Senior People Lead

TipTopJob; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic hospitality group is seeking a Senior People Lead to shape culture and lead HR functions. This role offers a direct pathway to Head of People, with responsibilities including recruitment, building HR processes, and driving employee engagement. Ideal candidates will have over 4 years in HR/People Operations and strong knowledge of UK employment law. Join a passionate leadership team and make a significant impact.

Benefits

Autonomy to design people initiatives

Clear progression trajectory

Supportive leadership culture

Qualifications

• 4+ years experience in HR/People Operations, preferably in hospitality or retail.
• Proven track record in recruitment and HR generalist roles.
• Confident in building HR processes from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Lead recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Build scalable HR processes and compliance frameworks.
• Act as a partner on organizational design and workforce planning.
• Drive engagement and wellbeing initiatives.
• Shape a high-performing organizational culture.

Skills

HR/People Operations experience

Strong knowledge of UK employment law

Recruitment skills

Ambitious and people-focused

Education

CIPD Level 5

Job description

Overview

This is a rare chance to step into a newly created Senior People Lead role within a dynamic, brand-led hospitality group. Backed by strong investment, a refreshed leadership team, and an ambitious expansion plan, the business is entering its most exciting chapter yet.

You will be at the forefront of shaping culture, building a best-in-class people function, and influencing the future of the organisation. For the right person, this is a direct pathway to Head of People as the company scales.

Why Join?

• Impact: Autonomy to design, lead, and deliver people initiatives from the ground up.
• Progression: A clear trajectory to Head of People in the short to medium term.
• Culture: Work alongside a passionate leadership team that truly values people development.
• Variety: From strategic board-level projects to hands-on recruitment and engagement, no two days will be the same.

What Youll Do

• Lead recruitment and onboarding across both stores and head office
• Build scalable HR processes, systems, and compliance frameworks
• Act as a trusted partner to leadership on organisational design and workforce planning
• Drive engagement, wellbeing, diversity, and recognition initiatives
• Shape a culture that supports high performance, growth, and innovation

About You

• 4+ years experience in HR/People Operations (hospitality, retail, or multi-site is a plus)
• Proven track record across recruitment and HR generalist responsibilities
• Confident working independently and building processes from scratch
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law
• CIPD Level 5 (or working towards) preferred
• Above all, you are ambitious, people-focused, and energised by growth

Next Steps

If you are ready to take ownership of a people function, shape culture across a growing national brand, and step into a genuine career-defining role, we would love to hear from you.

Would you like me to also make a shorter, punchier version for LinkedIn/job ads, or keep this as the long-form job description?