People Manager – Your Path to Head of People
Location: South West UK
Reports to: CEO
Contract: Full-time Hybrid with 1 to 2 days per week in office
Salary: £45,000 – £60,000 per annum DOE
About Held Health
Held Health is a fast-growing national provider of child and young person mental health and neurodiversity services. We partner with the NHS and private clients to deliver care that is clinically excellent and deeply compassionate - helping families access the support they need, when they need it most.
Our mission is to be the trusted, first-choice service for children and young people seeking mental health or neurodiversity support; delivering care that is accessible, life-changing, and rooted in empathy.
We’ve built an exceptional multidisciplinary team (MDT) of psychiatrists, psychologists, paediatricians, nurse prescribers, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists. Now, we need you to help create an environment where every member of Held Health can thrive.
The Opportunity
This isn’t just an HR role - it’s your chance to build the People function from the ground up and shape the culture of a mission-driven organisation.
As our first dedicated People Manager, you’ll design onboarding, streamline HR processes, ensure compliance, and create an employee experience that reflects our values. You’ll have autonomy, influence, and a clear path to Head of People as we scale nationally.
If you’re passionate about making work meaningful and want to see the impact of your efforts every day, this is the role for you.
What You’ll Do
* Onboarding & Experience: Design and deliver a structured onboarding journey that makes new hires feel welcome, supported, and ready to deliver life-changing care.
* HR Operations: Manage core HR processes - payroll, benefits, compliance - using Bright HR, ensuring a smooth and responsive service.
* Policies & Compliance: Keep policies current, aligned with UK employment law and GDPR, and ensure robust implementation.
* Culture & Engagement: Create initiatives that connect our team, celebrate our purpose, and make Held Health a place where people feel valued and inspired.
* Learning & Development: Build frameworks for professional growth and mandatory training, making development central to our culture and success.
What We’re Looking For
* 3–5 years’ experience in a People/HR role, ideally in a scaling organisation.
* Hands-on experience with HR operations and onboarding.
* Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR compliance.
* Experience in healthcare or a regulated industry is a plus.
* CIPD Level 5 or working towards Level 7 preferred.
Salary & Benefits
• Salary: £45,000 – £60,000 per annum (DOE).
• Benefits:
34 days annual leave plus bank holidays prorate – because your wellbeing matters.
Enhanced family-friendly policies – supporting you through life’s milestones.
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – confidential support when you need it.
Professional development support – CIPD sponsorship, leadership coaching, and CPD funding.
Home office setup support – we’ll make sure you have what you need to work comfortably.
Hybrid working - 1 to 2 days per week in our Devon office for collaboration and connection.
Recognition and reward initiatives – celebrating your contributions.
Wellbeing perks – mental health support, access to wellness resources, and team wellbeing days.
Why Join Us?
* Make a real impact on children and young people across the UK.
* Build the People function foundations and grow into a leadership role.
* Work alongside an exceptional clinical team shaping the future of mental health and neurodiversity care.
* Join a culture that values flexibility, autonomy, and purpose.