UK&I HR Director

twentysix; Hilversum; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Monks is seeking an experienced HR Director (UK&I) to lead our regional HR strategy and operations across the UK and Ireland, reporting to the EMEA HR leadership. You will partner with senior leaders to drive people initiatives, navigate change, and leverage AI tools to optimise processes and decision-making.

You will oversee payroll, benefits, data integrity, and HR systems, ensuring compliant, high-impact practices while championing DEI and employee engagement. Fluent English required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of HR experience in a multinational environment.
• Deep expertise in UK and Irish employment law and local workplace nuances.
• Proven success driving people strategies, organisational change and employee engagement.
• Strong proficiency in HR platforms and systems (Workday) and advanced Excel for data-driven planning.
• Exceptional influence and communication skills with executives.
• Resilient, adaptable and empathetic, able to handle complex employee matters.
• Fluency in English.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the UK&I HR strategy aligned with global objectives.
• Partner with country leadership to deliver strategic HR guidance and initiatives.
• Lead organizational design and change management to build agile teams.
• Oversee payroll, benefits, data integrity and HR systems like Workday.
• Advise on UK and Irish employee relations and labor law compliance.
• Drive local employee listening, wellbeing and engagement with data-informed decisions.
• Champion DEI across talent acquisition, development and operations.

Skills

HR leadership

UK & Ireland employment law

employee engagement

data-driven decision making

influencing

change management

AI in HR

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

HR certification

Tools

Workday

HRIS

Job description

About the Role

As an HR Director (UK&I), you’ll lead our HR strategy and operations across the UK and Ireland while serving as a key member of the EMEA HR leadership team, driving a high-performing people strategy aligned with our global HR vision and local market needs. We are looking for someone who is passionate about seeking new opportunities to create impactful work, partnering with leadership to transform the employee experience, navigate complex change, and leverage modern tech and AI tools across the region.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the UK&I HR strategy to support business growth and maintain alignment with broader EMEA and global HR objectives.
• Partner with country leadership to provide strategic HR guidance, ensuring all people initiatives directly support business goals across the UK and Ireland.
• Lead organizational design and change management programs to build agile, high-performing structures and drive seamless adoption across teams.
• Oversee local HR operations, ensuring compliant, efficient execution across payroll, benefits, data integrity, and HR systems like Workday.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on UK and Irish employee relations, navigating local labor laws, performance management, and complex dispute resolutions.
• Drive local employee listening, wellbeing, and engagement strategies, utilising data analytics to inform decision-making and elevate workplace culture.
• Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) by embedding equitable practices across talent acquisition, development, and daily operations.
• Explore and implement AI and AI-enabled tools to optimise HR processes, elevate productivity, and advance data-driven decision-making.

About You

The essentials:

• 10+ years of HR experience with proven leadership in a country or regional HR role within a multinational environment.
• Deep expertise in UK and Irish employment law, labor regulations, and local workplace cultural nuances.
• Demonstrated success in driving people strategies, organisational change, and employee engagement through growth or transformation.
• Strong proficiency in HR platforms and systems (e.g., Workday) alongside advanced Excel skills for data-driven planning.
• Exceptional influence and communication skills with a proven ability to build strong relationships with executive leaders.
• Resilient, adaptable, and empathetic work style, comfortable managing complex employee matters and tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluency in English.

Not a must, but a plus:

• Broader EMEA HR experience, particularly across mainland Europe, the Nordics, or MEA.
• Fluency in additional languages such as French, German, or Dutch.
• Hands-on experience applying AI tools to HR workflows, operational design, or talent management.

At Monks, we believe in fostering an environment where a diversity of perspectives can thrive. We proactively work to design hiring processes that promote equity and inclusion while mitigating bias. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage qualified applicants, from all backgrounds, who are excited to contribute to our mission.

About Monks

Monks is the global, digital-first, data-driven, unitary operating brand of S4 Capital plc. With a legacy of innovation and specialized expertise, Monks combines an extraordinary range of global Marketing and Technology Services to redefine how brands interact with the world. Through Monks.Flow, its flagship AI ecosystem for marketing orchestration, Monks transforms marketing into a growth engine, collapsing timelines and connecting brands to culture in real time. By deploying bespoke intelligent agents across disciplines and delivering culturally relevant, high-impact creative and digital solutions, Monks solves key critical business challenges across the entire brand enterprise to help brands sustain long-term impact.

Monks was named a Contender in The Forrester Wave™: Global Marketing Services, ranks among Cannes Lions' Top 10 Creative Companies (2022-25) and remains the only partner featured in AdExchanger’s Programmatic Power Players list every year (2020-24). Named Adweek’s first AI Agency of the Year (2023) and The One Show’s inaugural AI Pioneer Organization, Monks was also awarded Business Intelligence Group’s 2025 Excellence in Artificial Intelligence Award in both the Organizational and AI Product categories. As a trusted partner to cutting-edge innovators in tech, Monks earned titles such as Optimizely Experimentation Partner of the Year (2025), runner-up for the Adobe Firefly Partner Award (2024), and Workato’s AI Visionary Customer Impact Award (2024). Additionally, Monks achieved a record-breaking number of FWAs and continues to hold the most of any partner.

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a respectful and empowering work environment for all people to freely express themselves amongst colleagues who embrace diversity in all respects. Including fresh voices and unique points of view in all aspects of our business not only creates an environment where we can all grow and thrive but also increases our potential to produce work that better represents—and resonates with the world around us.