We are looking for a new Head of People and Culture to join our team to lead and nurture the most important asset in our business –our People and support us with our growth. We are a hospitality group developing a unique collection of workspaces that artfully blend work, wellbeing and community within vibrant neighbourhoods. Our members offer private studies for teams, resident desks for individuals and House memberships for flexible working, along with lounges and meeting spaces, state-of the art gyms, dynamic events programming and acclaimed private and public-facing F&B offerings, ensuring that members’ needs are met at every level.
The role oversees: recruitment; culture; people legal compliance; onboarding; payroll; training; and other general people related activities in the Group. The ideal candidate for this role has worked in a founder led business and has a strong entrepreneurial mindset.
You will ensure that we deliver the best possible experience for the “members of our family”. This shapes our ‘heartfelt hospitality’ culture and considers business goals, directly impacting all levels of the business.
You will collaborate with Directors to develop the strategic direction of our people experience ensuring that we are meeting the current/future needs of the business. You are critical to delivering and embedding the people strategy to support the growth of the group.
The Role:
People Engagement & Experience
- Design and implement strategies to boost people engagement, morale and wellbeing. Including considering strategies covering benefits, rewards and working conditions.
- Develop programmes that inspire our people to contribute to the business, generating ideas, making them feel valued at all levels in the business.
- Lead feedback initiatives that we have in the Group including “Breakfast with the CEO”, surveys, Focus Groups, to gather insights on our people experience and insight to deliver continuous improvements.
- Develop Reward and Incentive programmes to engage employees reflecting the values of the Group.
Learning and Development
- Implement learning and development programmes through internal and external providers that will allow our people to develop their potential and grow with the organisation
- Identify future leaders of the business, create mentorship programmes, leadership training and development programmes that will enable them to grow
- Encourage a culture for continuous improvements, cross functional and houses collaboration and the sharing of experiences and knowledge
- Provide reports on all areas of HR, and Learning and Development, apply Employment Law, HR policy, best practice and employee development
Talent Acquisition, Retention & Elevation
- Lead the recruitment strategy to ensure that the Group attracts and hires talent that aligns with our culture and values
- Oversee the onboarding programme that sets new joiners up for success and aligns with the Group Values
- Develop strategies to retain top performers, monitor their career progression and ensure strong development plans are in place
- Regularly coach, mentor & support senior and high potential colleagues to identify individual strengths & development needs, develop and maintain effective relationships and encourage retention
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
- Champion an open culture throughout the organisation to promote a diverse, equitable and inclusive work force
- Create a work environment where our employees feel heard, respected and valued
- Ensure all our policies and practices reflect an inclusive approach to hiring, training and development
People Budget and Management of ROI
- Develop and manage the People budgets, ensuring it aligns with the business goals and supports key people initiatives
- Track and evaluate people related investment and evaluate the ROI for recruitment campaigns, training, ensuring it delivers values for key areas of focus -retention, productivity and aligns with growth plans for group
- Provide regular reports on performance, highlight areas for improvement and make data driven recommendations to enhance return
- Co-ordinate remuneration policies & advise senior management on staff salaries in reference to external benchmarks
HR Policies, Compliance & Reporting
- Ensure we comply with current regulations, accepted professional standards, policies/procedures and legislation
- Maintain an open-door policy for addressing concerns, complaints and any issues that may arise
- Regularly review and update policies for any changes in legislation, to ensure they remain relevant, inclusive and reflect the Groups Values
- Handle disciplinary actions, advising and utilising HR consultants to ensure a positive outcome for Group
- Lead on empathetic and fair employee relations business wide. Managing the delivery of “bad news” and seek pragmatic solutions where required
- Develop people reporting in business including KPI’s, Organisational Structure, Wellness reporting & monitoring training programmes. Manage execution of People Strategy and core areas of people department including Recruitment, Employee Relations, Workforce Administration, Employee Engagement, Reward and Recognition, as well as maintaining and improving HR systems & management of HR budget
Culture, Development & Strategy
- Champion Company Culture ensuring it aligns with our Values, Visions and Goals
- Champion positive solution focussed culture that celebrates success through continual review and employee development, make recommendations for improvements
- Lead initiatives to continuously evolve and re-enforce workplace culture, creating positive & inclusive workspace
- Support business in developing people centric focus across all business areas
- Shape and advise on organisational development and design
Leadership & Team Development
- Challenge Leadership Team to encourage strong relationships, providing guidance on leadership practices, people management and organisational development
- Mentor & develop People Team members ensuring they have tools and knowledge necessary to excel in their roles
- Build strong partnerships within business, to address specific people challenges & improve organisational efficiencies
- Ensure managers are sufficiently skilled & enabled to access appropriate guidance & information to manage workforce issues
About You:
You will be responsible for delivering the best and sometimes the worst of news, supporting employees in challenging situations, counselling and encouraging heads of department, directing on workplace harassment, balancing best practice with commercial pressures, developing the programme of change to deliver the people strategies with the leadership team and encouraging employees to adapt and change for the benefit of them as individuals and Group.
This will be achieved by drawing upon your knowledge and understanding of HR regulations, accepted professional standards, policies, procedures and legislations to make confident leadership decisions that deliver the best-in-class people strategies for Group and delivering best practice.
- Have held previous position of seniority, able to establish credibility and build department accountability
- Be able to problem solve and demonstrate operational and strategic skills
- Be comfortable in developing team members and empowering staff
- Evidence having a passion for working with people and working beyond the confines of the job description
- Strong communication skills to include negotiating skills
- Have excellent organisation skills, strong in process and ability to prioritise
- Thrive on constant change and flexible to do what needs to be done at times!
- Have commercial acumen and experience of using metrics for driving change
- Be pro-active, with a passion for leading with integrity
- Have outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and a positive, approachable manner
- Work with an agile mindset
- Be curious, thinking innovatively and rationally about concerns and come up with creative solutions
- Be experienced in managing a skilled team and able to make quick but rational decisions
- Have thorough and methodical attention to detail
- Have good time management skills and the ability to prioritise, problem-solve and use initiative
- First-rate presentation skills
- Be committed to be an inspiring role model who encourages collaboration.
- Continually focus on your own personal development
- Accept and provide feedback, be able to be challenged on your advice, and work well under pressure
Essential Skills
- The ability to create people strategy
- Good knowledge of Employment Law
- Excellent knowledge of HR practices
- Broad working knowledge of all HR departmental areas, including reward and recognition, welfare, learning and development, as well as HR systems & budgets
- Establish departmental accountabilities for the range of HR functions from talent acquisition to health and safety compliance
- Proven leadership experience in managing departments and teams, with exceptional leadership qualities
- The ability to develop and nurture relationships across departments and hierarchy
- The confidence to provide sound professional advice
- The ability to lead the development of effective employment policies with counsel from HR Solutions
- Proficient IT skills
- Represent the People department consistently and with professionalism -facing the Directorship and workforce with confidence and skill
- The ability to analyse and review HR data to identify trends
- Determine, measure, and analyse relevant KPIs for incentive schemes
- Interpret key people data into an effective and commercially focused HR and people strategy, working with senior management and influencing them on the best course of action
- Able to give counsel and oversee complex employee relations issues such as grievance and disciplinary cases and manage difficult cases with professionalism
- Devising recruitment strategy & interview senior hires when required
