or publicly funded research environments.

About Working at the Crick…

Our values

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture!

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently.

• We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world.

• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community.

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them. For this or any other assistance you need with applying please email:[e-mail]

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.