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This range is provided by Practicus. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range
Interim Director of HR
West and South London locations
Hybrid working – 3–4 days onsite
2–3 months with opportunity to go permanent
Are you an HR operator who gets things done?
Not afraid to make tough calls, sharpen processes, and drive performance?
Ready to lead a hands-on transformation in a world-class scientific and academic environment?
Were looking for a pragmatic, operationally strong Interim HR Director to step in during a critical transition period.
The Mission
The organisation is building a more agile, service-oriented HR function to support ambitious research goals and people-first values.
You’ll bring structure, focus, and leadership to a team navigating change – streamlining operations, embedding consistency, and improving responsiveness.
This is a role for someone who thrives on practical delivery and leads confidently through change.
Its an opportunity to make a real impact, both in the short term and potentially as part of the long-term leadership team.
What You’ll Be Doing
• Drive operational performance – clear backlogs, implement consistent policies, improve SLAs
• Lead a team across two locations
• Tackle ER and union matters – pay negotiations, complex employee relations issues
• Oversee high-volume recruitment activity
• Be hands-on – 3–4 days onsite to build relationships and visibility
• Evaluate capabilities, energise culture, and deliver continuous improvement
What You Bring
• A strong track record in HR operations, ideally in scientific, academic, or charitable sectors
• Experience with unions, pensions, and shared service models
• Hands-on leadership – someone who fixes, not just delegates
• Comfort working in smaller organisations (~1,200 staff)
• Proven ability to enhance policy, service delivery, and engagement
• Familiarity with HR systems like Oracle Fusion
• Confidence to lead through complexity and change
We’d love to hear from you, especially if you can show:
• How you’ve improved HR service, process, and culture
• Where you’ve driven operational excellence in mission-driven environments
• Your role in union relations, pensions, or systems projects
• How you’ve addressed challenging staffing or culture issues
Seniority level
* Seniority level
Director
Employment type
* Employment type
Contract
Job function
* Job function
Human Resources
* Industries
Non-profit Organizations and Research Services
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