People Director

Carters, Inc.; England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Carters, Inc. in East Sussex is seeking an experienced People Director to lead a small HR team and deliver a trusted, strategy-driven HR service across the organisation.

Reporting to the CEO, you will sit on the Executive Board and shape people, culture and organisational development to support growth and ambitious objectives. You will develop and deliver the people strategy, advise the leadership team on workforce planning and risk, and oversee policies, performance frameworks and high‑impact

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the people strategy aligned to the organisation’s business plan and objectives.
• Advise the CEO and leadership team on workforce, organisational design and people-related opportunities.
• Provide regular people metrics, insight and reporting to the Board.
• Lead organisational design, restructuring and workforce planning.
• Shape and embed culture, values and employee experience.
• Oversee employment policy, compliance and risk management.
• Lead on employee relations, escalation and resolution strategy.
• Oversee recruitment, talent management and succession planning.
• Drive employee engagement and performance through structured frameworks.

Job description

Job DescriptionPeople Director£90,000- £110,000 + discretionary bonus and benefitsPermanent PositionEast Sussex

Tony Alan is delighted to be partnering exclusively with a well-established and forward-thinking organisation in East Sussex to appoint a People Director. With a strong sense of purpose and a clear commitment to making a positive difference in the community, the organisation has an exciting vision for the future. At the heart of this is a commitment to creating an environment where people feel valued, supported and empowered to thrive, while continuing to build a culture that is collaborative, inclusive and focused on delivering meaningful results.

As People Director, you will lead and develop a small, dedicated team, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, trusted and people-focused HR service across the organisation. You will play a key role in shaping the organisation's people and culture, supporting its continued growth and development and ensuring it is well placed to deliver its wider ambitions. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will be a member of the Executive Board, providing leadership, insight and challenge across all aspects of people, culture and organisational development.

This is a diverse, fast-paced and rewarding role, with a broad range of responsibilities, including:

• Develop and deliver the people strategy, aligned to the organisation's business plan and wider objectives
• Advise the CEO and leadership team on workforce, organisational and people-related issues and opportunities
• Provide regular people metrics, insight and reporting to the Board
• Lead organisational design, restructuring and workforce planning where required
• Shape and embed the organisation's culture, values and employee experience
• Provide advice and oversight on employment law, compliance and employment tribunal risk
• Lead on complex and high-risk employee relations matters
• Develop and maintain effective HR policies, procedures and employment contracts
• Develop and embed a consistent performance management framework
• Lead leadership development and succession planning
• Develop and deliver the recruitment strategy, ensuring the organisation can attract and retain the right talent
• Drive employee engagement and support a positive employee experience
• Develop salary structures and overse market benchmarking
• Lead the annual pay review process, including bonus and incentive arrangements
• Ensure effective people governance, compliance and risk management

Our client is seeking an experienced People Director with the gravitas and leadership capability to lead and inspire the HR function. You will have experience operating at Board or senior leadership team level within an organisation that has scaled up, ideally within the education, health or social care sectors.

You will bring strong employment law expertise, with experience of safeguarding and CQC requirements essential. This should be demonstrated through practical involvement in inspection-related workforce decisions and people risk management. A strong commercial understanding is also required, with experience contributing to P&L decisions and involvement in mergers and acquisitions, including people due diligence.

You will be a proactive, solutions-oriented leader, confident managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, with a track record of successfully delivering organisational and people initiatives. Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills are key, as you will work closely with leaders across the organisation to shape and deliver people-focused strategies.

This is an exciting opportunity to work alongside an inspiring and influential CEO and make a real difference in a values-driven organisation with a clear sense of purpose