Manager – Inclusion

Virgin Atlantic; Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a strategic Manager of Inclusion to lead its diversity and inclusion efforts. This pivotal role involves designing and implementing a comprehensive inclusion strategy, influencing leadership, and driving cultural change across the organization. You will work closely with senior leaders and external partners, ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in all business practices. If you are passionate about fostering an inclusive environment and have a proven track record in DEI, this is the perfect opportunity to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior DEI role within a complex organization.
• Strategic planning capability with experience in DEI metrics and KPIs.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver a long-term inclusion strategy aligned to goals.
• Lead the development of strategic DEI targets and metrics.

Skills

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Strategic Planning

Project Management

Change Management

Advanced Communication

Education

Degree Level Education

CIPD Level 7

DEI Certifications

Job description

Salary: Competitive per annum

Hours: 37.5 per week, Monday to Friday

Location: Hybrid, 3 days a week in our VHQ, Crawley

Contract: 11 month Secondment/ FTC

Closing Date: 8th May 2025

In a nutshell

At Virgin Atlantic, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We are looking for a strategic and experienced professional to join our People Relations team as the Manager – Inclusion. This role is pivotal in driving the development and implementation of our inclusion strategy, ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are embedded into the fabric of our business.

As the Manager – Inclusion, you will lead the strategic development and implementation of the organisation’s inclusion strategy. You will drive long-term planning and the achievement of measurable DEI outcomes through robust target setting, analytics, and strategic programme delivery. This role plays a crucial part in embedding inclusion into the business, influencing senior leadership, and driving cultural and behavioural change across the organisation.

Where You Fit In: This role reports to the Head of People Relations and DEI and sits within the People Relations directorate. You will work closely with senior leadership, employee network leads, People Partners, HR Centres of Excellence, and external partners to ensure inclusive practices are built into business change and decision-making processes.

Day to day

• Design and deliver a long-term, evidence-based inclusion strategy aligned to organisational goals.
• Lead the development of strategic DEI targets and metrics, ensuring integration with workforce planning and talent strategies.
• Deliver regular progress reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Lead initiatives that build inclusive leadership capability, influencing leaders and managers through coaching, thought leadership, and practical guidance.
• Use people analytics and employee feedback to measure DEI performance, identify gaps, and shape strategic interventions.
• Develop governance frameworks that ensure accountability for inclusion at all levels.
• Embed inclusion into HR and business policies, ensuring equity in people processes such as recruitment, progression, reward, and performance.
• Oversee the delivery of key DEI programmes and initiatives, such as employee networks, mentoring schemes, awareness campaigns, and inclusive leadership development.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to drive best practice and ensure alignment with external DEI benchmarks and expectations.
• Ensure DEI activities comply with legal and regulatory obligations, preparing regular reports and insights for boards, committees, and statutory disclosures.

About you

• Educated to degree level with relevant professional qualifications (e.g., CIPD Level 7, DEI certifications) or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in a senior DEI role within a complex, matrixed organisation managing competing priorities with a deep understanding of DEI principles, inclusive leadership, and relevant legislation.
• Strategic planning capability with demonstrable experience setting, tracking, and delivering against DEI metrics and KPIs. With evidence of leveraging data and insights to shape DEI strategy and measure impact.
• Experience managing change and embedding inclusive practices in transformation initiatives.
• Evidence of effectively working autonomously with strong programme and project management skills.
• Advanced communication and influencing skills, with experience working with senior leaders and external partners.
• Demonstrable experience of coaching and advisory capability across all levels of leadership so that decisions are objective weighing conflicting data points/perspectives to achieve an optimal outcome.
• Aviation sector and unionised environment experience desirable.

Our recipe for leadership

At Virgin Atlantic, our leaders empower teams to thrive through collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Explore our Leadership Recipe and discover the 20 core ingredients that define what it means to lead with us, driving our mission to be the most loved travel company and achieve sustainable profit. Want to learn more? Click here

Be yourself

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do our colleagues. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. At Virgin Atlantic, we believe everyone can take on the world - no matter your age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We celebrate difference and everything that makes our colleagues unique by upholding an inclusive environment in which we can all thrive. So that everyone at Virgin Atlantic can be themselves and know they belong.

To make your journey with us accessible and individual to you, we encourage you to let us know if you’d like a little extra help with your application, or if you have any individual requirements at any stage along your recruitment journey. We are here to support you, so please reach out to our team, ([e-mail]) feeling confident that we’ve got your individual considerations covered.