Role Overview
This is a business-critical senior leadership appointment within a complex, national organisation.
Reporting directly to the Director of People, the Head of HR will lead and develop a high-performing HR function, providing both strategic and operational leadership across the business. The role will have a strong focus on UK employment law, compliance, employee relations and proactive risk management.
The successful candidate will act as the organisation’s subject matter expert on employment law, providing practical, commercially sound advice to senior stakeholders and supporting the business through growth, change and organisational development.
The role includes direct line management responsibility for the HR advisory and administration functions and will play a key part in promoting a culture of fairness, consistency, respect and accountability.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, manage and develop the HR advisory and administration functions.
- Provide strategic and operational HR leadership aligned with wider business objectives.
- Act as the subject matter expert on UK employment law, HR policy and best practice.
- Ensure legal and regulatory compliance across all areas of people management.
- Provide practical, commercially focused advice to directors and senior leaders on complex HR matters.
- Lead and oversee complex employee relations cases, ensuring fair, consistent and legally compliant outcomes.
- Identify and mitigate employment law, tribunal, financial and reputational risks.
- Develop a proactive approach to employee relations, reducing the escalation of workplace issues.
- Coach and support managers to improve confidence, capability and consistency in people management.
- Review and strengthen HR policies, procedures, controls and governance frameworks.
- Support organisational growth, restructuring, transformation and change programmes.
- Use HR data, trends and insights to identify risks and support informed decision-making.
- Build strong and credible relationships with senior stakeholders across the organisation.
- Promote a positive workplace culture based on fairness, respect, inclusion and accountability.
Skills & Experience
- Significant experience operating in a senior HR leadership role within a complex organisation.
- Extensive and up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
- Strong practical experience managing complex and high-risk employee relations matters.
- A sound understanding of employment law compliance, tribunal risk and reputational risk.
- Experience providing credible and commercially focused advice to directors and senior leaders.
- Proven experience leading, motivating and developing an HR team.
- Experience supporting business growth, organisational change or restructuring programmes.
- Strong coaching, influencing and stakeholder-management skills.
- A proactive and preventative approach to employee relations and risk management.
- Excellent judgement, decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
- The confidence to challenge constructively and influence at senior level.
- The ability to balance legal compliance, commercial priorities and employee considerations.
- A professional, fair and consistent approach to people management.
- CIPD qualification or equivalent professional experience would be advantageous.
- Strong employment law expertise is essential.
- Applications may also be considered from experienced employment law professionals seeking to move from legal practice into a senior in-house HR leadership role.
Offering
- Salary of £65,000–£80,000, dependent on experience.
- Bonus opportunity up to 25%
- Hybrid working arrangement, with three days office-based and two days working from home.
- Based in North Lanarkshire.
- Direct reporting line to the Director of People.
- Senior leadership responsibility within a national organisation.
- The opportunity to shape, develop and strengthen the HR function.
- A high-impact role supporting business growth, change and cultural development.
