HR Director

People Puzzles Ltd; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading HR consultancy is looking for an experienced CPO or Senior HR Consultant to join their team in the UK. The role involves delivering innovative HR solutions to SMEs and leading transformation initiatives. Candidates should possess strong consultancy skills, be CIPD qualified, and demonstrate an ability to build trust with diverse stakeholders. The successful applicant will benefit from flexible working arrangements and access to a supportive community of People Directors. Expected to thrive in a fast-paced environment, this position offers an opportunity for autonomy and personal growth.

Benefits

Access to professional development community

Flexible work-life balance

Supportive team culture

Qualifications

• Proven experience working with business strategy and senior leadership.
• Ability to lead teams and nurture professional relationships.
• Demonstrated commercial awareness and strategic thinking.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of HR solutions to client businesses.
• Manage a portfolio of clients to ensure high-quality HR services.
• Support the process of attracting and gaining new clients.

Skills

Strategic direction input

Business consultancy skills

CIPD (L7) qualified

Relationship building

Tech-savvy and organized

Commercial awareness

Listening and questioning skills

Education

CIPD Level 7 or equivalent

Job description

Where?

Our team is now looking to add a new team member to join us and work with clients around Northampton, Peterborough and Huntingdon.

Who are you?

A highly successful CPO, CHRO, People / HR Director or Senior HR Consultant that loves to help businesses unlock their potential and drive through people solutions that change lives. You might be looking for an alternative to corporate life and are excited to work with SME businesses / entrepreneurial leaders?

Yes, you are technically (HR) astute, but notably you understand business and feel completely at home building and executing business strategies that flow into People strategies.

You may want more control over your working life? Perhaps you have dipped your toe into the consulting world... and now you are looking to take the plunge? You love to collaborate and you are looking to join a network of like-minded, commercial People Directors who are there to support each other and ultimately SME business owners.

You enjoy building trusting relationships across all levels and are comfortable influencing at board level. You like your 'trusted advisor' status and have excellent stakeholder management skills. You tend to always exceed expectations and wow!

You are seeking to have a more flexible work-life balance with good earnings potential. You want to control how many days you work (with the earnings potential that matches it).

You thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy discovering and implementing innovative, commercially viable solutions while engaging everyone in the process. In essence, you are a catalyst for action, leveraging your intelligence, charisma, and vibrant energy to get things done.

And what about us?

We are an award-winning fractional HR consultancy with 80+ of the UK’s most trusted people experts, delivering business transformation through proven people strategies and chosen by over 1000 ambitious business leaders.

Requirements

Main Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of HR solutions to our client businesses; business and strategic HR planning, culture change, business transformation, change management, leadership development, organisational design, D&I, wellbeing, L&D and Talent Management
• Full accountability for managing your portfolio of clients and working in partnership with the whole team to ensure a first-class HR service is provided
• Work with the Regional Director and our marketing team to support the process for attracting and gaining new clients

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience inputting into the strategic direction of the business & partnering with the Board & Senior Executive team
• Business consultancy skills: ability to spot opportunities and influence at all levels
• Ideally be CIPD (L7) qualified or equivalent
• A strong “people person” with a natural ability to lead teams and nurture and build relationships
• Credible and able to “connect” with SME business owners
• Autonomous, tech-savvy and organised - you genuinely love and seek out new ways to work and embrace technology
• Commercial - you are a business person "who does HR". You see the big picture
• Pragmatic, you work strategically but are happy to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in
• A great listener, and even better at asking great questions, you’ll wake up every day and think “how do I add value and do something special for my clients today?”

Benefits

We believe in “ Team ”. We attract individuals who can put their energies into being part of our team and fully embrace all aspects of working as part of our local and national teams.

Alison is one of our fractional People Directors, read her story here .

“I felt I was short-changing all aspects of my life and so my big driver for joining People Puzzles was to improve my work-life balance.”

Network you will have access to an amazing community of People Directors who are always ready to support each other. In addition to this, we have carefully chosen strategic national partnerships that enhance our services and provide support to our People Directors. It's a #win-win situation!

CPD We provide CPD offerings and we always embrace the ethos of continuous learning and growth. #Still Learning.

We are proud of our culture . Our four core values "win / win, always passionate, still learning and be pragmatic" provide the foundation on which the culture is built. We seek individuals who are aligned with our culture and values.

We have a creative marketing team that is constantly brainstorming ideas to boost awareness and generate new opportunities.

Sales and business development Our team of Regional Directors in sales plays a crucial role in assisting you in expanding your portfolio. As with any endeavour, the effort you invest directly correlates with the rewards you receive, so we encourage your active participation to make your Puzzles journey both successful and fulfilling. #WinningTogether

There is some scope for client work to be remote, although most client work is onsite so interested applicants will need to be within easy commute of all the areas listed above.

If you are shortlisted you will be required to complete a behavioural assessment and a background / identity check.