Head of Human Resources
£60,000 per annum
Permanent
Milton Keynes- Office based
An established and growing business is seeking a hands-on Head of HR to lead its people strategy and deliver high-quality, day-to-day HR operations.
This is a senior role where you’ll partner closely with senior leaders and line managers to translate commercial objectives into effective people plans, robust processes, and a positive employee experience. You’ll play a key role in building a high-performing, compliant, inclusive, and engaged workplace.
Key Responsibilities:
* Own and deliver the people strategy aligned to business growth plans.
* Set HR priorities, annual roadmaps, budgets, and success metrics (e.g. engagement, retention, time to hire).
* Provide data-led advice on organisational design, change management, and capability building.
* Design and embed a clear performance framework, including goal setting, regular check-ins, and reviews.
* Coach managers on feedback, performance improvement, and difficult conversations.
* Partner with Finance to ensure accurate payroll and smooth administration of pay changes, bonuses, and deductions.
* Own compensation principles including salary bands, benchmarking, pay reviews, and promotions.
* Create and deliver a practical L&D plan covering leadership, core skills, and compliance.
* Support development planning, progression pathways, and capability building across the business.
* Measure training impact and continuously improve learning initiatives.
* Maintain employee handbooks, contracts, templates, and HR documentation standards.
* Ensure policies remain legally compliant and consistently applied.
* Own HR systems and records management, ensuring confidentiality and GDPR compliance.
* Lead workforce planning with department heads and translate plans into effective recruitment activity.
* Improve end-to-end hiring processes, including role design, interviewing, and candidate experience.
* Deliver a high-quality onboarding experience that supports success in the first 90 days.
* Lead ER cases including disciplinary, grievance, absence, and capability matters with pace, empathy, and legal rigour.
* Reduce ER risk through coaching, early intervention, and consistent processes.
* Manage external HR or legal support where required.
* Act as the custodian of company culture, values, behaviours, and leadership standards.
* Run engagement initiatives such as surveys and focus groups, translating insight into action.
* Drive initiatives that improve communication, recognition, belonging, and retention.
* Build and maintain workforce plans covering headcount, skills, capacity, succession, and attrition risk.
* Use people data and metrics to inform decisions and prioritise interventions.
* Ensure the business meets health and safety obligations appropriate to its working environments.
* Maintain risk assessments, incident reporting, training, and compliance documentation.
* Partner with internal stakeholders and external specialists to continuously improve safety culture.
Skills & Experience Required:
* CIPD Level 5 or 7
* Significant HR leadership experience in a fast-paced, scaling organisation.
* Strong knowledge of UK employment law with confident ER case management experience.
* Experience owning performance cycles, compensation frameworks, and core talent processes.
* Proven ability to influence senior leaders and coach managers effectively.
* Strong operational discipline across HR processes, systems, and documentation.
* Comfortable partnering cross-functionally with Finance, Operations, and leadership teams.