Job Title: Group People Director
Location: UK (multi-site, travel required)
Reports to: CEO / Group Managing Director
Direct Reports: HR Business Partners, Talent, L&D, Recruitment, HR Ops
Role Purpose
To build and lead a high-performing, scalable people function that supports rapid growth across a regulated Supported Living and Children's Services group. You will ensure the workforce strategy enables safe, compliant, and high-quality care delivery under CQC and Ofsted frameworks—without slowing down growth.
This is not a "policy" role. It's about execution, scaling teams fast, fixing workforce issues, and keeping regulators satisfied.
Key Responsibilities
1. People Strategy & Growth
* Design and execute a group-wide people strategy aligned to aggressive expansion plans (new homes, acquisitions, service lines).
* Lead workforce planning to ensure staffing keeps pace with occupancy and regulatory requirements.
* Build scalable hiring, onboarding, and retention systems across multiple regions.
2. Recruitment & Workforce Scaling
* Own end-to-end recruitment strategy for high-volume care roles and senior leadership.
* Reduce time-to-hire and agency dependency.
* Implement pipelines for Registered Managers, Deputy Managers, and frontline staff.
* Ensure safe recruitment practices (DBS, references, right to work).
3. Compliance (CQC & Ofsted)
* Ensure all HR practices meet regulatory standards and support inspection readiness.
* Partner with Operations to maintain compliant staffing levels, training, and supervision.
* Lead responses to workforce-related inspection findings.
* Maintain audit-ready documentation across all services.
4. Employee Relations & Culture
* Take control of complex ER cases (safeguarding, disciplinaries, whistleblowing).
* Drive a performance-led culture—deal with underperformance quickly.
* Reduce absence, turnover, and burnout across services.
* Embed values that align with quality care and accountability.
5. Learning & Development
* Build training frameworks aligned with CQC/Ofsted expectations (mandatory + developmental).
* Develop leadership capability across Registered Managers and senior teams.
* Implement clear progression pathways to improve retention.
6. HR Operations & Systems
* Standardise HR processes across the group (contracts, policies, payroll interface).
* Implement or optimise HRIS systems for scale and reporting.
* Ensure data accuracy across workforce metrics.
7. M&A and Integration
* Lead people due diligence on acquisitions.
* Integrate new services quickly without breaking compliance or culture.
* Align terms, policies, and workforce structures post-acquisition.
8. Leadership & Influence
* Act as a key member of the executive team.
* Challenge operational leaders when workforce practices risk compliance or quality.
* Provide clear, data-driven insight on workforce performance.
Key Metrics / KPIs
* Staff turnover rate
* Time-to-hire
* Agency usage reduction
* Compliance audit scores
* Training completion rates
* Employee engagement
* Inspection outcomes (people-related areas)
Experience Required
* Proven experience as a HR Director / People Director in a multi-site environment
* Strong background in Health & Social Care, Supported Living, or Children's Services
* Deep understanding of CQC and/or Ofsted frameworks
* Experience scaling teams rapidly (organic growth or acquisitions)
* Track record of improving retention and stabilising workforce issues
* Experience managing complex employee relations cases