HR Director

Carlisle Support Services; Luton; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellbeing Plans

25 days paid holiday

Discounts and Cashbacks

Paid Volunteering days

Employee Assistance Program

Refer a Friend Scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Bonus

Life Assurance

Private Medical

Job summary

Carlisle Support Services is seeking an HR Director to lead the operational people agenda, delivering a responsive, commercially-focused employee relations service. You will report to the COO, sit on the SMT, and steer HR operations, vetting, advisory and business partnering activities.

The role includes DPO responsibilities, union engagement, TUPE oversight, and ensuring compliance with evolving employment legislation.

Qualifications

• Senior HR leadership experience in a multi-site operational environment.
• Board level experience with strategic oversight.
• Extensive employee relations expertise.
• Proven TUPE experience and managing union relationships.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and legislative changes.
• Experience leading HR transformation and organisational growth.
• CIPD Level 7 qualification or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Develop Group HR Strategy aligned to growth and transformation.
• Lead a long-term People & Culture strategy for Carlisle Group.
• Drive a high-performance, inclusive culture and engagement.
• Oversee organisational design, performance, and efficiency across divisions.
• Ensure compliant HR policies, processes and lifecycle documentation.
• Lead TUPE, union engagement and employee relations activities.
• Provide strategic HR metrics and governance to SMT and Board.

Skills

Senior HR leadership

Board level experience

Employee relations

TUPE experience

UK employment law

Union relationships

HR transformation

CIPD Level 7

Education

CIPD Level 7 or equivalent

Job description

The role

Carlisle Support Servicesis looking a HR Director who will lead the operational people agenda across the business, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, responsive and commercially focused employee relations service. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and sitting on the Senior Management Team, the role will lead all day-to-day HR operations, employee relations, vetting, HR advisory and HR business partnering activities. The HR Director will act as the organisation’s Data Protection Officer lead, lead union engagement, oversee all TUPE activity, ensure compliance with evolving employment legislation including the Employment Rights Bill, and build a people function capable of supporting growth, acquisitions and organisational change.

The HRD will work with the COO in developing a robust integrated plan for the delivery of the recruitment and training across the business

Your core role will include but not be limited to the following activities:

• Develop Group HR Strategy
• Develop and deliver a long-term People & Culture strategy that supports Carlisle Group’s growth, transformation, and commercial objectives.
• Lead culture development programmes that embed Carlisle’s values, strengthen engagement, and foster an inclusive, high-performance environment.
• Lead organisational design across all divisions, ensuring structures support performance, accountability and efficiency.
• Drive a consistent, high-quality employee relations service across the business.
• Ensure HR policies, procedures and employee lifecycle processes are robust, efficient and legally compliant.
• Lead implementation of changes arising from UK employment legislation and employee rights reforms.
• Ensure employment contracts, handbooks and associated documentation remain compliant and fit for purpose.
• Ensure robust incoming and outgoing TUPE processes and associated consultation activity.
• Act as executive lead for union engagement and collective consultation activities.
• Provide strategic oversight for data protection, governance and DPO responsibilities.
• Support acquisitions, mobilisation and integration projects from a people perspective.
• Deliver HR metrics, workforce reporting and risk management information to the SMT and Board.
• Develop a scalable people operating model aligned to Carlisle’s growth strategy.
• Coach operational senior leaders on people management, culture and workforce risk.
• Removal of manual processes and introduction of integrated systems and processes across all processes
• To work with the Business to ensure that the performance management process is aligned with the strategic needs and policies of Carlisle
• Provide challenge, guidance, and recommendations on workforce risks, succession, capability and organisational health.
• Uphold and champion Carlisle’s values, acting as a visible and trusted senior leader
• The flexibility to work outside normal office hours may be required from time-to-time, and willingness to travel across the UK to ensure HR are strategically represented in all areas of our business.

Key Deliverables

• Develop and deliver a Group-wide People & Culture Strategy aligned to business growth, transformation, and commercial objectives.
• Build a high-performance culture that improves employee engagement, retention, and productivity.
• Lead workforce planning, succession planning, and talent management to ensure leadership capability across the business.
• Reduce the volume and duration of Employee Relations cases and reduction in suspension pay through proactive people management and leadership development.
• Minimise employment tribunal claims, legal exposure, and people-related risks.
• Ensure full compliance with employment legislation, GDPR requirements, and all regulatory obligations.
• Maintain strong and effective relationships with trade unions, employee representatives, and key stakeholders.
• Successfully lead all people aspects of acquisitions, integrations, organisational change programmes, and TUPE transfers.
• Design and implement scalable organisational structures and people processes that support business growth and acquisitions.
• Provide strategic people insight, workforce analytics, and recommendations to the Board to support informed business decision-making.

The ideal candidate

Essential

• Senior HR leadership experience in a multi-site operational environment.
• Board level experience
• Extensive employee relations expertise.
• Proven TUPE experience.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and upcoming legislative changes.
• Experience managing union relationships.
• Experience leading HR transformation and organisational growth.
• CIPD Level 7 qualified or equivalent.

Desirable

• Experience within security, cleaning, events, FM, or similar people-intensive industries.
• CIPD Chartered Fellow (FCIPD) or equivalent.
• Experience delivering digital transformation across HR systems and processes.
• Experience working within regulated or standards-driven environments (e.g., SIA, BS7858).

The benefits

Health and Wellbeing Plans

25 days paid holiday

Discounts and Cashbacks

Paid Volunteering days

Employee Assistance Program

Refer a Friend Scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Bonus

Life Assurance

Private Medical

Successful candidates will be required to provide original documentation for detailed screening and vetting processes.

This could include the following: passport / driving licence / utility bill dated in the last 3 months / HMRC letter / original bank statement / original payslip / birth certificate / a valid share code.

About us

Join a growing market-leading brand of support services to work with the UK’s largest brands such as Le Shuttle, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Jaguar Land Rover, Tesco, and many more.

Carlisle currently employees over 8,500 dedicated and enthusiastic staff members to deliver events, security cleaning, and retail facilities support services across the UK’s most renowned sites and critical infrastructure.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

At Carlisle, we are committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in all areas of employment, recruitment and selection, training, development, and promotion.

In all situations people will be judged solely on merit or ability.