HR Director:

Cherry Professional; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the East Midlands is looking for an HR Director to shape the future workforce in a high-growth environment. This role involves strategic leadership and embedding a people-first culture while driving retention, leadership development, and scalable HR infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in high-growth or PE-backed businesses, demonstrating a passion for fostering an inclusive and engaging workplace.

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience in progressive people roles in high-growth or PE-backed businesses.
• Experience in multi-site operations and strategic leadership.
• Strong understanding of HR tech and data-led decision making.

Responsibilities

• Advise and influence the Executive team on HR matters.
• Lead the organisational culture agenda and drive employee engagement.
• Oversee talent management strategies from acquisition to succession planning.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Change Management

Employee Engagement

Diversity & Inclusion

Education

Master’s degree in HR, Business or Organisational Development

Job description

HR Director
East Midlands | £100,000 – £120,000 + Benefits
PE-Backed | Rapid Growth SME | 14 UK Sites

A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen for a commercially astuteHR Directorto join a dynamic and fast-scaling SME, partially backed by private equity and poised for significant growth. With a current footprint of 14 locations across the UK and a headcount set to grow from 250 to over 400 in the next three years, this is a pivotal moment to shape the future of a business with bold ambitions and a strong people-first culture.

About the Business
This is a forward-thinking, agile organisation at the start of a transformational growth journey. With a strong emphasis on nurturing talent from within, their in-house Learning Academy plays a central role in developing early careers and building leadership capability from the ground up. The business is committed to creating a culture that is inclusive, high-performing and values-driven—making it a great place to work and grow.

The Opportunity
Reporting directly to the CEO, the HR Director is the strategic leader for all things people and culture. This is a hands-on leadership role, ideal for someone who thrives in a high-growth, change-driven environment. You’ll be shaping the future workforce, embedding the right foundations for each stage of scale, and ensuring the business retains and develops the very best talent.

Key Focus Areas

• Retention– Strengthening employee engagement and reducing attrition through data-led people strategies.
• Leadership Development– Building capability across all levels, with a focus on succession and talent pipelines.
• Scalable Infrastructure– Creating agile, efficient structures and HR frameworks to support rapid expansion.
• Culture & Inclusion– Championing a values-led, inclusive workplace that attracts and retains top talent.
• Remuneration & Reward– Designing fair, competitive and motivating reward structures that support attraction, retention and performance.

Main Responsibilities

• Advise and influence the Executive team and senior stakeholders on all HR matters, shaping strategic direction.
• Lead the organisational culture agenda, driving employee engagement and embedding core values.
• Oversee talent management strategies – from acquisition and onboarding to leadership development and succession planning.
• Build and evolve an agile workforce structure to meet current and future business needs.
• Drive operational excellence across all people functions and HR service delivery.
• Lead D&I initiatives to create an equitable, respectful and empowering environment.
• Develop and implement a modern HR tech strategy to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with all employment legislation and HR best practices.
• Guide organisational change and transformation, supporting the business to evolve at pace.
• Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing People team.

About You

• A seasoned HR leader with10+ years’ experiencein progressive people roles, ideally within high-growth or PE-backed businesses.
• Proven experience acrossmulti-site operations, with the ability to balance strategic leadership and operational delivery.
• Deep understanding of organisational design, change management, and leadership development.
• Excellent communicator with strong influencing skills at board level.
• A passionate advocate for people, culture, and inclusion – with the courage to challenge and the vision to lead.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in HR, Business, Organisational Development or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Strong understanding of people systems and data-led decision making.
• Experience working in a PE environment (desirable but not essential).

This is more than a leadership role. It’s an opportunity to shape the DNA of a growing business and leave a lasting legacy.
If you’re ready to take on a strategic HR challenge within a high-impact, purpose-led environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Cherry Professional are recruiting for this opportunity on behalf of our client. Please view our Privacy Policy on our website to understand how your data will be used if you apply for this role.