Job Description
QSR & Events Business
The Business
A fast-growing, founder-led hospitality and food business working across major seasonal events and live venues.
The team runs a number of food-led brands across the UK, operating at some of the country’s biggest festivals and destination sites. It’s a business that has scaled quickly and already has plans in motion to expand into Europe.
It’s a high-energy environment where no two weeks look the same. Product, brand and people all matter equally, and the culture has been built very intentionally by the founders from day one, with a real focus on pace, quality and doing things properly.
As the business continues to grow, the people side now needs to catch up with the ambition.
THE ROLE
With the pace of growth accelerating, there is now a clear need for a dedicated senior leader to build a structured and scalable people function.
This role is about creating the foundations from scratch. It is focused on introducing consistency, structure and long-term capability across a seasonal, multi-site workforce.
There are strong foundations in place including an engaged leadership team, a strong operational culture and a clear commitment to investing in people. However, there is currently no formal people strategy, limited L&D structure, and onboarding, policies and frameworks require full development.
This is a true build role for someone who wants ownership and autonomy.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Culture & Employer Brand
* Define and embed the employer proposition across the business
* Build a strong employer brand suited to a fast-paced, seasonal environment
* Develop a clear, authentic company handbook
* Lead internal communications across office and site teams
* Review and rebuild existing HR foundations including policies, contracts and ER processes
* Design and implement a scalable people strategy to support continued UK growth and international expansion
* Introduce meaningful people data and reporting
* Own and standardize recruitment across all levels and sites
* Build a structured onboarding process that works across a seasonal workforce
* Support the development of the existing recruitment capability
* Create clear progression pathways from entry level through to senior operations roles
* Develop a practical management development framework
* Embed a strong internal progression culture
* Partner closely with the Operations Director and leadership team
* Lead on all ER matters including performance, conduct and grievance cases
* Manage and develop the existing people and recruitment function
ABOUT YOU
Essential
* Experience building or significantly developing a people function in a high-growth hospitality, leisure, events or food environment
* Strong ER capability with sound commercial judgement
* Comfortable working in fast-paced, founder-led environments
* Hands-on, pragmatic and comfortable operating in ambiguity
* Strong belief that culture is built through action, not process